Tvind is a global organization founded in Denmark in the 1970s that operates teacher training colleges, clothing collection businesses (Planet Aid, Humana), development projects, and various commercial enterprises across more than 50 countries. The organization has been the subject of investigations regarding its financial structure and labor practices.

Tvind Alert is an investigative journalism archive documenting the Tvind organization's global operations from 2001-2022. Founded by J. Durham and J. Jakobsen, the site preserves court documents, volunteer testimonies, media coverage, and investigative reports about the Tvind network.

Why was this archive created?

This archive preserves investigative journalism and public documents about the Tvind organization for research, transparency, and historical documentation. The original TvindAlert.com operated from 2001-2022 and was restored from Internet Archive (Wayback Machine) snapshots in memory of journalist Wade Larsen.

Holland

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This content is from the original TvindAlert.com (2001-2022), preserved for historical and research purposes. Some images or documents may be unavailable.

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Dutch TV-1 programmes on Tvind
broadcast on 26th June and 11th July 2002

Humana Holland press conference, July 24th 2002
http://tvindalert.hyperboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&num=1027359785

Who's who in Tvind, Holland

_______________________________________________________________________________

Tvind assets: Used clothes recycling, clothes shops, big clothes sorting centre, Bunnik. Volunteer recruitment. Many trading companies. Addresses in Amsterdam, Bunnik, Maarssen and Maarn.

Humana is one of four leading charitable organisations commonly given permission by local authorities in Holland to collect and recycle used clothes. But Tvind's business interests in the country are complex. The Foundation Humana is only one of a number of Tvind concerns, which include commercial clothes trading companies as well as supposed charities. Many of them share the same directors, and at least one recently declared itself bankrupt 'owing' hundreds of thousands of guilders - apparently to other Tvind clothes traders and offshore companies. Where did this money really go? The Dutch Central Bureau for Fundraising (Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving, CBF), which oversees charities, agrees there could be a clash of interests in that Humana sells clothes to its own companies in Amsterdam - but it has never properly investigated.

A major new Tvind company, ConMore bv, based in Amsterdam but with an office in Maarssen, now trades in used clothes between the Humana 'charities' of western Europe and sales outlets in eastern Europe, Russia, Africa and Central Asia. ConMore bv is managed by Flemming Gustafsson, a key Danish TG member and Birgit Dinesen-Jensen, also a long time member of the TG..

Address: Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik, Holland

The giant Bunnik recycling plant, in a former food factory, has more than
a dozen loading bays. Humana lorries line up to export clothes to
eastern Europe

See also : Tvind companies

Foundation Humana

Humana Holland's main clothes recycling company, formed from the merger of Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving and Stichting Humana Hergebruik in 2001-2.

Money from Humana Holland is allegedly going to Tvind offshore companies in Jersey, while the clothes disappear to Eastern Europe.

"Humana is working with GARSON & SHAW. G&S is a sale agency located in London. From what I heard , there is only a computer there which send faxes to a place in Jersey Islands. They take a commission on the amount of sales. This company is very close to Humana and seems to be the new way of tax evasion since EC Trading closed down (which apparently has closed without real reasons to do it except to mix up the tracks).

"I know something that could easily be proved. For around 1 year now, there is a law in Netherlands coming from the European Union which forbid the sales of waste outside of the community. The most important market of Humana is the sale of non sorted clothes to Russia, Ukraine and others East countries. As they didnt want to loose this market and while waiting to obtain a special license for doing it, they acted outside legality.

During several months, they sent this kind of product through Humana Berlin. On the paper, Humana Bunnik sold the goods to Humana Berlin which sold it after to the Russian customer. In reality, trucks went directly from Netherlands to Russia and get customs papers in a town close to the border. After a few months it become dangerous as Germany started to look over Humana Berlin business. Thus Humana Bunnik used another intermediate : Spaarmann, a German logistics company (www.spaarmann.de).

Well, is everything legal in what I described ? I let you judge. But Im sure there is some wrong in their business. A charity organization can not act like that. I d like to work in the humanitarian field and Im training for it, I can not bear that some people use the status of non-profit organization and trick donators to make money. I dont want Humana to close down in Netherlands, I consider that they are doing a good job : all the clothes they collect would have been thrown away otherwise, development project wouldnt have been financed and Humana brings economic activity in the country. Its just that they should be closely watched. And that the job of authorities and journalists." Dutch concerned.

