From floppy disks to Azure: the digital transformation of Aidsfonds – Aids Fonds and Soa Aids Netherlands

Aidsfonds – Soa Aids Nederland focuses on preventing, detecting, and treating HIV and STIs.
As a non-profit organization dependent on grants and donations, an efficient IT environment is crucial. Mark Coutinho, IT manager and responsible for general facility services, explains how Wortell helped with Azure management and modern workplace operations.

“We’re actually two organizations in one,” begins Mark. “On the one hand, Aidsfonds, which focuses on international projects and combating AIDS, and on the other, Soa Aids Nederland, which concentrates on STI prevention and sexual health in the Netherlands. The Sense information line is also part of our work: anyone can reach out there with questions about sex, safe practices, and sexual healthcare. Increasingly, this happens via chat.”

The organization operates with a team of about 160 employees, supported by volunteers and international partners. Their position as a non-profit in public healthcare makes them both unique and vulnerable. “Our projects, for example, are currently affected by Trump’s cuts to development aid, which sometimes makes it difficult to continue activities.” Predictable costs and an efficient IT environment are therefore crucial for the organization. “That way, as much money as possible can go directly to our projects.”

Predictable costs and an efficient IT environment are crucial for Aidsfonds – Soa Aids Nederland.

Transition to predictable IT
The move to a modern IT environment was an important step for the organization. “In 2019, we moved into our current building — from a canal house to a typical office building. That brought about a new way of working. At the same time, we wanted to make sure employees could also work from home. We chose exactly the right moment to make the switch, as the COVID pandemic broke out shortly afterward.”

In 2022, the collaboration with Wortell began, with the main goals being better workplace management, secure remote work, and outsourcing of technical management — with Azure as the foundation. “Wortell immediately took charge of Azure. We hadn’t managed the technical side ourselves for years, so it made perfect sense for them to take over.”

That decision meant much more than simply changing the server location. “Everything was managed — from laptops to updates, from backups to security. The workplace is now completely streamlined. Everything runs in Azure and Microsoft 365, allowing employees to work anytime, anywhere, without worry.”

The transition to this new environment became especially tangible when all employees received a laptop. “That might sound minor, but it was the result of more than a year of preparation. In the past, we built our PCs ourselves to save costs. Now we have standardized workplaces.”

“Everything runs in Azure and Microsoft 365, allowing employees to work anytime, anywhere, without worry.”

Getting the most out of it
The choice for Wortell wasn’t driven by technology alone. “What appealed to us was their adaptive way of working,” says Mark. “They really take people along in the process. That was essential for us, because there are always employees who need time to adjust to change. Part of the preliminary phase was exploring the types of work and collaboration needs among employees. Because everyone was involved, the process went much more smoothly than expected.”

Mark did have to get used to some of the job titles Wortell uses. “I still remember our first meeting; gradually I came into contact with more Wortell colleagues who had job titles I’d never heard of before. An architect — what do you mean? Aren’t they supposed to design buildings? Nowadays, you’ll find them in IT too, designing blueprints for systems and infrastructures. It’s great to work with people who take someone like me — an average system administrator — along into next-level IT. I’m in daily contact with Arnold Grooters, my main point of contact at Wortell. If something urgent comes up, he’s even reachable on his day off, though I try not to take advantage of that. Every two weeks, we have a managed services meeting. The IT manager plays the ‘bad cop,’ and I’m the ‘good cop,’” he laughs. “But the atmosphere is good, and there’s a lot of trust.”

Wortell also actively supports the organization in other areas. “License management with Microsoft is complex. But Pascal Willemssen from Wortell — our ‘license nerd’ — knows everything about it. He really helps us, as a non-profit organization, get the most out of every euro. It saves us tons of money.”

“It’s great to work with people who take someone like me — an average system administrator — along into next-level IT.”

Control over shadow IT
“Debble was recommended as our intranet because it’s integrated with Office 365, which means you can immediately pull information from there. That’s a big advantage.” The transition also revealed something else: the underlying IT foundation became exposed. “We discovered there was a lot of shadow IT. People had been installing apps on their own. Sometimes, three different tools were being used for the same purpose. We had no idea — until Wortell conducted an inventory.”

Together with Wortell, a change process was implemented. “Now, if someone wants to use an app, they first have to submit a request. It’s then reviewed for security, costs, technical feasibility, and alternatives. That way, we’ve regained control. It reduces risks and waste.”

Cost predictability has also improved. “It’s now more expensive in absolute terms than before, but the advantage is that you’re no longer faced with unexpected surprises. Plus, I literally don’t have people crying at my desk anymore because they’ve lost something. Everything is saved automatically. There’s only one single version of the truth: the document in the cloud that everyone works on together.”

“I literally don’t have people crying at my desk anymore because they’ve lost something. Everything is saved automatically.”

From firefighter to IT director
Next year, Mark will celebrate forty years at Aidsfonds – Soa Aids Nederland. For him personally, the transformation also meant a shift in his role. “When the foundation started, there were just three of us. We didn’t even have a computer yet. And for the first few years, we still worked with floppy disks. After that, I spent many years as a system administrator and knew everything about our systems. But with the transition to Azure and the new workplace, the ‘system administrator’ role essentially became redundant. That uncertainty was difficult for me.”

Those developments, however, also opened the door to a new step. “I’m now an IT director: less hands-on, more coordinating. The firefighting days are over. People still come to me as their first point of contact, but when things get too complicated, I call Wortell. In a way, I’m like a zero-line support before first-line support gets involved. I do miss the personal contact I used to have, but I can see that the organization as a whole has made huge progress. In practice, you always need a middle man.”

“The firefighting days are over. People still come to me as their first point of contact, but when things get too complicated, I call Wortell.”

Tips for other non-profits
Finally, Mark shares a few practical tips for other organizations considering a similar transition:

• Start small.
  “Don’t jump straight into an all-in package — make smart financial choices. Begin with Office 365 and Azure, then expand later depending on your needs and the cost–benefit balance.”
   
• Make conscious choices.
  “If you want to use something with a lot of memory or high speed, you’ll pay for it. But do you really need that? With virtual servers, you can make it as expensive or as affordable as you want. Wortell actively checks whether you have too many licenses or are buying excess capacity, for example, by reserving Azure resources in advance to achieve significant savings. It’s a service you pay for, but it also helps you save money. It prevents hidden, lingering costs.”
   
• Involve employees throughout the process.
  “Engage everyone from the start and at every step you take. Wortell does this naturally with their fully adaptive way of working.”
   
• Focus on predictability.
  “For a non-profit, that’s absolutely crucial. You need to be able to plan, including when it comes to IT.”