National Walking Challenge for People with a Migration Background

From Vision to Action

The National Walking Challenge began ten years ago as an initiative of the Bas van de Goor Foundation (BvdGF), an organization founded by the Olympic gold medal-winning volleyball player of the same name. From the outset, there was a clear recognition of the need to include people with a migration background, who face a higher risk of chronic obesity in the Netherlands.

This urgent need was first addressed in 2021 through a collaboration between BvdGF, the Turkish Dialogue and Social Connection Association (DSB), and Novo Nordisk. Together, they developed a tailor-made version of the National Walking Challenge (NWC) for individuals with a migration background — the NWC-PMB — which was piloted in key cities across the Netherlands.

The new framework focused on forming walking groups led by key figures from the Turkish, Moroccan, and Surinamese communities. Within a year, the program proved to be so successful — both in terms of cost-effectiveness and reach — that it received official support from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport to be scaled up nationally.

Community-Powered Prevention

The National Walking Challenge for People with a Migration Background (NWC-PMB) mobilizes community-driven, culturally sensitive prevention programs to combat obesity among groups often overlooked by traditional healthcare systems.

Today, the program supports more than 140 walking groups across the Netherlands. Each group receives a modest budget to cover essentials like water and coffee, as well as a small payment for the key figures who lead the groups. There are no reporting requirements tied to the funding — the only condition is to walk once a week for 20 weeks. By removing bureaucratic hurdles and lowering the threshold for participation, every group has successfully completed the 20-week challenge — and the vast majority continue walking today.

Affordability and simplicity are core to the program’s success, but its greatest strength lies in the sense of agency it fosters within communities. Local leaders are given the freedom and support to guide their groups in ways that reflect their own cultural context, often integrating community-building activities. This shared ownership allows them to mobilize resources, knowledge, and experience in ways that resonate with their communities. The program’s flexibility enables continuous learning from participants, recognizing that those closest to the ground often hold the clearest insight into local barriers and solutions. By supporting, validating, and empowering these diverse perspectives, the program has successfully implemented a locally informed approach — one that not only reaches the most underserved groups, but also gives them a shared purpose around which to build lasting community.

Global Recognition for Local Walks

In 2025, the National Walking Challenge for People with a Migration Background (NWC-PMB) was nominated for the UN NCD Task Force Award. Endorsed by the South African Embassy in the Netherlands, the nomination highlights the program’s ability to reach underserved communities, empower local leaders, and redefine prevention through trust, simplicity, and cultural connection. What began as a grassroots initiative has grown into a movement – one that now inspires global collaboration and continues to walk toward a future of health equity for all.

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Walk at the Haags
Historisch Museum,
during the exhibition
'Koloniaal Den Haag -
een onvoltooid
verleden'

Bloedsuiker walk with
Surinamese President
Chan Santokhi,
Lelydorp (SU)

Glucose levels check-up at Bloedsuiker walk in
Lelydorp (SU)

President Santokhi’s
with Frank Kanhai,
Bas van de Goor and
Younes Bouadi at the
President’s birthday
celebration in
Paramaribo

Pictures by Waldo Koendjbiharie

A Story from the Walking Groups

Cathy Seventer

Fathma William

Mariane Linger

Stichting Vitaal Segbroek's Board Members

As a walking group leader, Fathma William from the Stichting Vitaal Segbroek in The Hague brings more than just energy and structure – she brings deep understanding. Many of the people she walks with are descendants of Hindustani contract workers who were brought from India to Suriname after the abolition of slavery. Though they arrived under contract, the conditions they faced were often exploitative and harsh – a continuation of colonial oppression in a different form. “It’s still very recent”, Fathma explains. “Their grandfathers boarded those ships. That pain is still with them.” For many in her group, this historical trauma, combined with a legacy of inequality and mistrust in institutions, creates barriers to seeking help. But the presence of trusted community figures like Frank Kanhai, and the support of organizations like Novo Nordisk and the Bas van de Goor Foundation, creates a sense of safety. “They see someone who looks like them, who understands them – and that makes all the difference.”

