On the path of life it happens that you come across milestones which change your destiny. Anneke has been one of them for PARTAGE, a blessed one, an important one.

Our encounter in 2005 was a stunning miracle. At that time, our little NGO was compelled to create vocational training centres for its orphans dropping out of school and had no means to do so. It is Patricia Schwerzel and her husband, Dutch friends of ours, working in Bukoba, who, during their holidays in Holland happened to be instrumental.

A haphazard: At their church, a Sunday after mass, a lady parishioner was telling about her devotion to children of Africa, her vocation with the foundation she had created; it was Anneke. Patricia presented her Partage Tanzania. Two days after, Anneke wrote to us on 8 March 2005: “Being interested in and impressed by your work in Tanzania, I would like to know how far the need exist to have a school constructed in the area, and if Partage has the possibilities to run it and to manage it. Looking forward to hearing from you, best regards, Anneke Luyt”.
The fairy tale had started! For 15 years Anneke remained constantly at our side, not only constructing but also financing the maintenance and the running costs of the 6 units of the Vocational Training Centre of Bwoki, the Montessori Kindergarten and Teachers College of Bukoba, the Bushurago Field station and its kindergarten, all three main educational poles of our NGO. She brought in her friends Ria and Nelleke who joined her with their own foundations, thus doubling the support she was able to generate for us.

HBo alone weights in for about €750,000. But this huge monetary help cannot alone depict who Anneke has been for our children, our youth, our staff and personally for my wife Jacqueline and myself. By her frequent visits here accompanied by her relatives, by inviting us at her place in Rotterdam, by coming to meet us in Paris, she made us part of her family, she included us in her life and she became part of ours. None of our sponsors has ever been so deeply involved in Partage’s humanitarian mission, in our capacity to open a future to forgotten kids. She gave all she had, her compassion, her heart, her dedication, her life of widow who never parted from her husband. She shared her intimacy with Hans and brought him present among us, through what she considered being their common deeds.

Truly, Hans van Bokkem is not the commemoration of a name through a foundation; it is a living soul, the dual soul of a loving couple whose love has bloomed on the Tree of Life.
“Mama Anneke, Baba Hans” this is how thousands of our children call them today.
This is who they will remain forever in our hearts.

Rest in peace Anneke. Your motherhood is accomplished.

Philippe Krynen. Christmas 2020.