©2025 Stichting The Present Movement
With Growing Roots, Stichting The Present Movement creates green meeting places at asylum seeker centres (azcs) in the Netherlands. Thanks in part to the support of Fonds 1999, the pilot got underway at the beginning of 2025 at azc Willinklaan in Amsterdam-West. In co-creation with residents of the azc and the surrounding neighbourhood, two vegetable gardens, 36 fruit trees and 36 herb planters were laid out and installed here. In total, more than 100 m² of biodiversity has been created! Immediately after this was completed, a year-round gardening programme for residents got underway, supervised by a professional gardener and supported by volunteers from the neighbourhood. There is now a place for both adults and children to discover, learn and simply enjoy being in nature. But the growth is not limited to plants and trees. Something new is also growing between people. Neighbourhood residents and azc residents are getting to know one another, stories are being shared, and Dutch is being practised in between bouts of gardening. Over the past year, The Present Movement has observed that working in the garden creates rhythm, responsibility and mental calm, while the living environment of all residents becomes visibly greener and more lively. Residents report that stress-related complaints, such as headaches, decrease when they work in the garden. At the same time, something arises that is at least as valuable: a sense of meaning. There is room to share knowledge, learn new things and take pride together in what is growing. In short, plenty of growth and connection, reaching far beyond the garden!
With Growing Roots, Stichting The Present Movement creates green meeting places at asylum seeker centres (azcs) in the Netherlands. Thanks in part to the support of Fonds 1999, the pilot got underway at the beginning of 2025 at azc Willinklaan in Amsterdam-West. In co-creation with residents of the azc and the surrounding neighbourhood, two vegetable gardens, 36 fruit trees and 36 herb planters were laid out and installed here. In total, more than 100 m² of biodiversity has been created! Immediately after this was completed, a year-round gardening programme for residents got underway, supervised by a professional gardener and supported by volunteers from the neighbourhood. There is now a place for both adults and children to discover, learn and simply enjoy being in nature. But the growth is not limited to plants and trees. Something new is also growing between people. Neighbourhood residents and azc residents are getting to know one another, stories are being shared, and Dutch is being practised in between bouts of gardening. Over the past year, The Present Movement has observed that working in the garden creates rhythm, responsibility and mental calm, while the living environment of all residents becomes visibly greener and more lively. Residents report that stress-related complaints, such as headaches, decrease when they work in the garden. At the same time, something arises that is at least as valuable: a sense of meaning. There is room to share knowledge, learn new things and take pride together in what is growing. In short, plenty of growth and connection, reaching far beyond the garden!