Amsterdam immigrant aid organization squanders government subsidy

The Goodwill Homage Foundation seems to have squandered hundreds of thousands of euros in subsidies received from the Ministry of Security and Justice, Het Parool reported on Wednesday after conversations with a former employee. In 2013 the Ministry of Security and Justice paid a 600 thousand euro subsidy to the Foundation to help 70 undocumented immigrants return to their country of origin. According to the former employee, only 20 undocumented immigrants have returned to their own countries, and the money has run out. The guidance the foundation offered also hardly existed in practice. The curriculum offered to returnees preparing them for a new career as a car mechanic or hair dresser, only existed on paper, the former employee told the newspaper. "Of the 20 people who have returned to Africa, not one as followed a course", she said. "There were classrooms, but no lessons were given." Bankruptcy was filed for the foundation last week. A bankruptcy curator is now examining the records to find out what happened.