Our story
Our mission is to break poverty cycles by providing quality education to children in developing regions.
Raising Funds and Building a Community of Like-minded People in the Investment Industry
Selecting, Investing in, and Supporting Education Projects.
Ensuring Financial Accountability and Efficient Management for Long-Term Impact.
30+
Volunteers
14+
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
4 – 6
FUND RAISING EVENTS PER YEAR
12K+
CHILDREN EDUCATED
Guiding the Mission: Responsibilities of the Board
The Board serves as the bridge between sponsors, volunteers, projects, and stakeholders. They oversee finances, act as legal signatories, and guide A4C’s strategic direction while ensuring effective charity management.
Marjolijn Breeuwer
Job Havenaar
Marc de Kloe
Simona Benvenuti
Nanakarina Kwofie
Matthew Newbon
The Ambassadors play a key role in guiding our activities by offering informal support. They provide insights and connect us with valuable contacts that help advance our mission. Our current team of Ambassadors includes:
Remco Bleijs
Peter Vermeulen
Hilde Klok
Clayton Heijman
UK CHAPTER
Alternatives
Alternatives 4 Children UK (A4C UK) is a charity registered with the Charity Commission in the United Kingdom (charity number 1191367). While affiliated with the Dutch charitable foundation, A4C UK operates under its own independent governance structure. The A4C UK trustees, who guide its mission and efforts, are:
Clayton Heijman
Stuart MacDonald
Marc de Kloe.
A4C Long-term Partners
We would not be able to achieve what we do without our generous supporters. We are grateful for the support they have given us.
A4C Partners
We would not be able to achieve what we do without our generous supporters. We are grateful for the support they have given us.
L4L Supporters over the years
We would not be able to achieve what we do without our generous supporters. We are grateful for the support they have given us.
Simona Benvenuti is a finance professional with more than 25 years of international experience across banking, investment management, and impact investing. She holds an MSc in Business Economics and has worked with leading financial institutions and investment platforms, including Deutsche Bank and Phenix Capital Group. Throughout her career, she has worked closely with institutional investors, asset managers, and impact investment professionals, helping to mobilise capital towards sustainable and socially beneficial outcomes.
She currently leads the institutional investor engagement activities of the Netherlands Advisory Board on impact investing and sits on the Advisory Board of SustainoMetric, a sustainability research and advisory firm supporting investors and organisations in managing sustainability-related risks, identifying emerging opportunities, and making informed decisions.
Simona joined A4C in 2023 and became a Board Member in 2024. She is passionate about creating opportunities for children through education and believes that long-term, sustainable change is achieved through a combination of financial resources, strong local partnerships, and community engagement.
In addition to her work in finance and the social sector, Simona is Co-Founder and Board Member at Yoga Circle, a community-focused organisation dedicated to promoting well-being through yoga and meditation.
Stuart MacDonald serves as Trustee or in an Advisory capacity with several Charities, Community and Arts organisations, with which his engagement ranges from governance and financial management to outreach and fundraising.
Professionally, he is Managing Partner at Bride Valley Partners. Bride Valley Partners works on corporate finance, advisory and capital raising mandates for companies, funds and projects across a range of alternative investments and bankable technologies.
Stuart has won several industry awards and is often invited to Chair or Moderate at top alternative investment conferences. Stuart presents the award-winning alternative investments radio show, the Naked Short Club on London’s Resonance (104.4 FM in London or www.resonancefm.com, worldwide).
He was for several years Visiting Lecturer in Political Economy at London University.
Founder and Director of Privium Fund Management
Clayton is founder and director of Privium Fund Management. He obtained a degree as Master in Business Administration from Webster University, with an emphasis in marketing and management.
After working for Kas-Bank and merchant bank MeesPierson he joined Goldman Sachs in Asia and London as an executive director in the Equity Finance & Prime Brokerage division from 1994. In 1998 he joined Fortis as a Managing Director to set up the Prime Fund Solutions activities.
After leaving in 2006 he joined Credit Agricole-Calyon as a Managing Director. In 2008 he founded Privium Fund Management and Darwin Platform, firms that provide start up support to new investment management initiatives and offers COO support. These activities are now provided to over 30 clients, from 6 different locations with an overall asset size of $ 5 Bn.
Board Member – Koornzaayer Foundation
Hilde Klok developed expertise in healthcare, education in developing countries, and grant-making while working with the Koornzaayer Foundation Trust Fund, of which she is a board member.
Before that she worked for an international company providing integrated solutions for the care of people with reduced mobility and related conditions.
Hilde is active member of FIN (Vereniging van Fondsen in Nederland/ the Dutch Association of Philanthropic Foundations) and various network groups.
She holds a position as board member of Link To Progress, an Ugandan based NGO.
Partner Asset Management and Head of Sustainable Finance of EY The Netherlands.
