45 years of Dorcas: We can make a difference for that one person 

In this 45th anniversary year, it’s the perfect time for Agnes Kroese, CEO of Dorcas, to look back at our roots and hear from Dirk Jan and Janneke Groot, the founders of Dorcas. 

Rolling up our sleeves and offering support: that is what Dorcas stands for. But where does that determination come from? “We don’t need to save the whole world, but we can make a difference for that one person.” 

When Janneke was in her early twenties, she longed for adventure and challenge—anything but an ordinary life. “I had prayed that I wouldn’t end up in a typical housewife routine,” she recalls. And indeed, life took a different turn. First, she and Dirk Jan dedicated themselves to the Christian Foundation for Aid to Conscience Convict (CFACC). They provided support to persecuted Christians in countries like Romania and Russia, which were closed to the Gospel at that time. Later, they founded Dorcas. 

A calling? 
Dirk Jan had a gift for mobilising people. He travelled across the country to give presentations. “I did feel called to do this work, although I felt like Moses, who said: ‘Go to Aaron, he can do it much better.’ But I was really the one who had to do this.” 

With combined efforts 
From emergency aid operations to supporting older people, setting up thrift shops, and transporting goods: Dirk Jan and Janneke were involved every step of the way during the 45 years that Dorcas has existed. 

“I loved it when the trucks we had loaded through combined efforts set off,” says Janneke. “I clearly remember the last transport very well—25 trucks driving in convoy under police escort. It was beautiful and gave such a sense of solidarity.” 

Dirk Jan adds: “That’s exactly what the food campaign generated: a shared sense of purpose as we worked together to collect food items.” 

On our knees 
Leading a humanitarian organisation while raising a family of three young children was not easy. “Our whole life revolved around Dorcas. It was like having an extra child at our kitchen table.” A few years after founding Dorcas, Dirk Jan even left his paid job. How did they make the decision to live off donations? “On our knees.” By which they mean: through prayer. 

Policy from the Bible 
Prayer and their faith in Jesus Christ have always been Dirk Jan and Janneke’s source of strength. Dirk Jan based his first policy plan on Matthew 25, a passage that still guides Dorcas’s mission today. 

“In that passage, Jesus says, ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ You can hold on to that in everything, right?” Janneke agrees. “We don’t need to save the whole world, but we can make a difference for that one person.”  

After an open and heartfelt conversation with the founders about Dorcas’ beginnings, growth, and challenges, the CEO reflects with admiration. “What started as a deep sense of calling and a desire to support people in need has grown into a professional organisation. Driven by our faith and a shared passion for justice, we are committed to making sustainable change in the lives of marginalised people and communities,” Agnes concludes.  

22 May 2025