Author: Rosanne van Zalingen

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World Food Day 2025 – Building Sustainable Food Security in Hoedspruit

Today, October 16th, we celebrate World Food Day — a global moment to reflect on the importance of food security and sustainable agriculture. At BOOST The World in Hoedspruit, South Africa, this is not just a theme — it’s our daily mission.

From Vulnerability to Resilience

Hoedspruit is a region facing challenges like drought, poverty, and limited access to fresh produce. BOOST The World has established a nursery: an educational garden where fruits and vegetables are grown not only for consumption, but also as a learning space. Children and youth are taught about permaculture, regenerative farming, and the importance of biodiversity. This is how food security is cultivated from the ground up.

Sustainability at the Core

Our approach is built on three pillars:

  1. Local production: We grow seasonal crops such as tomatoes, spinach, papaya, and beans. This reduces dependence on external food sources and lowers the ecological footprint.
  2. Water management: In a region where water is scarce, we invest in sustainable solutions like drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, and — soon — our own water source and tank. This enables farming even during dry spells.
  3. Education and empowerment: Young people learn how to grow their own food, care for the soil, and collaborate to build resilient communities. Food security becomes a shared responsibility.

Food as a Bridge to the Future

BOOST The World connects food security to broader themes like leadership, sustainability, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our garden is not just a place of growth, but also of dialogue — about climate change, inequality, and the power of local solutions.

Creating Impact Together

On World Food Day, we honor the strength of communities to become self-sufficient. BOOST The World shows that sustainable food security starts with education, collaboration, and respect for nature. Every child deserves access to nutritious food — today and tomorrow.

Support Sustainable Change

Would you like to contribute to food security in Hoedspruit? You can! With a small or large donation, you help fund water solutions, seeds, education, and the expansion of our nursery. Donate easily via our website or through the crowdfunding platform WhyDonate.

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YOU can make a difference

“You can’t save the whole world”

I have heard those words often. And maybe you recognize them too.

But you know what? You don’t have to. Because imagine if every person helped another person. With something small. A meal. A glass of clean drinking water. A safe place. A listening ear. Then the world changes. Every day, a little bit.

In the beginning, I sometimes felt discouraged by such remarks: “There are already so many foundations“, “You won’t achieve anything with it“, and “You’d better just focus on your own country“.

But deep down, I knew: this is a calling. A voice that says: go ahead. Do it anyway. And today, I see what happens when you follow your inner voice. BOOST The World Foundation started small, messy, with trial and error. It was not an easy start. But we kept going. And slowly it grew, stronger, more impactful. Now we see results that change lives:

  • Healthy food on a plate that otherwise would not have been there
  • Drinking water that gives hope and saves lives
  • A safe place where people come together, grow, and laugh.

For you, perhaps, self-evident. For many, a miracle.

Heart-centered leadership

All this begins with heart-centered leadership: living and leading from your heart.

Not from fear or lack, but from trust and connection.

Because when you truly live from your heart, you naturally become a good person for those around you. Your neighbor who feels seen. Your colleague who gets a listening ear. A student who learns how to stay closer to their own heart.

Helping one person can create a ripple that touches dozens of others. This is how a chain reaction of love and impact arises.

Your role

That is why my call to you today is: choose where you will make a difference.

  • Perhaps by becoming a volunteer at our foundation here in the Netherlands, where you can directly impact multiple lives
  • Perhaps by extending a helping hand to someone in your own street or village
  • Or simply by living more from your heart yourself, so that your children, friends, and colleagues take that energy with them.

We provide training to students to make them aware of that connection with their heart. Because a new generation that lives from love and awareness has the power to truly change the world.

And it doesn’t start far away. It starts today. Right here. With me. With YOU!

So… what difference are you going to make today?

