New Year's Video Message by Foundation's President

Christmas Message from Samuel Lee

“Give a man a fish, and he will be fed for a day; teach him how to fish, and he will be fed for a lifetime.” as the saying goes. To teach a person to fish in polluted waters and poisoned rivers is difficult when our oceans are governed by human avarice and industrial greed. When the majority does not have access to resources and the minority continues to exploit what is left behind, it is difficult to educate a person. We don't only educate people how to fish at the Foundation Academy; we also teach them why our resources are "polluted" and by whom.

Our students are educated, motivated, and empowered to regain their rights and "fish" in the ocean of justice once again. We provide them with the tools they need to recover our humanity from greed and injustice. Education is not a luxury for the wealthy, but rather a necessity for everybody. Higher education is a matter of human rights, that should be affordable and accessible to everyone, including refugees, low-income migrants, and minorities. When education is costly and tools are few, how can pastors and clerics in the global south get comprehensive, theological education centered on peace and dialogue? How can a bright refugee, a stateless person, or an undocumented migrant get an academic education when his or her access to higher education is denied?

To teach a person to fish in polluted waters and poisoned rivers is difficult when our oceans are governed by human avarice and industrial greed. When the majority does not have access to resources and the minority continues to exploit what is left behind, it is difficult to educate a person.

This is where the Foundation Academy of Amsterdam comes in. We are a small institution with a huge vision; we have few resources, but we share what we do have with others. Even if we are simply a drop of hope amid a sea of despair, we never give up! Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our volunteers' academes, coordinators, lecturers, professors, and staff members, we can share what we have. It would be difficult to carry out our goal without the support of individual sponsors and organizations such as Stg. Haella, the Waalse Kerk Amsterdam, ASKV: Refugee Support and CEC -Amsterdam, as well as JCF Church.

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our volunteers and the continues support of our sponsors...

As we begin the new year, refugees at the frontiers of Fort Europe and Mexico are facing one of the most dreadful circumstances we have seen in the twenty-first century. Talented individuals, academics, university students, and scientists are among the migrants stranded in camps, waiting for the world to hear their cry.

Individually, many of us, though, confront distinct challenges on our own. Regardless of the circumstances, Christmas is about hope, the light that shines in the darkness, as we are reminded that Jesus was born to heal the brokenhearted and to give hope to those who are without it.

I wish you, the volunteer members of the Foundation Academy of Amsterdam, the precious students, and the sponsors a successful 2022. Keep up the good work and stay healthy.

Dr. Samuel Lee,

founder and president of

Foundation Academy of Amsterdam