What started as a simple question, “What should we do with the money for Christmas gifts?“, grew into a campaign with real impact at Stepp Footcare. No basket full of goodies this time, but a conscious choice to give colleagues the opportunity to donate their Christmas gift to a good cause. The result: thousands of euros for better healthcare in Tanzania and a story that shows how a small initiative can make a big difference.
In a personal interview, podiatrist Tim van Dun explains how his daily work in the Netherlands, his experience in hospitals, and his international involvement come together in this Christmas campaign.
From Dutch healthcare to international responsibility
Tim has been working as a podiatrist for almost fifteen years and specializes in diabetic foot care. During that time, he has worked in many different places: regular practices, health centers, and hospitals. Everywhere he went, he saw the same problem recurring. For people with diabetes, small wounds can have major consequences. Poor blood circulation and reduced sensation in the feet cause infections to worsen quickly. If action is not taken in time,
Healthcare in the Netherlands is well organized. Preventive checkups, shoe advice, treatments by pedicurists, and quick referrals to the hospital make a world of difference. But according to Tim, we often don’t realize how luxurious that actually is. In many countries, that healthcare structure simply does not exist. People sometimes walk around with wounds for months or even years before seeking medical help—often only when it is no longer possible to save them.
It was precisely this realization that motivated Tim to get involved outside the Netherlands as well.
Stepp Footcare: everything related to foot care under one roof
What makes Stepp Footcare special is that it is not a single practice, but a complete healthcare group. Podiatrists, orthopedic shoe technicians, medical pedicurists, and specialists who produce insoles and shoes work closely together within the organization. For patients, this means short lines of communication and a total solution for foot complaints.
This multidisciplinary approach has proven effective not only in the Netherlands, but also forms the basis for work in Africa. By combining knowledge from different fields, care can be provided in a much more targeted manner—both preventively and for existing wounds.
The idea behind the Christmas campaign
Tim was never really enthusiastic about Christmas hampers. Not because he didn’t appreciate the gesture, but because he would rather see the money go to people who need it more. For years, he gave away his own hamper or tried to have the amount donated, but that proved difficult to organize.
Last year, he decided to take a bigger approach and approached HR with a simple question: are there other colleagues who feel the same way? It turned out that there were. This year, an additional option was officially added to the Christmas hampers: receive your hamper or donate the amount to charity.
Together with the management, we sought a cause that the company could truly support. The choice quickly fell on ZGT Overzee, a foundation that supports medical care projects in Tanzania and other countries.
Werken aan betere voetzorg in Tanzania
Via ZGT Overzee is Tim al meerdere jaren betrokken bij zorgprojecten in Tanzania. Samen met artsen, verpleegkundigen en andere specialisten reist hij regelmatig naar het land om trainingen te geven. De focus ligt niet alleen op het behandelen van patiënten, maar vooral op het opleiden van lokale zorgverleners.
In cities such as Moshi, step-by-step efforts are being made to set up specialized diabetic foot clinics. Instead of immediately resorting to amputation—which is often the case with severe infections—healthcare professionals are learning how to treat wounds more effectively, relieve pressure, and prevent complications.
The great thing is that the project is now expanding. Hospitals in other parts of the country, including Dodoma, have contacted us themselves to ask whether their staff can also be trained. So the knowledge is spreading further all by itself.
A yield with double the power
During the Christmas drinks party in Hengelo, the result of the campaign was announced: €3,510 raised by colleagues who had donated their Christmas hampers. An amount that everyone was proud of.
But Stepp Footcare decided not to stop there. To give the joint initiative extra clout, the company doubled the amount. This suddenly doubled the impact, allowing training courses, materials, and care projects to continue for even longer.
Why this work changes lives
According to Tim, diabetes is often underestimated. It is a disease that slowly damages the body and increases the risk of serious complications. Amputations not only have a huge impact on quality of life, but also on life expectancy. Many patients die within a few years of a major amputation.
In countries where healthcare is less accessible, the consequences are even more dire. People often only come to the attention of healthcare professionals when infections are already advanced. Effective prevention, knowledge, and simple treatments can literally mean the difference between keeping a foot and lifelong disability.
More than just giving
For Tim, the work in Tanzania is also personally rewarding. Working with limited resources forces creative thinking and shows how big the impact of basic care can be. But above all, it gives him energy to share knowledge and see how local healthcare providers are becoming increasingly independent.
Stepp Footcare’s Christmas campaign shows that social engagement doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it starts with one colleague asking a different question—and grows into a movement that many join.
Kleine keuzes, grote stappen.
Voor betere zorg. Voor meer kennis. En voor een toekomst met minder amputaties.
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