With love, Rosanne van Zalingen
BOOST The World Foundation

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Empowering Girls with Love, Care, and Wisdom

October 11 – International Day of the Girl

Today, the world pauses to recognize the strength, potential, and rights of girls everywhere. But this day is more than a celebration — it’s a call to action. Millions of girls still face barriers to education, safety, and equality. At BOOST The World, we believe that true transformation begins with equal opportunities, mutual respect, and the protection of youth rights — with a special focus on girls.

Why This Day Matters

The International Day of the Girl, established by the United Nations, shines a light on the unique challenges girls face globally — from child marriage and gender-based violence to lack of access to education and healthcare. But it also highlights their resilience, creativity, and leadership. When girls are empowered, entire communities thrive.

BOOST The World: A Movement Rooted in Values

At BOOST The World, we are building a future where every child — regardless of gender — can grow into a conscious, compassionate, and courageous leader. Our foundation is built on three core values:

  • Love: We see and value every child for who they are. We create safe, inclusive spaces where girls feel seen, heard, and supported.
  • Care: We invest in their well-being — physically, emotionally, and socially — ensuring they have the tools to thrive.
  • Wisdom: We equip them with knowledge, critical thinking, and leadership skills to shape a more just and sustainable world.

Girls’ Education: The Game Changer

Education is not a privilege — it’s a fundamental right. Yet millions of girls are still denied this right due to poverty, cultural norms, or lack of infrastructure. BOOST The World is committed to changing this reality:

  • We are developing a learning community where girls can access education, mentorship, and leadership development.
  • We promote peer-to-peer learning, empowering girls to support and inspire one another.
  • We integrate the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our programs, helping girls understand their rights and their role in global change.

Equality Begins with Respect

Equality is not just about access — it’s about recognition. It means valuing girls’ voices, dreams, and decisions. At BOOST The World, we don’t just work for young people — we work with them. Girls are not passive recipients of aid; they are active agents of change. Their voices shape our programs, their ideas drive our innovation.

Why Your Support Matters Now

To continue this vital work, we need your help. Your donation can:

  • Provide girls with access to education and leadership programs.
  • Create safe, nurturing environments where love, care, and wisdom are at the heart of learning.
  • Strengthen youth rights and empower girls to reach their full potential.

Every contribution — big or small — makes a difference. Together, we can build a world where girls don’t just survive, but thrive.

👉 Donate today and help us give girls the future they deserve.

BOOST The World Foundation
Rooted in love. Guided by care. Driven by wisdom.
For a world where every girl can lead.

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Mentoring, Skills Development and Leadership

All young people in South Africa contend with high rates of unemployment. The unemployment rate for young people – age 15 to 24 – was 62,4 percent in the first quarter of this year 2025. These figures highlight the immense challenges young South Africans face in entering the job market.

Poor vocational and appropriate education, lack of work experience, and limited opportunities are major contributing factors to this crisis.

Mentorship provides a safe space for young people to discuss personal challenges, fears, and frustrations which builds confidence, resilience, and a positive self-image empowering them to overcome self-doubt and face adversity.

This is what one of our happy volunteers said: “Hello, I am Noah. I am volunteer here. I am helping to install covers today”.

While fostering new leaders in our community, we are also giving young people the opportunity to experience what real life is like in rural Africa, to understand the extent of poverty, the extent of desperation that people have to get food.

Why don’t you join us?

As interns and as potential leaders in the future!

Come and work on our farm.
Come and see what’s it like.
Come an be part of our BOOST The World team in South Africa.
Come and join us as volunteers as we all put our hands together to work for developing the rural communities, and give back to people what they can’t get for themselves, and what we had for so long.

Here’s what Barrie and Noah said a few weeks ago: “Hi, we have had a very busy day on the land yesterday. It is almost five o’clock, and it’s cooking in the middle of the winter, and we are really enjoying the sun in the middle of the day, working in the garden and the kitchen”.

We are right on the border of the Kruger National Park, and after a hard day’s work we all get to sit around the fire, and look at the bush. We might also have the opportunity to see elephants come to drink just over the pond from us where we sit next to the fire, and watch the sunset.

