Ten local organisations working in the fields of sport, culture and young people supported by Brussels South Charleroi Airport as part of its ESG call for projects

Press release call for projects

CHARLEROI, 1 July 2025 – As a responsible stakeholder, Brussels South Charleroi Airport is committed to working alongside regional organisations that are keen to promote its values. Following a call for projects launched last January, ten organisations working in the fields of sport, culture and young people were chosen to receive financial support from BSCA, amounting to €50,000 divided between the different projects.

Last January, Brussels South Charleroi Airport launched its second ESG call for projects aimed at local organisations involved in the fields of sport, culture and young people. The aim is to support social projects that fit in with BSCA’s values of commitment, trust and respect. This approach is the perfect match for the Well’Air project, an interactive, socially inclusive platform launched by Sowaer, which encourages the airport’s stakeholders to get involved in projects that are not related to the airport but that are based near to airport sites. 

Lots of organisations responded to the call for projects, and the entries were presented to a panel of judges made up of industry professionals. In the end, ten projects were chosen across the different categories. The organisations will benefit from financial support, worth a total of €50,000 divided between the projects, as well as some great publicity. BSCA is also committed to helping them bring their projects to fruition.

The winners:

Sport:

  • Charleroi Volley (€5,000):  This organisation’s goal is to promote physical education in general and volleyball and beach volleyball in particular. They now have more under-18s than any other club in the entire Hainaut province. Their aim is to stop having to turn away dozens of young people who want to join their club because of a lack of space or a shortage of instructors. The club wants to remain an accessible elite club, with annual fees calculated to be as low as possible so that they can offer this service to everyone in the organisation and the region.

 

  • Atelier M (€3,000): The purpose of the Freebike project is to encourage sport and soft mobility among young people in Charleroi by giving them access to bikes and helmets. Thanks to specific workshops, they are keen to raise awareness of the need for more sustainable mobility, while offering an environmentally-friendly and accessible means of transport. The bikes will be used for events and group trips, and can also be loaned to young people free of charge. This project promotes young people’s independence and meets a real need for alternative transport in the region.

 

  • Debjarun (€7,000): The goal of the Debjarun Academy is to promote sport in general, and athletics in particular, by offering a comprehensive package to runners, encompassing multi-disciplinary training, an inclusive approach and a balanced programme, so that everyone can develop and progress throughout the year.

 

Culture:

  • Marchienne Babel (€8,500): The aim of the project is to engage with residents of the “Zabattoirs” site, next to the Eau d’Heure river, and to raise their awareness of the problems experienced by the area in terms of disturbance and pollution. This involves inviting them to take part in a range of free creative workshops, working together to clean up and spruce up the banks of the river, as well as installing the street furniture and sculptures created in their workshops.

 

  • Circomédie (€5,000): The idea behind this project is to prepare and organise an event encompassing a number of artistic disciplines to be staged collectively on the site of the former Soleilmont Abbey. The artists will be young people aged 11 to 18 from a range of schools and associations. They have been practising their discipline for several years, so they have reached a certain level in terms of technique. This event will be followed up by a European exchange and will take place every year starting in 2026.

Three youth centres (Maison de Jeunes de Couillet, Centre de Loisirs Actifs L’Eveil and Maison de Jeunes Case Départ) also received support. Although the original projects submitted by each of these were not selected, the judges were keen to give the young people the chance to enjoy a cultural trip, and so awarded €500 to each of the organisations.

 

Young people:

  • Alternative 21 – Projet Fracasse (€10,000): Fracasse is an inclusive music workshop that gives young people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism, as well as their neurotypical peers, the opportunity to spark their creativity, their desire to create and their need to express themselves beyond their uniqueness, their disability or their economic, social or emotional insecurities.

 

  • Opération Papa Noël / Pôle Nord (€10,000): The main goal is to give children a treat at Christmas by getting the community involved, mainly through sponsorship. Sponsors buy a Christmas present for their sponsored child. Around 5% of sponsorships are not honoured all the way to the end. To make up for this, the not-for-profit organises a number of fundraising activities including Christmas markets, concerts and community events.