Despite this and many other known facts on Humana/Tvind, the Central Bureau for Fundraising (CBF) in Holland time after time declares that Humana Holland is a transparant organisation which benefits the poor in the Third World. It more likely looks as the weird world of both Humana and CBF." (Source: The Weird World of Humana in Holland by Han Gommeren

ConMore b.v. Keizersgracht, 1016 EZ Amsterdam .

Sales agent for Tvind company Garson & Shaw (London and USA). Manager: Teachers Group member Flemming Gustaffson, director: Teachers Group-member Birgit Dinesen-Jensen. Garson & Shaw trades with Tvind companies in Russia, the Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, Ghana, Benin and India. See: Garson & Shaw Inc

Textile Transformation bv (EC Trading) (Amsterdam) Bankrupt owing 1.4m

Clothes trading, also run by Flemming Gustaffson, Kristen Kristiansen and Poul Jorgensen (born 1958). Traded with Humana companies in Holland and many other Tvind companies. Went bankrupt in 2000 owing large sums to many creditors, but mainly to other Tvind companies. See the story of Textile Transformation b.v. and reports in Rotterdams Dagblad and The Weird World of Humana in Holland

Humana Holland - financial company

Stichting Humana Hergebruik (Humana Re-use) Dissolved 2001-2

Used clothes collection and trading.

Freightforwarders Marco Polo b.v. Dissolved

Oudezijds Voorburgwal 266, Amsterdam. Used clothes distribution & trading. Started 1995, dissolved in June 2000

Unicorn Trans World Trading b.v. Bankrupt in 1995

Used clothes trading company, c 1995, directors were TG members Jonas Israel, Hans Lautsten and Lars-Malte Hansen The company went bankrupt in 1995 after it was founded in 1994.

Procurement White Hall Agency Oudezijds Voorburgwal 266, Amsterdam

In existence c 1993. Was also run by Flemming Gustaffson. See also: Customlong Agencies (UK), another Flemming Gustaffson company in UK

Teachers Group houses, Maarn, near Bunnik

Mercuriushof 4, Maarn, was bought late 2001 for almost 386.000 euro (245,000) by Jytte Nielsen, a leading TG member who is a director of Humana Holland and connected to other Humana companies in Europe. Nielsen, according to Swedish journalists, is the new chairwoman of UFF in Sweden.

Neighbours say one of the people who sold the property told them this house was paid for in cash by the Danes. The money was said to have come from a bank account on Jersey ( which is a well-known tax-paradise for Tvind-companies.) The real-estate man in Maarn doesn't want to confirm this. 'I'm afraid that is a private matter', he says. Jytte Nielsen says she took a morgage on the bank.

The house next door, Mercuriushof 2, was in the same period bought by two Danish women who, like Jytte Nielsen, are known as members of the Teachers Group: Mikala Gottlob and Birgit Dinesen. Dinesen is director of the Tvind-company ConMore BV in Maarssen, the European agent for the second hand clothes company Garson and Shaw in the USA and UK.

ConMore representative Flemming Gustafsson, founder of the now bankrupt Tvind-company Textile Transformation EC Trading BV in which 500.000 guilders from Humana Holland disappeared in 2000, is often seen around and in the two houses in Maarn.

The citizens in the street are not able to get in contact with their new Danish neighbours, who always say 'we're just guests' if someone tries to shake hands to get to know them. The Danes more likely seem to work very hard. 'You can see the colours of the computer-screens and lights shine the whole evening and often at night behind the closed curtains', a neighbour says, who wonders what is going on.

Source: The Weird World of Humana in Holland by Han Gommeren

__________________________

Kirsten Fuglsbjerg - alias Christie Pipps

O Z, Voorlangwal 266, P O Box 503, 1000 Amsterdam

Kirsten Fuglsbjerg, one of Tvind's most senior functionaries, and founder of Faelleseje, gives the following address on business cards: Kirsten Fuglsbjerg, Lawyer, O Z, Voorlangwal 266, P O Box 503, 1000 Amsterdam, [Source: Ekstra Bladet]

Danish-born Kirsten Fuglsberg has been in Tvind since 1971 and has been a key player and signatory in many of Tvind's most important business decisions, including the founding of Faelleseje (1977), the purchase of Facenda Florestadora in Brazil (1994), the founding of the Chinese business Trayton Holdings (1995) and the clothes business in Morocco. She changed her name to Christie Pipps in 1992 and is believed to have become a resident of Great Britain the same year.

