Dreams worth running for
Fenix and Gelukszoekers launch the Dreamers running shirt for the Rotterdam Marathon
Everyone dreams of a future. But while most young people are encouraged to dream big, others see their dreams put on hold due to a lack of papers. We call these young people the Dreamers.
Home in the Netherlands
The Dreamers are rooted in the Netherlands. Some arrived here as children; others were born and raised here, but without the right residence documents. They speak Dutch, go to school here, and have their friends and memories here. The Netherlands is their home.
But when they turn eighteen, everything changes. Their rights as children fall away: they can no longer go to school, cannot work legally, struggle to find further education or internships, and cannot secure contracts. The future they have worked towards and hoped for comes to a halt.
What if your dream is not allowed to come true? What if your future is limited by papers you do not have?
Dreams worth running for
Some dreams are 42 kilometres long: reaching the finish line after months of training, achieving a goal you have given everything for. But for some young people in the Netherlands, having a future of their own is already a dream.
Run the Rotterdam Marathon on 11 and 12 April in the campaign shirt. Whether you run 5 kilometres or the full course, this is your chance to make this message visible. During marathon weekend, when nearly a million visitors fill Rotterdam, the story of these young people spreads across the entire city.
Support the Dreamers
Fenix, together with Gelukszoekers, is launching two shirts: a limited-edition running shirt for the Rotterdam Marathon (€ 39.95) and a T-shirt (€ 29.95). All proceeds go to Kansfonds to support the future of the Dreamers.
The shirts will be available from 4 April at the Fenix Shop or in the pop-up at Rotterdam Central Station. The running shirt can now be ordered via ikbeneengelukszoeker.nl.
Fenix x Dreamers Pop-up
From 4 to 12 April, Fenix, together with the Dreamers, opens a pop-up shop at Rotterdam Central Station, created especially for the Rotterdam Marathon. You’ll find the Dreamers running shirt and T-shirt, marathon essentials like electrolytes, and a selection of other items from the Fenix Shop.
The pop-up is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on weekends until 7 p.m.
About the partners
DreamersNL campaigns to raise awareness of the voices of young people disadvantaged by the system. The Dreamers ask employers, educational institutions, and the rest of the Netherlands to support them in the fight for a system that truly recognises their talent.
Gelukszoekers is an initiative that, since 2016, has creatively encouraged people to think about migration in a connected way. Since 2024, Stichting Here to Support and Gelukszoekers have been collaborating.
Kansfonds works to support the more than one million people in our country who lack a home.
Stichting Here to Support supports (undocumented) refugees, helping them become more heard, resilient, and visible.
