How the whole Dopomoga design system comes together into one story — from BSN registration to her first quarterly BTW return. Scroll down and watch.
9 steps28 daysUtrechtHappy ending
ОК
Olena K., 32
UI designer from Kyiv. Arrived in Utrecht in March 2026 with her 7-year-old daughter. She wants to work for herself and get her child into school.
Arrival
12 MAR
Locale
UA
Child
1 · 7y
1
Day 1 · 12 March
Signs up for Dopomoga from her phone.
Olena opens dopomoga.eu on the train from the airport. The site offers UA right away — no modals, no cookie wall. She picks her language, creates an account with email + password, and ticks what matters: documents, housing, school for kids, Dutch language.
Tick everything that applies — we’ll tune your feed.
Documents (BSN, DigiD)HousingWork / ZZPSchool for kidsDutch language
Account created. Feed tuned to 4 interests.
2
Day 3 · 15 March
The checklist shows what to get.
The feed up top warns: “Without a BSN you can’t open a bank account, sign a lease, or enrol your child in school”. Olena opens the checklist and sees 24 tasks across 6 categories — with P1 (red) priorities and clear next steps.
In Lombok she found a one-bedroom on Reigerstraat — €1,145/mo, social housing, a verified landlord. The tag “Verified” is green; the page has a map, the real floor area, and an honest description with no rewritten AI photo prompts.
Signed the lease. Deposit paid. BRP booked for 22 March.
4
Day 12 · 24 March
Books a huisarts and zorgverzekering.
In the checklist, the “Health” category unlocks — now that she has a BSN. Olena picks a zorgverzekering from CZ via independer.nl (~€155/mo) and books a huisarts a 10-minute walk from the flat.
Health · 2 of 4 done. 7 of 24 overall.
5
Day 18 · 30 March
Applies for toelagen at mijn.toeslagen.nl.
Before logging in she estimates it via Dopomoga: income still 0 (just moved), rent €1,145, a 7-year-old child. The calculator shows: zorgtoeslag €131/mo, huurtoeslag €142/mo. Together — €273 from the state every month until her ZZP income kicks in.
A first contract with a Dutch client is on the horizon — time to register a ZZP. The checklist walks her through kvk.nl, she needs an ID-check appointment (€80), and a week later — KvK number + BTW number in hand. The “Work / Business” category unlocks.
7
Day 24 · 5 April
Forecasts her tax for the year.
Projected income — €45k over 9 months of work. The calculator uses the “Just registered a ZZP” preset, adds starter deduction, MKB exemption, ZVW. Bottom line: €32,100 net out of €45,000 revenue — an effective rate of 28.7%.
Scenario saved. Compare A vs B is ready for the quarterly review.
8
Day 26 · 7 April
Enrols her daughter in school.
The “Family” category from the feed: “For the first 6 months refugee children go into a taalklas — a language class where they learn Dutch alongside the core subjects”. Olena calls the local school; her child is accepted from 14 April. The system offers the kinderbijslag application in one click.
9
Day 28 · 9 April
First review: 18 of 24 done.
Olena opens the checklist on Tuesday evening. The progress ring shows 75%. Left to do: finish signing the KvK papers, the first BTW-aangifte in April, set up a pension plan, donor registration. Tomorrow — morning coffee at Albert Heijn with a friend. Everything is under control.