This address has been used for many years by many TG members and companies:

_____________________

'Gaia-Movement Trust Living Earth Green World Action'

PO Box Address at Oudezijds Voorburgwal 266, Amsterdam.

Swiss-registered company, whose directors are members of the Teachers Group, appears to be the 'environmental foundation' cited on used clothes charity bins of Green World Recycling in the UK and Gaia in the United States. When investigated in December 2000 it proved to be only a rented accommodation address in Geneva, with post forwarded to Tvind's Amsterdam address: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 266, Amsterdam. There is no evidence of any environmental charity work. See investigative article, Independent on Sunday, UK, December 2000. Also see: Green World Recycling (UK) and Gaia Living Earth Movement Green World Action (USA)

The weird world of Humana in Holland By Han Gommeren, 16th March 2002. Investigation of Humana companies specially written for Tvind Alert by Han Gommeren and published on the web for the first time. Not yet published in a Dutch newspaper. Han Gommeren describes a web of companies and properties run by the Teachers Group and two new luxury houses bought for more than a million guilders despite the fact that previous companies crashed with huge debts.

The secret empire of Humana in discredit . Rags as a goldmine. from Eindhovens Dagblad, Holland, 19th January 2002. by Han Gommeren

Het geheime Deense imperium van Humana in opspraak. Vodden als een goudmijn Eindhovens Dagblad, Holland, 19th January 2002 Han Gommeren

Humana accused of exporting waste from Eindhovens Dagblad, Holland, December 2001 by Han Gommeren European Union regulations outlaw the export from EU countries to Eastern Europe of 'waste' including waste or unsorted clothes. Since Eindhovens Dagblad began enquiries, Garson and Shaw Inc removed information about trading in Europe from its website. Tvind Alert has a copy.

Humana makes big money with collected clothes from Rotterdams Dagblad, Holland, 18th February 1995 by Jolande van der Graaf. Ace investigative reporter Jolande van der Graaf persisted in her questions and came up with this report on Humana Holland's international business links.

Tvind being investigated From the Caymanian Compass, 1991. This mentions that Humana in Holland was the subject of a two year investigation by Dutch Police Inspector Henry Ankala.

October 2001: Zaanstad The local political party ROSA succeeded, after six years of trying, to end the contract between Humana and the city of Zaanstad (Netherlands). Humana collected clothes in Zaanstad (135.000 inhabitants) during a long period of years. ROSA tried to get rid of Humana because of the 'criminal activities of this multinational'. In October the city council of Zaanstad in majority finally agreed that Humana had to leave the city the moment the contract between Zaanstad and Humana ends, January 2003. Erik Schaap, ROSA secretary, havenstraat75@hotmail.com.

1999: Houten The town hall in Houten decided in 1999 to pay 16.000 guilders in legal expenses to end the commercial relationship with Humana Holland. The clothes collection contract will end at the beginning of 2003. (Source, Han Gommeren. hangommeren@hotmail.com)

Tvind appears to have moved large quantities of new and used clothing from its factory in Casablanca and Humana shops elsewhere in Europe, through Rotterdam. Click here to read more in the Belgian NGO report.

September 2001: Several development instructor students testified to the South African police against Tvind's KwaZulu Natal Experimental College in Durban, South Africa over alleged fraud. The school's Dutch principal, Ester Boere, was arrested and held for questioning. In the end charges were dropped for 'lack of evidence'. One of the angry students, Robert Westendorp, is Dutch. See Lazlo's story.

Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving

'The Dutch government has ordered an investigation into Tvind's activities.' [Copenhagen Post, 1998]

"The Dutch government has ordered an investigation but the Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving (CBF), the countrys equivalent to the Charity Commission, complains that DAPP headquarters have failed to reply to its Inquiries." [Source: The Guardian, 1993]

It is totally unclear to CBF what happens with the profits of the fundraising in the Third World. [Rotterdams Dagblad, 1995]

A correspondent writes (Oct 2001): 'The "Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving" (= Central Bureau for Fundraising) was created almost 80 years ago by Dutch municipalities, in order to screen charities that want to raise funds, before giving them the authorisation to do so. The Bureau became a semi-official body and delivers 'certificates' and 'labels' to hundreds of charities. Including to Humana, even if they are suspicious and have a good knowledge of the problem.

