Koppert Foundation supports foundation 'Mano a Mano'

Published 1/6/2026
The Koppert Foundation is built on three pillars. One of these is encouraging employees to participate in social projects - helping them grow in their sense of social responsibility. The foundation supports these projects with time or financial resources.

Conny van Vliet, Payroll Specialist in the HR department of Koppert, likely spends her vacation days quite differently from most Koppert employees. For over thirty years, she has been traveling to the Dominican Republic to help build homes in mountainous inland regions. “It all started with a trip to Brazil,” Conny shares. “There, I helped build homes for street children through the organization World Servants. After that, I ended up in the Dominican Republic via Bolivia. I was deeply moved by the way people lived there. They live in extremely poor houses made of corrugated metal sheets.”

Mano a Mano foundation
In 1991, the Mano a Mano Foundation was founded, which focuses on providing aid to the Dominican Republic. “In the past, we’ve installed water pipelines, but now we mainly focus on building homes for the people there. Every year, we organize a working holiday during which Dutch volunteers roll up their sleeves for ten days.”

Building seven homes
During one of these working holidays, we usually build multiple homes. “I was last in the Dominican Republic this past February,” Conny shares. “Together with a group of 24 volunteers, we built seven homes, funded by sponsors from the Netherlands. 
The local people dig the foundations in advance and start building the walls. We then take over and continue the construction process, with help from the local community. Among other tasks, we pour a concrete floor and build a latrine - an outdoor toilet - for the residents.
That’s considered a real luxury for them. Most homes lack proper flooring, so when it rains, the residents are standing in the mud. And they usually relieve themselves in the bushes. A concrete floor and a latrine make a huge difference, especially in terms of hygiene.”

Forgotten password
Conny explains that the working holidays are quite intense. “You’re busy all day, and it’s physically demanding. Sometimes you work in the blazing sun, sometimes in the rain. But at the end of the day, you look around and think: ‘We really accomplished something beautiful together.’ This work is incredibly fulfilling.”

During a working holiday in the Dominican Republic, Conny is able to completely clear her mind. “You step into a completely different world. There are no cars, just the sound of birds. And you truly feel connected to the local people and to the other volunteers; it’s like gaining a second family. When I return to work after such a trip, I sometimes have to ask what my password was again.”

Making a difference
Conny and her fellow volunteers often return to communities where they have built homes in the past. “And then you see that we’ve truly made a difference. People have a clean, dry, and safe place to live, hygiene and health have improved, and they’re incredibly proud of their homes. We can really give people a fresh start.”

Want to learn more? Visit: https://www.manoamanodomrep.nl/