About Here to Support
Here to Support is an Amsterdam-based organisation founded in 2013.
Here to Support believes in the power of connections. In the way, they shape our understanding of the world, forge friendships, and their ability to act. That’s why we facilitate collaboration between refugees in limbo, undocumented migrants, self-organised refugee collectives and cultural producers, writers, artists, theorists, journalists and academics. These platforms enable the production of cultural projects, empowerment, and artworks. Always in close cooperation.
The aim of Here to Support is to strive for collaboration based on equality in a society that is characterized by fundamental inequality. We believe that an open and inclusive society only arises when everyone in that society is recognized, has equal rights and their voice is being heard. This can only be done if we act and work together. Because the only way to change an unjust society into a just one is to take action. Even though undocumented migrants hold an almost rightless position in the Netherlands, they do have the right to express themselves through protest and art. By supporting them to express themselves and amplify their voices, we strengthen collectives of refugees and individual refugee activists. But we also create possibilities for learning and personal growth, while at the same time transforming the (cultural) institutions that provide a stage for collaborative projects from the inside out.
Organizational structure
Savannah Koolen is the founder and is co-director of Here to Support, together with Malou Lintmeijer. Gerrit Duits, Irene Kingma and Marijke Bijl form the board of Here to Support.
The various projects of the organization are led by projectcoordinators, some of them are freelancers. They coördinate the initiatives under the direction of Savannah and Malou. The team consists of: Fanny van der Vooren, Brigit Biersteker, Julián Sarmiento, Riccardo Biggi, Louisa Bergsma, Olivia Efron-Pool, Hamo Salhein & Hidaya Nampiima.
The team is furthermore supported by volunteers and freelancers that take up creative and political projects.
Here to Support was involved in founding the Amsterdam City Rights coalition. This is a group of documented and undocumented people that challenge human rights issues in Amsterdam. The group consists of many people of different backgrounds, expertises and professions, active in different organisations and associations.
Financial
Here to Support is largely financed by private and government funds.
The Casemanagement+ program and the support desk are financed by the Municipality of Amsterdam.
The Visibility Alliance is also a subsidy from the Municipality of Amsterdam. Here to Support is the secretary here and largely allocates the subsidy to the partner organizations.
Here to Support is supported by Kansfonds and Fred Foundation in 2024. In addition, HtS is supported through the Action Network (set up by Kansfonds) and various private funds per project, such as European Cultural Foundation, Display, Haella Foundation, Pride Amsterdam and Interledger Foundation.
The foundation receives its own resources through monthly donations and donations from Gelukszoekers, which are used for an emergency fund or creative projects that increase the visibility of undocumented people.
ANBI
Stichting Here to Support
info[@]heretosupport.nl
KvK: 58067922
Bank: NL96 BUNQ 2025 5592 24
RSIN: 8528.59.181
Contactpersoon:
Malou Lintmeijer
malou@heretosupport.nl
Remuneration policy:
All board positions are unpaid and the board positions are paid.
Privacy statement Here to Support
Anbi information:
European networks
PICUM seeks a world where human mobility is recognised as a normal reality, and where all people are guaranteed their human rights and have a dignified standard of living, regardless of migration status.
With their network and partners, they research and advocate for evidence-based, holistic and humane responses to the realities of undocumented migrants and to people who want to come to Europe to work or for other reasons. They provide a platform to engage policy-makers and the public at the international, European, national, and local levels.
Their work is grounded in principles and values of social justice, anti-racism and equality.
They apply an intersectional lens to our work, recognising overlapping systems of oppression that affect people with insecure residence status, and are committed to strengthening participation of people with lived experience in our work.”
ENAR is the only pan-European anti-racism network that combines advocacy for racial equality and facilitating cooperation among civil society anti-racism actors in Europe. The organisation was set up in 1998 by grassroots activists on a mission to achieve legal changes at European level and make decisive progress towards racial equality in all EU Member States. Since then, ENAR has grown and achieved a great deal.