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Sail along through our history

Djapo is a pioneering ship. Always on the move, from the very beginning. Ever since our start in 1968, we have been committed to children, young people and social innovation. But every now and then our ship changes course. Because society evolves, for instance. Or because our expertise grows and we pick up new insights along the way.

Curious about our route? Climb aboard our ship.

1968

Erik de Clerck founds the non-profit organisation Alfa. Alfa is a think tank and action group dedicated to raising awareness around injustices in the world. De Clercq mainly attracts progressive young people from the Tijl tribe of scouts, the Torenhout student club and the DAC (Democratic Action Committee).

1970s

Flemish Government recognises Alfa as 'Youth Centre for Social Innovation' (JOCEMA)

1973

From Alfa springs the Wereldwinkel in Turnhout.

1990s

Alfa starts creating educational materials and supervising workshops. In collaboration with 'Focus op het Zuiden' (later 'Open Doek'), it also helped to found the schools' operation of that film festival of the same name.

1993

Funds will be released for development education. ABOS (today Directorate General of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid) recognises Alfa as a regional education centre.

1997

Alfa is recognised as a development cooperation NGO.

2000

Alfa is starting a close collaboration with Cemuvo youth in Alken and Horizon Educatief in Ostend.

2003

Alfa starts rolling out five-year programmes with the support of Directorate General for Development and Humanitarian Aid.

2008

Alfa merges with the Esmeraldas school operation in Ghent and the Cemuvo youth in Alken. Together, they choose to continue under the name Djapo from then on. In the West African Wolof language, Djapo means - more freely translated - 'working together'. There will be three provincial support centres in Alken, Turnhout and Ghent, and a national secretariat in Leuven.

2010

Djapo merges with the World Workshop and moves to Ortolanenstraat in Kessel-Lo, where the Wereldwinkel was already located.

2014

The provincial support centres disappear, but Djapo maintains a strong regional operation. We carry on the name Djapo with pride. It refers to the global impact of social choices we make here, and our act of solidarity.

2023

Today, Djapo is a recognised NGO and a member of the NGO Federation and 11.11.11. Children and young people remain at the heart of our organisation. Our commitment, together with education and the development cooperation sector, to lead and address societal challenges is greater than ever before. Pioneering for a more just society: it is deeply embedded in our DNA.