VGP Foundation

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België
Antwerp
VGP Foundation

The VGP Foundation is a registered Belgian private foundation under number 0735.540.607.

The foundation focuses on three areas: education for children and young people in need, nature conservation and protection of European cultural assets and heritage.

27/05/2026

We are pleased to share that with the support of the VGP Foundation, our colleagues from the Czech VGP team came together to plant 300 trees in the Rychnovsko area near Jablonec nad Nisou, continuing a meaningful five-year tradition. 🌱

After the planting, the day also included an educational walk through the forest, where the team gained valuable insights from a professional on how the area is being carefully restored and managed to support long-term biodiversity.

This initiative was carried out in collaboration with the Ivan Dejmal Foundation, a valued long-term partner of the VGP Foundation. Together, we are committed to protecting natural environments and supporting projects that enhance biodiversity and foster more sustainable landscapes. 🍃

We are grateful to everyone involved for helping us create a lasting positive impact on both local communities and the environment. 🤝

13/05/2026

At the VGP Foundation, we are proud to continue supporting Tvoj Buddy, a project dedicated to empowering young people leaving institutional care in Slovakia. By pairing them with dedicated mentors, the initiative helps build confidence, independence, and a stronger path toward the future.

One recent story beautifully illustrates this impact. 🤝
Through Tvoj Buddy, Oxana was matched with her mentor Janka, who became a steady source of guidance and encouragement as Oxana prepared for life beyond the children’s home. What started as regular meetings and conversations evolved into a truly transformative relationship, one that broadened Oxana’s horizons in unexpected ways.

Together, they even embarked on an experience to Australia that not only strengthened their bond but also allowed Oxana to discover new possibilities, gain independence, and see the world from a completely different perspective. This milestone highlights how mentorship can open doors far beyond everyday support, helping young people dream bigger and believe in their potential.

👏 We are grateful to everyone involved in making this project possible and look forward to many more inspiring journeys ahead.

Read more about the story of Oxana here: https://tvojbuddy.sk/en/blog/childrens-home-australia-story-oxana-and-her-buddy-janka

Read more about the Tvoj Buddy project here: https://www.vgp-foundation.eu/en/projects/slovakia/tvoj-buddy/

© Photograph: archives of Janka Kropáčková and Oxana Rybárová

09/04/2026

Delighted to share an inspiring update from the Rhino Rewild Project, a partnership between African Parks and the VGP Foundation, making a tangible difference for the future of one of Africa’s most iconic species. At the end of 2025, 632 southern white rhinos had been rewilded across 16 protected areas in South Africa, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda. The goal is to rewild 2,000 southern white rhinos, restore healthy wild populations, and strengthen the ecosystems that depend on them. These rhinos represent 15% of the world’s remaining wild white rhino population, meaning this project is helping secure the future of an entire species.

Some of the highlights include:
🦏 A record of translocations across Africa, including the largest ever single translocation of 70 rhinos to Rwanda’s Akagera National Park
🌱 Strong population growth thanks to improved feeding and veterinary care
🛡️ Enhanced protection at recipient parks, with poaching losses far below national averages

Looking ahead in 2026, the project will focus on strategic moves across Southern and East Africa, with plans to relocate more than 300 rhinos to restore healthy, resilient populations.

A sincere thank you to the incredible teams at African Parks, our partners on the ground, and everyone contributing to this ambitious conservation project.

Discover more about the project here: https://vgp-foundation.eu/en/projects/others/white-rhino-rewilding-with-african-parks/

📸 © Wiki West from WeWild Africa / Mike Dexter

25/03/2026

Detské domovy Z osady prešla do detského domova. Je ťažké snívať, keď vyrastáte v takých podmienkach, hovorí o Oxane jej mentorka Oxana Rybárová dnes študuje v Austrálii, manželia Kropáčkovci jej pomáhajú postaviť sa na vlastné nohy. Oxana Rybárová (v strede) s mentorkou Jan...

17/03/2026

We are proud to share our close collaboration with NABU International on an important initiative to protect the rapidly declining Common Snipe, an iconic yet increasingly vulnerable wetland bird.🐦

In 2025, the project reached a significant milestone: 16 Common Snipes were tagged with high‑resolution GPS transmitters, tripling the initial goal. These data revealed migration routes across six European countries and uncovered previously unknown behaviours. These insights are essential for developing effective conservation measures across the species’ entire flyway.🌍

This progress was made possible thanks to strong international cooperation, including our partnership with the EU Horizon Europe project Habitrack, which provided all GPS tags and expanded the research to a European scale.

🌱 In the coming year, our efforts will focus on monitoring returning adults, scaling up tagging activities, and strengthening cross‑border research to support the Common Snipe throughout its full annual cycle.

Read more about the project here: https://vgp-foundation.eu/en/projects/germany/climate-change-and-anthropogenic-threat-mitigation-in-snipes-with-nabu-international/

📷 © Andreas Freier

10/03/2026

Today we highlight one of the VGP Foundation’s impactful conservation initiatives: the Tarta Dog Project, protecting sea turtles with an innovative approach in Calabria, Italy. This project has been initiated by NABU International.🐢

In 2025, Italy recorded a historic nesting season for the loggerhead sea turtle, yet large stretches of coastline in Calabria still remain unmonitored.🌊 To bridge this gap, the project piloted a groundbreaking method: training dogs to detect hidden nests.
With the help of BrumBrum 🐾, a specially trained Springer Spaniel, the team completed 50 early‑morning beach transects and successfully identified seven previously unknown nests.

Beyond fieldwork, nine coastal awareness events engaged around 400 participants, promoting responsible beach behaviour and the protection of coastal ecosystems. This pilot clearly shows the value of dog-assisted monitoring in expanding conservation coverage and safeguarding this vulnerable species.

🌱 Next step: more awareness events, enhanced hatchling protection, and expanding the use of trained dogs across new regions.

Read more about the project here: https://vgp-foundation.eu/en/projects/italy/tarta-dog-project-with-nabu-international-for-the-protection-of-sea-turtles-in-calabria-italy/

03/03/2026

It’s a pleasure to collaborate with NABU International on the conservation of the endangered Common Ringed Plover and the broader Vistula River ecosystem in Poland. This initiative focuses on active protection through monitoring plover populations, installing protective cages, and reducing tourist disturbance in fragile nesting areas. 🍃

The project encourages stronger cooperation by bringing stakeholders together to share knowledge and work collectively toward long‑term river conservation. Public engagement plays a key role as well, with social media campaigns and seasonal updates helping to build support for the proposed Vistula National Park. In partnership with the NABU Institute, the project tackles both immediate threats, such as predation and tourist pressure, and long‑term risks like river regulation, ensuring a safer future for the species that depend on this unique river landscape.

26/02/2026

We are proud to partner with NABU International on an important conservation mission in Calabria, Italy: safeguarding migrating raptors during one of the most critical stages of their journey.

Together, we are launching an Anti‑Poaching Camp, where experts support local authorities in preventing illegal hunting during the crucial migration period of young honey buzzards and other raptors.🦅

Each year, nearly 50,000 raptors and storks cross the Strait of Messina, a region where poaching pressure remains high. By increasing on‑the‑ground protection and raising awareness, this project aims to ensure these birds can continue their journey safely.🔍

📷 © NABU

Adres

Generaal Lemanstraat 55, Box 4
Antwerp
2018

Telefoon

+3232891430

Website

http://www.vgp-foundation.eu/

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