Hans De Ceuster

President of the Board

Hans has a lifelong involvement in social organizations and a large heart for people, a strong sense of responsibility and justice.

He pursued a career as a military officer in the Belgian Armed Forces and this gives him an expertise in leadership and strategic planning. In 2019 he changed his career and became humanist chaplain general of the Belgian Armed Forces, deciding to provide the spiritual care to the Belgian Military Community.

Since 2020 Hans is president of the board of Payoke, however he’s been involved with Payoke since the beginning, being the son of its founder, Patsy Sörensen.

Patsy Sörensen

Founder

Patsy Sörensen is the founder of Payoke. Patsy established Payoke in 1987, originally fighting for the rights of prostitutes. Over time Patsy reoriented the organization’s mission to protect the rights of all people who have been trafficked.

Payoke attained national and international recognition with King Baudouin’s visit  and the support of the Royal Family in 1992.

Thanks to Patsy’s tireless efforts, the concept of human trafficking has evolved from a mere, almost ‘victim-less’ criminal justice approach, to a human rights dimension where victims are entitled to their dignity, respect, protection and rights

Patsy Sörensen and Payoke are synonyms of high standards in terms of national and international practice and expertise in the fight against human trafficking.