Helping kids dream big at LifeSkills
Diversity as a cornerstone of communities
BY Meelunie 12/09/2023
This November we will be launching our Meelunie charity campaign. The goal is to generate finances for LifeSkills, an organization that helps young people develop life skills and self-confidence, and with personal growth and citizenship education. The aim is to provide them with the knowhow and life skills they will need to get on in today’s world. With the help of volunteers and local businesses, LifeSkills can continue to grow its operations and so help even more young people.
Over a period of one month, Meelunie will donate one euro for every Metric Ton of product sold. On top of this, for every EUR/USD we manage to generate through sales, we will match. We see this as a great opportunity for all of us to engage, take part and make a real impact. Our work will have a genuine effect on our community and create opportunities for the kids who need them most!
The story behind LifeSkills
“In my youth, I identified a gap between the environment in which I grew up and the professional world where I positioned myself,” says Moenira Luqman, founder of LifeSkills. “Turns out, having grown up in a financially deprived environment, establishing oneself in society requires more than just a degree. Beyond schooling, there’s a need for enrichment in the arts, culture, general education and social interaction. So I established LifeSkills. LifeSkills picks up where traditional schooling leaves off. It’s about the skills you don’t acquire in school but that are crucial for active participation in society. I want everyone to count and be able to participate equally, regardless of background, network, or whether they grew up in poverty or wealth. I want every child to dream big.”
Inspiring others
When our colleague Bekim Mehovic isn’t working for Meelunie, he helps the teenagers at LifeSkills reach their goal of becoming the best versions of themselves. As Bekim explains, “I try to use the means available to me to facilitate support in many shapes and forms, so that efforts get centralized towards building a self-sustainable organisation that can grow, excel and help a larger number of youngsters. Most of these teenagers have had their self-confidence slowly destroyed and one of the big goals is to reverse that process through positive coaching and education.”
Bekim’s own youth is one to which many of the children supported by LifeSkills can relate. “By sharing the struggles I faced as a refugee, including poverty and self-esteem challenges, I hope my story can inspire kids and through Life Skills, we can then help them overcome their obstacles.”
Match made in heaven
Meelunie’s employees come from all over the world. Between us, we represent a wide range of ethnic and educational backgrounds, gender identities, nationalities (currently nearly 30!), languages (currently over 20!), cultures and beliefs. We know from experience this not only creates an open and inclusive work culture. It also contributes to an innovative, insightful and productive organisation. And helps us better understand our customers and the many regions of the world in which we operate.
Life Skills fills gaps
Life Skills supports young people between the ages of 10-18. The target group generally live in the socio-economically challenged area of Amsterdam Southeast, where many kids lack positive role models¸ and the sources of inspiration and motivation most of us take for granted. The kids are also predominantly the product of home environments that struggle on many levels. LifeSkills attempts to fill these gaps.