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Back to school in 2025: 4,135 Children started the year with a well-stocked schoolbag

September 2025

While the start of the school year marks a fresh beginning for many, it remains a time of stress and inequality for countless families facing hardship. Once again this year, the Restos du Cœur of Belgium mobilised to address a reality that too often goes unseen: the lack of school supplies, which hinders the children’s chances of success from the very outset.

Thanks to an initiative carried out in the heart of summer, 4,135 children received a complete school kit, tailored to their age and needs – a practical form of support, delivered precisely when it is most needed.

A new school year begins not in the classroom, but in the schoolbag

Before a child even steps into a classroom, they need to arrive equipped with the basics: pens, notebooks, rulers, compasses, pencil cases… For some, these everyday items are an unattainable luxury. And when they are missing, the feeling of exclusion begins long before the first lesson.

That’s why, complementing the government’s provisions, the action of the Restos du Cœur fills a persistent gap. The kits distributed this summer not only enable children to follow lessons in the classroom under better conditions, but also to study at home where inequalities often deepen.

A concrete response to a very real need

The distribution of 4,135 kits is more than just a number. It reflects a social reality that shows no sign of abating. Despite strengthened measures for more inclusive education, many families supported by the Restos du Cœur still face impossible choices: feeding themselves, accessing healthcare… or equipping their children for school.

Made possible by the generosity of donors to the Resto du Cœur of Belgium Federation, the school kits contain new, varied, and durable materials. They restore a sense of belonging and enable the children to begin the school year with confidence and dignity.

A collective effort worth celebrating

This initiative would not have been possible without a quiet yet powerful chain of solidarity: donors, volunteers, partners, and committed citizens. Their support helped us reach an ambitious goal, despite a challenging financial climate.

To all those who made this distribution possible in their own way: THANK YOU.

What now?

The challenge of educational equality does not end with the start of the new term. The Restos du Cœur continue their mission throughout the year alongside families in difficulty, through food aid, access to rights, listening services, and targeted actions like this one.

Because the fight against educational exclusion also depends on practical gestures, we will keep taking action—and carry forward, together with you, the hope of a school that is truly accessible to all.

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