Leuven (Brussels Morning Newspaper):
Solikoop and Welcome To My Garden Honored at Ghent Winter Circus Awards
During the Ghent Winter Circus, actress Lynn Van Royen presented awards to Solikoop and Welcome To My Garden, two initiatives making a positive social impact. Solikoop, a network of social grocery stores, offers discounts of up to 40% for low-income shoppers, while Welcome To My Garden, a Brussels-based platform, connects travelers with free camping spaces in private gardens across Europe for an annual fee of just €36.
Solikoop: Promoting Inclusivity Through Social Grocery Stores
Solikoop operates in Leuven and aims to make healthy food more accessible to everyone, particularly low-income households. The store uses an innovative pricing model where customers, regardless of their financial status, shop using the same customer card. However, the card determines the customer’s discount at checkout, allowing those with lower incomes to receive up to 40% off on essentials like fruits and vegetables, while others pay the regular price.
According to Kirsten Saenen, Solikoop’s co-founder, this system eliminates the stigma of financial need and promotes inclusivity—a pioneering approach in Flanders. Looking ahead, Solikoop plans to expand throughout Flemish Brabant, ensuring more communities have access to these socially conscious grocery stores.
Welcome To My Garden: A Platform For Free Camping in Europe
Founded in 2019 by Dries Van Ransbeeck and Manon Brulard after a bike trip to Tokyo, Welcome To My Garden is a unique platform that allows property owners to open up their gardens to travelers for free camping. The idea emerged from the duo’s experiences with hospitality across 21 countries during their trip.
Initially, Dries offered his parents’ garden for camping, and the initiative quickly gained traction. Today, more than 7,000 gardens across Europe are available through the platform, where travelers can camp for free while exploring by bike or on foot. For an annual membership fee of €36, campers can request as many spots as they like.
Conclusion
Both Solikoop and Welcome To My Garden reflect innovative and community-driven solutions aimed at fostering inclusivity and hospitality. By making food accessible to low-income families and encouraging eco-friendly travel, these projects exemplify the power of grassroots initiatives to create lasting social change.
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Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium, offering independent coverage of international and European affairs. With a comprehensive European perspective, BM covers EU policies, political developments of Member States, and key international issues
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