But – work is really rewarding, and if you want to be an intern, if you want to come and be a new leader, if you would like to join us for a work session, please contact your local BOOST The World office.

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Will You Be Part of Something Powerful?

Every child deserves a healthy start and a bright future

 

BOOSTING THE WORLD TOGETHER

New year, new round, new opportunities. A new board, new goals, and new developments on the estate. You’ll read all about it in this newsletter.

We have a new internet domain

Since the beginning of September, we have a new domain name: boosttheworld.org If you still refer to boosttheworld.com, you’ll automatically be redirected to the new domain. “.com” sounds too commercial to us, while .org is more reserved for non-profit organizations. Which, of course, we are.

Introducing the new Board

Since the end of August, the BOOST The World Foundation has a new board that has started off decisively. We’d like to introduce our board members to you here:

Rosanne van Zalingen

Our dedicated founder, remains our inspiring chair. She founded BOOST The World in 2019, just before the Covid-19 crisis struck. She is now supported by two capable and driven fellow board members.

Ivo Kemmink

He has agreed to take on the position of secretary, while also overseeing the expansions of our Hoedspruit estate. We call Ivo our community builder. He brings with him a wealth of experience in development work.

Tom de Zwart

A skilled bookkeeper, was eager to take on the role of treasurer. He immediately brought everything into order and prepared a solid 2024 annual report, which was formally adopted by the new Board.

 

Rosanne, Ivo and Tom, a very warm welcome and best of luck.

Our Vision

By 2030, 500,000 young people worldwide will have experienced a transformative BOOST journey, in which they are trained and guided into leadership with a heart, focused on love, care, and wisdom.

To realize this vision, we aim to reach groups of young people each year through both online and offline programs, with every group inspiring an ever-growing new group.

This creates the following exponential growth model for the coming five years:

In the year …
we will have reached cumulatively …

2026 – 150 young people
2027 – 1,150 young people
2028 – 8,700 young people
2029 – 66,000 young people
2030 – 500,000 young people

You can read this policy plan in more detail on our website under About us.

And how are things in Hoedspruit, South Africa?

Things are going well. The vegetable garden (nursery) is thriving and already producing plenty of fruits and vegetables. A second nursery is currently being established.

As spring has just begun and the hot summer weather is on its way, there is now a great need for water, not only to irrigate the plants through a proper system, but also to enjoy a refreshing shower after work in these high temperatures.

WATER – WATER – WATER

Hoedspruit is not connected to any kind of water supply system. At the moment, they rely on a water truck that, from time to time, brings water over a long distance, which is then pumped into a large 1,000-liter water tank at our location.

Our great wish is to drill a borehole and pump up our own water from a depth between 40 and 120 meters, and to install a second water tank. Drilling such a borehole requires expertise (specialists) and the right equipment (drilling rig, submersible pump, connection to electricity, and so on).

We are talking about a required amount of approximately €24.000. Naturally, we are very much in need of the support of donors and sponsors to make this possible. On our website, you will find the DONATE button.

Crowdfunding

We will also be making more intensive use of crowdfunding. Due to the low costs, we have chosen the crowdfunding platform WhyDonate. Many of the sub-projects in Hoedspruit can be found there.

The most important project is the connection to the national electricity grid, the required transformer, and a complete system with solar panels. Take a look here. In particular, we would like to call on employees of Dutch energy companies to contribute. They, more than anyone else, understand what energy means when you don’t have it…

Other projects for which we would like to organize fundraising campaigns on WhyDonate include:

Every contribution, no matter how big or small, is most welcome and deeply appreciated. Thank you very much.

You have the power to change the future of a child. Let’s do this together.

Together, we’re building a land full of opportunity.

With gratitude,
Team BOOST The World

Help us by DONATING!

PS: BOOST The World Foundation is a registered public benefit foundation (ANBI in The Netherlands). Your donation may be tax deductible. Ask us how!

