Mopinion is all about giving back to the community. That’s why last week a few members of the Mopinion team headed over to a local hospital (Ikazia Ziekenhuis) in Rotterdam. Our mission? To deliver toys to the children admitted to the Pediatrics department and put a smile on their faces.
As part of our Social Jam initiative, we successfully gathered nearly four bags of gifts, both new and used, for the Vrienden van Ikazia Foundation.
The Mopinion team at Ikazia Hospital
Among the new gifts were nine signed footballs, courtesy of none other than Lutsharel Geertruida – a player on the Dutch national football team as well as the local club Feyenoord. There were also a great deal of donations made by several Mopinion colleagues with children, which is not only environmentally friendly but also gave our mission a personal touch.
Lutsharel Geertruida posing with one of the signed footballs donated to the children at Ikazia
What is the Vrienden van Ikazia Foundation?
The foundation Vrienden van Ikazia (or ‘Friends of Ikazia’) has been of great importance to the Ikazia hospital for over fifty years. It aims to achieve a warmer and more comfortable environment for the patients in the hospital. Thanks to the many donations it has received, Vrienden van Ikazia has been able to set up many beautiful projects to meet his goal.
We met with the Secretary of Vrienden van Ikazia, Jeanette Bijl, who welcomed us with open arms. She was accompanied by two nurses from the Pediatric department who gave us a tour. They showed us the heartwarming effort that went into creating a child-friendly atmosphere in what is normally a sterile environment. The walls were decorated in a “jungle in the city” theme with scenes of Rotterdam amidst playful drawings of trees and jungle animals. There were ‘Spot the difference’ paintings cleverly hung in the blood drawing rooms, and intricate paintings secured to the ceilings – all in an effort to distract the children from the sometimes less enjoyable parts of being in a hospital.
In addition to the artwork, they showed us the kids’ playroom where patients are able to “feel like a kid”, surrounded by donated toys and a projector which shows relaxing nature scenes. They told us about all of the different local initiatives to raise money and help the kids in different ways which was both inspiring and motivating (as we’re always looking for new ideas for our social program – the Social Jam).
“I was very pleasantly surprised to see that the children at Ikazia are welcomed in such a warm and colourful environment by committed doctors and nurses. The team really does everything to put these children at ease. Even as examinations are carried out, the hospital offers a multitude of drawings and beautiful colours to distract them. There is even a multi-sensory stimulation room for (small) children.
Gady van Meggelen, Mopinion volunteer
We were truly awestruck by how dedicated and warm the team at Ikazia was. It was an honour to be able to see this side of a hospital and be able to give something to these kids.
A special thanks goes out to Ikazia for having us! And who knows, maybe we’ll see you again soon!
More on Mopinion’s Social Jam
The Social Jam is Mopinion’s social responsibility programme, which is organised twice a year. It’s when we put away our laptops and roll up our sleeves for a good cause. We do everything from collecting and delivering donations to volunteering at local shelters and lending a helping hand where we can. We believe that there’s always a way to give back to our community.