'But, as elsewhere, Humana succeeds to organise and present itself as a 'reliable' organisation, conform to legal prescriptions. The method of 'spliting off' into separate companies or organisations is contributing to this. Thanks to the positive advice from the Bureau, Humana was even able to be part of the coordinating body or textile collecting charities in the Netherlands. But I cannot believe that the other members are not aware of what's behind Humana and dit nothing to exclude them from their coordination.'

In Holland we have the Humana shops. They're still around, and I don't know if there has been any formal action or investigation. Most of the publicity on this movement is several years old ('95/'96).

In a March '96 newspaper article, a Dutch politician said: "Under the pretense of a Marxist-Lenist philosophy, Tvind creates confusion, drills young people and operates 'development projects' for its own gain. Compared to Mogens Peterson, the secretive Tvind-guru, Fidel Castro is a soft-boiled egg." (Peter van Heemst, De Telegraaf, Holland, Mar 16, 1996)

The article stated that Tvind is a complicated web of organizations,
schools, shops, plantations, factories, a television company, and a
shipping firm. The paper mentioned it did an earlier story on Humana in
1992. [It goes on to say that] many of the former cult members who left went in hiding for fear of reprisals. The director of a Dutch school stated that a colleague in Denmark told him Tvind had been a problem for 15 years already, and that many Danish were afraid of the movement because of its aggressive tactics.

Like many cults, Tvind hunts for recruits among students, but also
advertises for those interested in becoming aid workers. Recruitment is
usually done under the name Development Aid from People to People (DAPP).

Several names of school pop up, among which the "Travelling Folks HighSchool" and "The Necessary Teacher Training College." At the time the article was written, Tvind ran 40 schools.

Reports

Wageningen University Newsletter (1995). Tvind was found to be trying to recruit students at Wageningen University - its newsletter warned:

'You may have seen yellow pamphlets around Wageningen from the Necessary Teacher Training College (Tvind) in Denmark, which offers a four-year alternative training for teaching and development work in Africa.
Besides studying, students work a lot during their training, for instance selling post cards and giving lectures, in order to pay their fees to the Training College.

'Some Dutch students who have attended Tvind, say it is a sectarian school, with little education, hard work and strange rules. "Tvind buys everything for you, even your toothbrush". Questions have been asked now in the Dutch Parliament about Tvind, but its director says the private school, which used to be sponsored by the Danish government, now has to finance itself, but can account for every penny it receives from the students.

Controversial Groups in Belgium and Holland Extract from a Dutch-language report posted on the Internet.

4. De Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) groep.

De groep/sekte met als hoofdzetel Denemarken heeft tal van vertakkingen oa. Tvind, de tweedehands kledingwinkels Humana en ook scholen, zoals de Necessary Teacher Training College. De groep is niet zo onschuldig als je wellicht zou verwachten van een aan 'ontwikkelingswerk' doende organisatie. Kamerlid P. van Heemst (Pvda): "Tvind schept onder het mom van een marxistisch-leninistische leer verwarring, drilt jonge mensen en bedrijft 'ontwikkelingswerk' voor eigen gewin. Vergeleken met Mogens Petersen, de geheimzinnige Tvind-goeroe, is Fidel Castro een zacht ei!" (bron: Telegraaf van 16.3.96)
De Telegraaf van 16.03.1996 - Nederlandse jongeren voelen zich misleid door ontwikkelingshulp

De beweging was ook in Wageningen aan het ronselen blijkens een berichtje in het universiteitsblad van maart 1995
Het volgende komt uit het rapport van de onderzoekscommissie sekten van het Belgische parlement. Deel -313/8 -95 /96 - pagina 249:
Benaming: HUMANA - Land van herkomst: Denemarken - Stichtingsdatum: 1970 - Stichter: Amdi Petersen - Soort doctrine: Humanitair - Wijze van werven: Universiteitscampussen/Opleidingen - Opmerkingen: - DAPP (ontwikkelingshulp van volk tot volk) / Ophaling van kleding / Federation for the Projects connected tot the International Humana People to People Movement / Hangt af van TVIND HUMANA (in Denemarken)
Het Belang van Limburg - 14.07.1995 - Dubieuze Deense groep wil Vlaamse studenten ronselen
Op de A - Z Index of Cults van Observer Life Magazine, is meer te lezen over Humana en haar 'ontwikkelingswerk'.