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Building a Sustainable Future Together

BOOST The World: Building a Sustainable Future Together

Today, September 25th, we celebrate UN SDG Action Day – a global moment to reflect on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. These goals form a shared roadmap for a better world by 2030: free from poverty, full of opportunity, and in harmony with nature. At BOOST The World, we are proud to actively contribute to 14 of these 17 goals.

Our mission is clear: to empower young people around the world with love, care, and wisdom, so they can become changemakers in their own communities. We do this through education, food security, community development, and international collaboration.

🌱 From Food Security to Climate Action

In our BOOST nursery in Hoedspruit, South Africa, young people work together on sustainable agriculture. They grow fruits and vegetables, learn about permaculture, and share their knowledge with the local community. This directly supports:

  • SDG 2: Zero Hunger
  • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
  • SDG 13: Climate Action
  • SDG 15: Life on Land

By training youth in entrepreneurship and leadership, we strengthen their economic position and their ability to create positive impact:

  • SDG 4: Quality Education
  • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

💪 Equality, Health, and Community Power

BOOST The World promotes gender equality and health awareness through programs that help young people understand their rights, their bodies, and their role in society. We work with local partners to create safe, inclusive learning environments:

  • SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 5: Gender Equality
  • SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
  • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

🤝 Collaboration as the Key to Impact

Our approach is rooted in partnership – with youth, local leaders, international allies, and donors. We believe real change happens when people come together:

  • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

BOOST The World is not a top-down organization, but a grassroots movement. We listen, learn, and build together. Our core values – love, care, and wisdom – guide everything we do. They ensure our contribution to the SDGs is not only practical, but also deeply human and sustainable.

📣 Join Us on SDG Action Day

On this SDG Action Day, we invite you to take part. Share our stories, support our projects, or start your own local initiative. Every action counts. Together, we can BOOST the world – with love, care, and wisdom as our compass.

May you wish to donate, please hit the Donate button on the upper right corner of your screen. Small or large, we welcome every donation, thank you so much.

Thanks to Freepik.com
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Peace Begins with Sharing Love, Care, and Wisdom

Today, September 21st, we celebrate the International Day of Peace – a moment to reflect on our shared longing for a world free from violence, division, and injustice. At BOOST The World, we believe peace is not a distant ideal, but a daily practice rooted in the sharing of three universal values: love, care, and wisdom.

💛 Love as the Foundation

Love is the force that connects people. Not just romantic love, but the kind that shows up as respect, compassion, and solidarity. When we treat each other with love – in families, communities, and organizations – we create space for trust. Love helps us bridge differences and prevent conflict. In our projects, like the BOOST nursery in Hoedspruit, South Africa, we see how loving collaboration between youth, farmers, and volunteers leads to growth – both in crops and in relationships.

🤲 Care as the Compass

Care is love in action. It’s the willingness to take responsibility for one another and for our planet. Care means listening, helping, protecting, and supporting. In a world often driven by profit and speed, care is a radical act. By placing care at the heart of our work – through sustainable agriculture and education – we build resilient communities where peace can take root.

🧠 Wisdom as the Guide

Wisdom is more than knowledge. It’s the ability to understand what truly matters and to make choices that benefit the whole. Wisdom requires reflection, learning from experience, and asking deep questions. At BOOST The World, we encourage young people to develop their own wisdom – through dialogue, storytelling, and connection with nature. Wisdom leads to insight, and insight leads to peace.

🌍 Peace as a Result of Sharing

When we not only cherish love, care, and wisdom but actively share them with others, something powerful happens. We build bridges instead of walls. We create space for collaboration, healing, and hope. Peace is not a destination, but a process that begins with every choice we make – how we speak, how we act, how we show up.

On this International Day of Peace, we invite everyone to reflect on these values. How can you show love today? Where can you offer care? What wisdom do you want to share?

At BOOST The World, we believe peace begins within – and spreads when we share our values. Together, we can build a world where peace is not the exception, but the norm.

