Column CEO: The gift of hope 

Written by: Agnes Kroese, CEO of Dorcas

I look back on the trips I have taken, one thing strikes me: hope is often found in the most unexpected places. At Dorcas, we work in some of the most difficult circumstances – situations that, from our Dutch frame of reference, we might describe as hopeless. Sometimes I feel that way too. When I see people living in shacks without clean water or other basic necessities. When I see small children wandering the streets alone in dirty, tattered clothes. 

But it is in the places where I least expect it that I see glimmers of hope that never cease to amaze me. Such was the case during my recent visit to our colleagues working in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, in the notorious Mokattam district. This area is also known as ‘Garbage City’. The smell of garbage was everywhere – it seeped into every fibre of my being. I saw women and children digging through the rubbish with their bare hands, looking for something useful. 

In that neighbourhood, I made my way down an alley where the garbage was piled high until I crossed the threshold of the building where we work. What I experienced inside was so different from what I saw and felt outside. The name of our project there is ‘Oasis’, and that’s what it felt like: a sanctuary of peace and safety. On the top floor I met a group of women who proudly showed me what they had made – soft toys, laptop bags and baby items such as play mats and nappy bags. Selling these items gives them much-needed extra income. 

What impresses me most about hope is that it doesn’t come from being defined by your circumstances. It comes from the strength people have to find their own way – even if that way is through the rubbish. I saw it in the eyes of these women: a sparkle of pride and determination. Despite their limited resources, they have the strength to grow, to be more than their circumstances. 

Also in Ukraine, I saw women who had lost everything in the ongoing conflict find hope and a renewed sense of purpose. They found the courage to rebuild their lives. What was most helpful to them? Knowing they weren’t alone. What I see again and again is the importance of being seen. That can be the most powerful source of hope. It seems like a small gesture, but by really seeing people, we show them that their situation is not hopeless, that they are not invisible. I also see how important this is for my colleagues, who often work in the most difficult conditions. 

Jesus is the greatest example for me in this. He turned to the weak, to those whom society considered worthless. By seeing them, He conveyed the message that they mattered. That is the essence of hope. It’s the women in Egypt, the displaced people in Ukraine and so many others I’ve met – they find hope because they are cared for. I see pride and self-worth being restored. I see people who, however hard life may be, dare to believe in the future again.  

This is what Easter always reminds us of. When all seems lost and there’s not a glimmer of hope left, it’s the power of Jesus’ resurrection that gives us the strength to get up and carry on, even in the darkest moments. 

Easter is the ultimate proof that even when life seems to be taking its last breath, there are always new possibilities. With the resurrection power of Jesus within us, there is always hope. I’m grateful to be able to offer that hope, together with my colleagues, to people in need. 

14 April 2025