2021-12-08
BRUSSELS - Journalists at KNACK, LeVif and RTBF have joined forces to investigate the peculiar financial management of the non-profit organisation Poverello. They greedily buy real estate that often remains empty. The organisation appears to be very rich, but hardly ever uses its money for working with the poor.
The non-profit organisation does not want to give any information about the 14 million in liquid assets. Volunteers revolt and are promptly expelled from the organisation. With undercover investigations, network, real estate and financial analyses and archive work, the team tries to penetrate Poverello's well kept secrets.
Who is in charge? Is it the board of directors whose treasurer arranges telephone subscriptions for his entire family? Or does the Church Council know whose chief financial officer does the bookkeeping? Poverello's 'open door' remains closed. But the question rings out: Where is Poverello's money?
RAFAEL
During the investigation the team comes across a second scandal file: vzw Rafaël. In 1997, this idealistic non-profit organisation, led by priest Reginald Rahoens, was assigned the Sint-Annahospitaal in Anderlecht to take care of the poorest of the poor. 300 homeless people, sans-papiers and refugees lived there together. Today, the site is deserted. The Church plans to build 52 social housing units, a parish centre, a childcare centre, a food bank and a social restaurant there.
What happened to the original project, its residents and its financial resources? A story of conflicting interests, mismanagement and exploitation, in which both the new managing director of the non-profit association and the top brass of the Belgian Church play leading roles.
RECOGNITION
This project was nominated for 'De Loep', the most prestigious award for investigative journalism in Flanders and the Netherlands.
Supported
€ 8.100 allocated on 25/08/2020.ID
FPD/2020/1773Grant
PRINT/ONLINE
- De vraag van 14 miljoen: waar is het geld van Poverello?, Knack, 07/12/2021.
- Poverello: des dizaines de millions d'euros d'aides aux démunis inutilisés, Le Vif, 07/12/2021.
TELEVISION
- Dons aux pauvres, l'étrange disparition, #Investigation, RTBF/La Une, 08/12/2021.
PRESS COVERAGE
- Armoedeorganisaties Poverello en Rafaël vzw liggen onder vuur: " Het gaat heel duidelijk om wanpraktijken", De Ochtend, Radio 1, 08/12/2021.
- Poverello zit op een berg geld, toch betalen daklozen 300 euro voor een bed, De Standaard, 07/12/2021.
- “Armoedeorganisatie Poverello heeft aan geld geen gebrek, maar het gaat nauwelijks naar armenzorg”, Het Laatste Nieuws, 07/12/2021.
- Poverello zit op een berg geld, medewerkers die om transparantie vroegen moesten vertrekken: armenorganisatie bouwt vastgoedimperium, Het Nieuwsblad, 08/12/2021.
- Wantoestanden bij organisaties Poverello en Rafaël vzw: "Veel geld, behalve voor de armen"; VRT NWS, 08/12/2021.
- Armoedeorganisatie Poverello spaarde miljoenen bijeen dankzij gulle giften, maar waar gaat het geld naartoe?, De Morgen, 08/12/2021.
- Des dizaines de millions d'euros d'aides aux démunis inutilisés par Poverello, ASBL qui lutte contre la pauvreté, 7sur7, 07/12/2021.
- Geld van armoedeorganisatie Poverello gaat nauwelijks naar armenzorg, Bruzz.be, 08/12/2021.
- Des dizaines de millions d’euros d’aides aux démunis inutilisés, L'Avenir, 07/12/2021.
- Het Journaal Laat, Een/VRT, 08/12/2021.
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