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Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure

Day 0 of Our August Work Tour

In the northeast of South Africa, about 500 kilometers from Johannesburg, something remarkable is taking shape. Not just a project – a movement. A movement of hope, collaboration, and sustainable transformation. BOOST The World South Africa is no longer just a dream – it’s alive, growing, and inspiring. And you can see it in our latest video: “Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure – August Work Tour ‘Day 0’.”

This video marks the beginning of a new phase. Day 0. The moment where everything comes together: the preparations, the people, the vision. It’s the starting point of a work tour that builds not only physical infrastructure, but also bridges between communities, generations, and continents.

From Vision to Action

BOOST The World South Africa actively contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030. In this phase, the focus is on improving food and water access, and creating safe, functional spaces for community development.

A beautiful example is the donated kitchen units. These were carefully renovated, repaired, and cleaned before being transported to their destination in Acornhoek – a journey captured in a compelling time-lapse showing the drive from Thornybush to the site.

Building Together

Upon arrival, the real work begins: preparing the space, unloading the cupboards, planning the kitchen layout, and shopping for hardware. Volunteers roll up their sleeves, sanding walls, painting, and carefully designing the kitchen space. Every detail matters.

In the video, a young volunteer introduces himself: “Hello, I am Noah. I’m a volunteer here and I’m helping build this center.”
His smile and dedication say it all. This is not just a construction project. It’s a place where young people learn, grow, and contribute to their community.

Between Elephants and Ideals

In the evening, around the campfire, volunteers are quietly observed by curious elephants. A magical moment that reminds us how deeply connected people and nature are here. It’s a gentle nudge that sustainability is not just about buildings — it’s about harmony with the environment.

Why Your Support Matters

BOOST The World is building a future where children can go to school with full stomachs, where young people gain skills to shape their own futures, and where communities become resilient against drought and poverty. But we can’t do it alone.

Your donation helps us:

  • install more kitchen units,
  • drill a sustainable water source,
  • create workspaces for young people like Noah,
  • and strengthen the infrastructure for long-term impact.

Watch the video. Let it move you. And join us.

Day 0 is just the beginning. Together, we can build a world where love, care, and wisdom are the foundations of real change.

Your donation – small or big – will help us grow this learning community. The donate button is in the upper right corner of this page.

Please also have a look at the crowdfunding platform WhyDonate where we have some initiatives running for specific projects in South Africa. Thank you so much!

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A Vibrant Country

Progress, Challenges and Vision for the Future

Today we received an inspiring update from Barend, directly from the land. As the sun slowly passes over the fields and the smell of earth and growth hangs in the air, a visionary story of dedication and cooperation unfolds. The country is alive – literally and figuratively – and although there is still a lot of work to be done, the first fruits of our volunteers’ efforts are already visible.

The garden blooms

Barend starts his update with good news: the garden looks beautiful. The care and attention that has been put into it are literally starting to pay off. Vegetables stand proudly, young plants shoot out of the ground, and the whole thing exudes vitality. It is a tangible proof of what is possible when people work together with nature.

A Battle on the Ground: Nets and Uninvited Guests

Yet there are also concerns. Sylvester has not yet finished securing the bottom of the nets. And that’s not a detail: without this protection, rats and rabbits will effortlessly find their way to the young seedlings and seeds. An entire harvest can be lost in one night. The message is clear: this must be completed urgently. Sylvester understands the urgency and is considering looking at alternatives to get the work done faster. Of course, costs play an important role in this.

The nursery: a golden treasure

Another bright spot is the nursery. According to Barend, it is “worth its weight in gold” – and that is no exaggeration. The nursery is the heart of the project: this is where the plants that will later enrich the land are grown. The decision to only use plants from the nursery in the future is therefore logical. It offers control, quality and a better chance of survival for the crops.

Harvesting and accounting

With the first harvests in sight, there is also the need to structure sales. A sales and accounts receivable book must be kept that states exactly how much is sold. Transparency and overview are essential, especially as the project grows. In addition, Sylvester will soon consult with Barrie about how the products can be packaged and sold. An important step towards professionalization.