Fathma sees how walking groups do more than promote physical health. “Many of the women have experienced domestic violence. Some of the men saw their mothers being beaten. These groups give them a platform – a place to heal, to connect, to move forward.” She emphasizes that lifestyle advice alone isn’t enough. “You can’t just tell people to live healthier when they’re carrying so much history. They need real, practical activities. That’s why I’m training as a coach – to guide people from within.” For Fathma, walking is not just movement – it’s empowerment, healing, and community in motion.

Stichting Vitaal Segbroek's team of walking group leaders

Meet the Team Behind the Movement

Frank Kanhai

Community Organizer

Frank Kanhai organizes and guides various walks. In addition to his work at the Dutch National Archives, he finds joy in the challenge of bringing people and organizations together and connecting them through walking.

Frank takes special pride in themed walks such as the ‘Nelson Mandela Walk’, ‘Gandhi Walk’ and ‘Peace Walk Europe’. Aiming to motivate people, he incorporates culture in his walks and seeks to inspire cooperation among diverse groups and organizations. His guided tours take place in The Hague, as well as internationally in Belgium, Suriname, and Mauritius.

For his contributions to communities, Frank was awarded the prestigious Dutch Order of Orange-Nassau in 2024.

Younes Bouadi

Project Leader

Younes is committed to inclusive diabetes prevention. He does this on behalf of, among others, the Bas van de Goor Foundation and Cities for Better Health. Younes has more than a decade of experience as a cultural producer, during which he carried out projects in various conflict zones. He worked in Syria, Mali, Palestine and the Philippines, among others, where he specialized in the role that culture plays in making a community resilient in the midst of a strife.

He is now translating this experience to the healthcare sector in the Dutch context. He looks at how vulnerable communities can make themselves resilient to unhealthy environments through their cultural identity.

Ömer H. Ilik

Co-founder and Project Leader

Ömer Ilik's journey into health advocacy began with a life-changing cancer diagnosis in 2019. Following surgery and chemotherapy, Ömer was also diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Reflecting on his past, he realized the need for a healthier lifestyle.

Determined to make a change, Ömer started daily walks and improved his diet. Discovering the profound benefits of walking, he collaborated with the Bas van de Goor Foundation and Novo Nordisk Foundation to develop ‘My Diabetes in Motion’, a precursor of the current NWC-PMB. His mission is to encourage early physical activity to prevent severe complications from diabetes.

Since 2023, Ömer has been a project leader for the National Walking Challenge, representing the Social Connection Association (DSB). His role focuses on reaching migrants in disadvantaged neighbourhoods and identifying key community figures to lead walking groups.

Bas van de Goor

Co-founder

Bas van de Goor is the founder and director of the Bas van de Goor Foundation. A former professional volleyball player, Bas represented the Netherlands at two consecutive Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal in 1996. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2003, Bas turned his focus to improving the quality of life for people with diabetes through sports.

Under his leadership, the Bas van de Goor Foundation has been instrumental in promoting health and physical activity among diverse communities. Bas believes that walking can significantly improve health outcomes and emphasizes the importance of collaborating with key figures from various communities.

Bas' commitment to inclusivity and health promotion is evident in his efforts to reach those often overlooked by traditional healthcare channels. His vision and dedication have earned the support of the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, enabling the walking program to scale nationally.

Sophie Rijntjes

Co-founder

Sophie has experienced inequality of opportunity and limitations in freedom as a child with a chronic condition. These experiences made her realize at a young age that there is still much to be gained in the healthcare sector. She sees it as her personal mission to reduce the number of people who feel like patients, despite the rising number of chronically ill individuals. Therefore, she enthusiastically dedicates herself to health promotion and prevention projects at Novo Nordisk.

Through existing collaborations, Sophie has connected the Bas van de Goor Foundation with the Association DSB. And through co-creation, this valuable program was born. Sophie believes that the experiences from the communities themselves are heartwarming and invaluable, and that they deserve to be more visible. She emphasizes that embedding these efforts into the system is essential to continue serving the communities well.