Remco Bleijs is a partner in the Financial Services practice of EY in the Netherlands. He started his career at EY in 1988. He graduated as CPA in 1999.
Since 2007 Remco leads the Alternative Investment Group in the Netherlands. In 2011 he became member of the management board of the Asset Management Group in the Netherlands. In the same year Remco became responsible for the Sustainability activities of the Financial Services practice.
His clients include some of the largest Asset Managers and other financial institutions in the Netherlands and several Alternative Investment, impact managers and service providers in many countries.
Starting his career at KPMG, he gained invaluable experience in providing audit and advisory services to a broad range of clients. As part of his track record Job improved process efficiency and advised on company valuations, transactions and risk management, making him a robust financial business partner.
Job holds an MSc in finance and postgraduate degree in accounting from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and an Executive Master in Finance & Control (EMFC/RC) from the University of Amsterdam.
Marjolijn Breeuwer holds an MA in Law from Radboud University Nijmegen (1998) and a BA in Economics from Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (1996).
She began her career at Bank Insinger de Beaufort in 1998, where she held various roles in fund analysis and portfolio management, and later as Head of Investment Management where she served as a member of the senior leadership team within InsingerGilissen and within Quintet Private Bank’s Investment division.
Marjolijn is currently Director Investment Solutions at FMO Investment Management, where she is responsible for developing and managing emerging markets private debt and blended finance solutions for institutional investors.
She has been a Board member of Alternatives 4 Children (A4C) since 2022, where she oversees governance, strategy and the project portfolio. Marjolijn is married, has three children and lives in Overveen.
Having begun his investment career at UBS in London in 2005, Matthew moved to the Netherlands in 2011 where he has worked for several investment funds, holding board level and partner roles across operations, governance and commercial areas.
He is highly active in the volunteering space, having been a kids football coach back in London, ran the 2012 London marathon to raise money for a cancer charity and has been an enthusiastic supporter of A4C since 2018 when he led a team triathlon, individually raising over 3.000 euros for the charity.
Matthew is married and lives in Heemstede with his wife and two children.
Co-founder & Fund Manager of Plethora Private Equity
Peter attended the University of Groningen (the Netherlands) and obtained a M.Sc. in Finance in 2007.
He is co-founder & manager of Plethora Private Equity, an investment fund that incubates companies exploring for metals needed for the worldwide energy transition, such as copper, nickel, and lithium, in a responsible manner.
Peter has been an active volunteer of Alternatives 4 Children since early 2021 and is also part of the Projects Team. Since early 2024, he is also a director of Future Hope: one of the projects that A4C supports.
Managing Partner Theta Capital
Marc de Kloe joined Theta in 2018 and is the Director for Risk & Compliance and COO.
Marc has an extensive investment background covering the full range of alternative investments. His experience includes: associate at Clifford Chance, Fund Manager at Meyado International, Global Head of Funds and Alternatives at ABN AMRO Private Banking responsible for over $60bn Aum, and as COO of Adamas Asset Management in Hong Kong managing a joint venture fund with Ping-An.
Marc is also the co-founder of Alternatives4Children, an industry supported charity raising money for children’s education.
Marc has been actively involved with investing into Blockchain investments and funds since 2018.
Marc holds an LL.B in English and German Law from the University of Kent, Canterbury (U.K.), an LL.M in European Business Law from the University of Amsterdam, and an M.B.A from the Vlerick Business School in Belgium.
Nanakarina Kwofie is a capital markets professional with more than 15 years of experience advising financial institutions, building strategic partnerships, and driving business growth across Europe. She currently serves as Director, Global Markets Senior Relationship Management at RBC Capital Markets, where she leads coverage of major asset managers, alternative investment firms, banks and insurers, across key European markets.
Throughout her career, Nanakarina has developed a strong track record of cultivating executive-level relationships, originating financing and investment solutions, and connecting organizations with the capital, expertise, and partnerships needed to achieve their strategic objectives. Her experience spans roles at RBC Capital Markets, Rabobank, CreditSights, and Citigroup, where she advised institutional investors and financial institutions on capital markets, credit, risk management, and growth opportunities.
In addition to her financial markets background, Nanakarina brings a deep commitment to social impact. Earlier in her career, she worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva and the UK House of Commons, experiences that reinforced her belief in the power of education, opportunity, and community investment to transform lives.
Nanakarina holds an MSc in Environmental Policy and Economics from the London School of Economics and a BSc (Honours) from the University of Toronto.
How Are We Helping to Build Brighter Futures through Education?
Education is the key to unlocking potential and breaking the cycle of poverty. At Alternatives 4 Children, we empower communities by providing the tools and opportunities children need to thrive. Together, we can create brighter futures through impactful action.
1. Raising Funds and Building a Community of Like-minded People in the Investment Industry
2. Selecting, Investing in, and Supporting Education Projects
3. Ensuring Financial Accountability and Efficient Management for Long-Term Impact