Rabbits and carrots: a familiar enemy

Not everything goes smoothly. A carrot field has fallen prey to rabbits. It is a painful reminder of how vulnerable young crops are without adequate protection. This experience once again underlines the importance of the nets and the choice to plant only through the nursery.

 

Potatoes and progress

Fortunately, there are also successes: the potatoes are doing well. They grow steadily and promise a nice harvest. It is a welcome boost in a period when not everything is going smoothly.

Building with Limited Resources

The construction of the new facilities is proceeding more slowly than hoped. The initial plans to use a steel structure turn out to be financially unfeasible. Instead, the reuse of materials is now being looked at – a sustainable and cost-effective solution. A friend of Nico’s recently removed a building and is now investigating whether it can be rebuilt at our location. It is a good example of circular entrepreneurship in practice.

Preparations for the School

In the meantime, progress has also been made in the field of education. With the help of a backhoe loader, the area where the school is to be located has been leveled. An important step towards a place where children can learn, grow and dream. A shuttle service is also being considered: from the airport to the lodges and for nurses to their living quarters. It shows how broad the project is – it’s not just about agriculture. It’s about building a learning community.

A Look to the Future

What makes this update so special is the balance between realism and hope. There are challenges – from rabbits to construction delays – but there is also vision, decisiveness and cooperation. Every part of the project, from the nursery to the school, contributes to a bigger picture: a sustainable, self-sufficient ecosystem in which people and nature live together in harmony. The next few weeks will be crucial. Sylvester has to complete the networks, the sales structure has to be set up, and the construction plans have to become concrete. But with the right commitment and cooperation, anything is possible.

Barend’s update is more than a report – it is a snapshot of a living project in development. It shows how dreams become reality, step by step, by trial and error. And it reminds us that real change starts with people rolling up their sleeves and believing in what they do. We look forward to the next update – and to the many great things to come.

Help Make a Difference

What is happening here on the land is more than agriculture – it is a movement. A place where people, nature and community come together to build something lasting. But to further realize this dream, we need your help.

Every donation – big or small – helps us to:

  • Finish the nets and protect our crops
  • Building the school for the next generation
  • Realize sustainable structures with recycled materials
  • Create local jobs and promote food security

🌱 Donate today and become part of this growing community. Together, we can build a future where everyone thrives.

👉 Donate | Crowdfunding & Online Fondsenwervingsplatform

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Boost the World South Africa – Community Building 

What an exhilarating journey this has been. First, we set out to discuss the community’s pressing needs, meeting with dedicated community leaders at Orpen Gate RDP, then attentively listened to their aspirations and identifying their crucial needs. We meticulously built a comprehensive plan with enthusiastic young leaders to tackle some of the community’s persistent challenges. We have provided local community members valuable opportunities to work on our land and earn a sustainable income. We have started to build a robust foundation for improvement within our community for future volunteer expeditions. We are undoubtedly making a significant difference, and it is heartening to witness the positive, tangible impact we are having. Our diligent efforts are creating lasting, meaningful benefits for the community, fostering growth, and paving the way for a brighter, more prosperous future. As we continue to work together, our collective contributions will further strengthen and uplift the community, ensuring sustainable progress and development for everyone involved.

Step 1: June 2022 – October 2022.
Meeting with locals and community leaders to build relationships. 
Requesting to purchase a piece of land in the near township to start a learning community.
Visiting the site allocated by the Chief of the tribal community.
Seeking approvals to build a community focused learning centre.

Step 2: November 2022 – June 2024
Building a Strategy for the learning community.
Meeting community leaders and building a plan to help the community.
Holding interviews with the locals.
Marking the boundaries of our facility allotment.
Rising funds to start building.

Step 3: July 2024 – May 2025
Mobilizing the strategy to fence off the facility allotment. 
Building a Security guard house for a community volunteer to watch and care for the land.
Building ablution blocks for learners to have safe and comfortable toilets and showers.
Connecting our main water supply.
Planting a sustainable perma-culture food garden.
Revisiting our plans.