It has now been two months since Wiljo Woodi passed away. We have been overwhelmed with responses about how much this means to so many people and we ourselves are also very sad and miss her terribly.

We often still can’t believe it and we realize how many initiatives and projects will now have to survive without her support, which was always so personal in nature.

Wiljo Woodi herself has explicitly stated that Silent Work Netherlands must be closed down after her death. The board has taken it upon itself to handle and complete all agreements until November 1, 2024. The foundation will then be closed down. At the moment, an inventory is being made of which projects still need support in order to be able to continue independently and self-sufficiently. Fortunately, that has been Wiljo Woodi’s aim all these years: the people themselves are the owners and responsible and all support is aimed at becoming and remaining self-sufficient. That now also applies to the majority of all projects.

At the moment we know of a few concrete ‘loose ends’: in the grand Centre Commercial des Sourds in Nouakchott, the bakery is struggling with a broken bread oven that needs to be replaced. The bakery is very successful and provides many deaf young people with work and income. But they cannot yet finance a new oven themselves. Other workshops in Maison des Sourds will also need some support before they can stand on their own two feet.

If you would still like to send a donation, it will be used for this purpose.

The board of Silent Work and all the volunteers around it will do everything in their power to release the wonderful work of Wiljo Woodi as well and as promisingly as possible. Demba Bâh has promised to take care of all direct communication with the projects and to provide support where necessary. Silent Work West Africa will continue to exist and continue to provide support to all projects, including mediation with the authorities there.

We promise to report back later in the year on how the work of Silent Work Netherlands is being completed.