Source: The Internet http://home.wxs.nl/~mike_gormez/groepwxs.htm

[Source: Danish and Dutch press articles]

Stories

See: the stories

Laszlo's story.

September 2001: Several students testified against Tvind's KwaZulu Natal Experimental College in Durban, South Africa for alleged fraud. In the end charges were dropped. The school's principal, Ester Boere, and one of the students, Robert Westendorp, were Dutch.

HOLLAND
Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving, Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik, Holland
Tel: +31 30 65 70 009
Fax: +31 30 65 62 804
humana12@wxs.nl
humananl@wxs.nl

http://home.wxs.nl/~humananl/
Humana Holland

Wageningen University Newsletter (1995). Tvind was found to be trying to recruit students at Wageningen University - its newsletter warned:

Controversial Groups in Belgium and Holland Extract from a Dutch-language report posted on the Internet.

4. De Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) groep.

Source: The Internet http://home.wxs.nl/~mike_gormez/groepwxs.htm

[Source: Danish and Dutch press articles]

Stories

See: the stories

Laszlo's story.

HOLLAND
Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving, Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik, Holland
Tel: +31 30 65 70 009
Fax: +31 30 65 62 804
humana12@wxs.nl
humananl@wxs.nl

http://home.wxs.nl/~humananl/
Humana Holland

Controversial Groups in Belgium and Holland Extract from a Dutch-language report posted on the Internet.

4. De Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) groep.

Source: The Internet http://home.wxs.nl/~mike_gormez/groepwxs.htm

[Source: Danish and Dutch press articles]

Stories

See: the stories

Laszlo's story.

HOLLAND
Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving, Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik, Holland
Tel: +31 30 65 70 009
Fax: +31 30 65 62 804
humana12@wxs.nl
humananl@wxs.nl

http://home.wxs.nl/~humananl/
Humana Holland

Controversial Groups in Belgium and Holland Extract from a Dutch-language report posted on the Internet.

4. De Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) groep.

Source: The Internet http://home.wxs.nl/~mike_gormez/groepwxs.htm

[Source: Danish and Dutch press articles]

Stories

See: the stories

Laszlo's story.

HOLLAND
Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving, Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik, Holland
Tel: +31 30 65 70 009
Fax: +31 30 65 62 804
humana12@wxs.nl
humananl@wxs.nl

http://home.wxs.nl/~humananl/
Humana Holland

Controversial Groups in Belgium and Holland Extract from a Dutch-language report posted on the Internet.

4. De Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) groep.

Source: The Internet http://home.wxs.nl/~mike_gormez/groepwxs.htm

[Source: Danish and Dutch press articles]

Stories

See: the stories

Laszlo's story.

HOLLAND
Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving, Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik, Holland
Tel: +31 30 65 70 009
Fax: +31 30 65 62 804
humana12@wxs.nl
humananl@wxs.nl

http://home.wxs.nl/~humananl/
Humana Holland

4. De Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) groep.

Source: The Internet http://home.wxs.nl/~mike_gormez/groepwxs.htm

[Source: Danish and Dutch press articles]

Stories

See: the stories

Laszlo's story.

HOLLAND
Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving, Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik, Holland
Tel: +31 30 65 70 009
Fax: +31 30 65 62 804
humana12@wxs.nl
humananl@wxs.nl

http://home.wxs.nl/~humananl/
Humana Holland

[Source: Danish and Dutch press articles]

See: the stories

Laszlo's story.

HOLLAND
Stichting Humana Fondsenwerving, Schoudermantel 15, Postbus 65, 3980 CB Bunnik, Holland
Tel: +31 30 65 70 009
Fax: +31 30 65 62 804
humana12@wxs.nl
humananl@wxs.nl

http://home.wxs.nl/~humananl/
Humana Holland

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