Marijn Spruit (54) and Marieke Groenendaal have been donors to the UAF for half their lives. When Marijn turned forty, he collected money from friends and family and they did so again in honor of their twenty-five years of marriage. Their motivation? "It is very rewarding to help people with a good brain to use their abilities." 

Marijn Spruit has known the UAF since he has memories. 'My grandmother practically lived next to the former UAF building at the Wilhelminapark in Utrecht. I've known the UAF and therefore the ideas all my life.' That legacy came to life when he met a refugee Iranian student during his student days through the cooking club founded by Marijn herself. 'We cooked and ate together and had conversations in the meantime. My Iranian classmate had fled because he had reached military age and did not want to fight in the Iran-Iraq War. He wanted to build a new life and, like me, do something with his intellectual capacity. We are no longer in touch, but his story has always stayed with me.'  

Stimulate development 

Dignity is an important theme for Marijn: 'Before my work at Shell, I lived with my family in Qatar for three years. There I saw with my own eyes that there are people who are born in the wrong place. I saw people work six days a week, twelve hours a day for an apple and an egg. Where possible I tried to break this: we paid our own workers well and treated them as equals. Also in the managerial positions I held, in Qatar and later also in Kazakhstan, I always tried to lift people up. “Marijn, you have taught us to think”, said an Indian colleague at my farewell. That is crucial to me: encouraging people to think and thus stimulate their development.' 

And-and-story 

Marieke and Marijn have been supporting the UAF since 1994. They do not donate periodically, but transfer an amount once in a while. Before their marriage, when Marijn turned forty, and in honor of their twenty-five years of marriage, they organized collections. Marijn: 'At a certain point you have had most of the gifts, we already have it so good. I want other people to share and I think a collection is a great way to contribute and at the same time introduce others to the UAF. ' 

Marijn is not surprised that the UAF still exists 27 years after his first donation. 'It's good to be idealistic, but differences in the world are great. The world will remain unequal for decades to come. Inequality may always remain. Of course the government has a role to play in developing the talent of refugees, but it is not an either-or question for me. Several parties can play a role: educational institutions, the government and also the UAF. It's a both-and-story.' 

Invest locally 

One issue about the development of knowledge and talent of refugees is of particular interest to Marijn: 'Refugees who can follow an education here often continue to live in the Netherlands. But how can knowledge development in the Netherlands lead to progress in the country of origin? What role can we play in that? To achieve a world without inequality, local investments must be made with the talent that is developed here. Moreover: don't we all feel connected to where we were born? I've worked and lived in several places around the world, but I'm back in the Netherlands.' 

more active role 

Will there be another collection in the future? Mary does not rule it out. Although he is also thinking about other ways to support the UAF. “I am now over fifty. A question that lives with me: what can I do, except give money? Money is easy. If you have it you can give it. I haven't found the answer to the question yet. I now have a lot of experience and am ready to play a more active role.' 

Interview: Job Hulsman
Photo: Suzanne Blanchard