Queen Mathilde of Belgium presented the annual Reine Mathilde Prize on April 21, 2026, at the Royal Palace in Brussels, recognizing a local organization dedicated to supporting young parents in vulnerable situations.
The award was given to Pré-en-bulles, a perinatal support service operated by the nonprofit Enfances, which serves families in the Wallonia Picarde region, including Tournai, Mouscron, Leuze-en-Hainaut, and Péruwelz. The initiative focuses on assisting young parents, particularly those under 25, who face challenges related to housing, income, mental health, and social isolation.
Pre-en-bulles provides free, home-based support aimed at strengthening the parent-child bond through personalized guidance from perinatal professionals. The service emphasizes a welcoming, non-stigmatizing environment where families can share experiences and build community connections.
As part of the recognition, Pré-en-bulles received a grant of 24,000 euros from the Reine Mathilde Fund, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation. The organization will benefit from supplementary funding of 10,000 euros for the 2025–2028 period, during which the fund has prioritized support for young parents in precarious circumstances.
The selection process involved a jury of 16 secondary school students from the Athénée Royal Verdi in Verviers and the VLOT! Campus Sint-Lodewijk in Lokeren, who chose Pré-en-bulles from among nominated projects aligned with the fund’s mission to empower youth driving positive change in their communities.
Since its launch nine years ago, Pré-en-bulles has supported over 150 families, averaging approximately 40 annual follow-ups. The service has become a vital resource in a region where many young parents lack access to traditional aid networks and often experience isolation during the transition to adulthood.
Queen Mathilde, aged 53, hosted the ceremony in her official capacity as patron of the fund, which has awarded its annual prize for more than 25 years to initiatives benefiting children and youth in difficulty. The event highlighted the ongoing commitment to early intervention and preventive care for at-risk families.
