CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND THE ECONOMY OF GIFT

The NGO Vraag en Aanbod Internationaal (VAI) was founded in 1985 in the Netherlands as an organisation of volunteers. By the end of 2024 it has more than 40 volunteers who come together one or more times a week in the central hall (workshop) in Belsebaan 4, ALPHEN.

VAI is actif in Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroun and DR Congo, Senegal, Benin and Niger. Every year it sends 3-4 containers with all kind of equipment requested by the projects that are introduced by the intermediaries in the various countries. It doesn’t fund projects. VAI is actively supported by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, a member congregation of AEFJN.

VAI provides tools and transfers knowledge and skills upon requests from Africa aiming at promoting self-reliance and strengthening the applicants’ economical and social position in the Netherlands or in Africa. It also refurbishes tools and machines which are surplus or are not being used anymore, for a second use. With those materials complete toolboxes are compiled, for people in Africa and the Netherlands. Finally, VAI cooperates with organizations in the Netherlands and Africa in order to realize , as effective as possible, the mission and vision of VAI.

Intermediate Organizations in the countries listed above are responsible for selecting projects to submit to the board in the Netherlands and preparing the contracts / agreements with local partners; financing local costs (e.g. shipment of the container to destination); and following up the approved projects and reporting about progress.

An Impactful Change
VAI is an excellent example of the circular economy making one of the goals promoted in Laudato Si concrete on the level of small communities working with skilled volunteers.
It is an eye opener for people and commercial firms in our welfare countries in Europe, used to a throw-away economy, dominated by a spirit of consumerism. It shows adequately how goods (tools and machinery) can get a second life elsewhere in the global South. All activity is financed by gifts.
To the communities in Africa it shows concrete solidarity of people from the North who as volunteers – most of them have retired from professional career – make their skills available in order to promote change, self-reliance, improvement of the livelihood of people often living in poor conditions. With the equipment they receive almost for free they can develop their own skills and improve family income.
The small projects supported by VAI give an incentive to take responsibility for one’s own life and to counter a mentality of dependency, being assisted, etc. Especially in more remote rural and deprived communities it enables carpenters, plumbers, small farmers, tailors, and so forth to develop a business for the benefit of themselves and their fellow country people.

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart living and working in Congo, Cameroon and Senegal are invited to collaborate for the promotion of this kind of small scale development in a more sustainable economy. As members of AEFJN they get a tool to raise awareness about the paradigm shift that is necessary and how systemic change can work. In the Democratic Republic of Congo a workshop was opened and a carpentry installed as well as a tailors workshop to provide professional formation to street youth. VAI enabled this larger project. Once the formation finished the pupils receive the necessary equipment for their own start.