CAP48

CAP48 is a Belgian solidarity and fundraising brand operated under the umbrella of the French-language public broadcaster RTBF. Its mission, as stated on its official site, is to help build a more inclusive society in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and the German-speaking Community, enabling people with disabilities, young people in difficulty and precarious families to improve their daily lives and future. It pursues this through year-round fundraising events, donation drives, the annual sale of Post-It notes, awareness campaigns via RTBF media and partners, and emergency action when crises hit the associations it supports. The operation began on 23 September 1957, when radio presenter Jean-Claude Mennessier made an on-air appeal to listeners, asking them to call the phone number 48.81.00 to donate. In 1967 the solidarity action was formalised as a non-profit association (ASBL) under the name "Opération de solidarité 48.81.00". Over the decades it focused increasingly on people with disabilities, and because the original name referred to an obsolete telephone number, it was rebranded CAP48 in 2003, the European Year of People with Disabilities. CAP48 does not implement projects directly; it collects funds and redistributes them to associations in the disability and youth-aid sectors. According to its website, it finances around one hundred projects each year run by ASBLs in those fields. Projects must concern French- and German-speaking populations domiciled in Belgium, and each association must submit an application examined by a jury whose report is reviewed by the Board of Directors. CAP48 never fully funds a project. It supports three main types of financing: educational projects, infrastructure (building or renovating buildings that welcome people with disabilities or youth in difficulty) and mobility (buying or adapting vehicles). The brand is closely tied to RTBF's television and radio channels, which mobilise throughout the year and broadcast a closing evening show. CAP48 also relies on a large volunteer network — its website cites 10,000 volunteers, while the French Wikipedia article mentions 8,000 — and on corporate and public partners such as RTBF, VW, Electrabel, CBC Banque et Assurance, the National Lottery, Proximus, Mobistar, Base and Entra. It also organises the annual Prix de l'Entreprise Citoyenne CAP48 (Citizen Company Award) with RTBF, RMB and Trends/Tendances magazine to reward companies acting in favour of people with disabilities. CAP48 is a non-profit, mission-driven brand rather than a commercial product line, but it operates a recognisable trademark, annual campaigns and a distinct visual identity. It remains active, launching campaigns such as its 2026 campaign and producing content like the "Les Capables" videocast.

CAP48 traces its origins to 23 September 1957, when radio presenter Jean-Claude Mennessier made an appeal to listeners on behalf of people in need. Listeners were invited to call the number 48.81.00 to make donations. This telephone number gave the operation its original identity. In 1967, the solidarity action was structured as a non-profit association (ASBL) and took the name "Opération de solidarité 48.81.00". Over the years, the operation increasingly directed its support towards people with disabilities. Because the original name referred to a telephone number that had become obsolete, the organisation was renamed CAP48 in 2003, on the occasion of the European Year of People with Disabilities. According to the French Wikipedia article, in 50 years it raised 50 million euros distributed across 2,237 projects. The organisation operates in the French Community and the German-speaking Community of Belgium. Its mission, as described on its official site, is to participate in creating a more inclusive society that allows people with disabilities, young people in difficulty and precarious families to improve their daily lives and future. It carries out this mission through fundraising (events, donation collection, the annual Post-It sale and direct donations), awareness-raising via social networks, RTBF media and partners, and annual CAP48 campaigns, as well as emergency action when a crisis affects the associations it finances. CAP48 does not carry out projects itself. Associations must submit an application file that is examined by a jury; the jury writes a report that is reviewed by the Board of Directors, which decides which projects to support. Projects must concern French- and German-speaking populations domiciled in Belgium. CAP48 never fully finances projects. It supports three types of financing: educational projects, infrastructure (building or renovating buildings that host people with disabilities or youth in difficulty) and mobility (purchasing or adapting vehicles). Examples of funded projects include a 'prematurity' medical research project launched for CAP48's 50th anniversary, accompanying very premature babies and their families during the first years of life, with seven medical consultations at key developmental moments (40 weeks, 4 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 5 years and 7 years) and a cost of between 800 and 1,000 euros per child; and the 'accessible schools' project, which financed four schools that committed durably to welcoming children with disabilities, in consultation with the General Councils of Education and the ministers Dupond and Paasch. The closing evening is a central moment: RTBF television and radio channels mobilise throughout the year, and the operation closes with a show broadcast on RTBF (La Une, La Trois with sign-language translation, and radio La Première), live from the RTBF's Studio Media Rives in Liège and in duplex from the ENTRA donation centre in Heppignies. Artists take part, and celebrities take on challenges throughout the evening. In 2011 the evening raised a total of 4,059,798 euros. According to La Libre, the 2009 closing evening raised more than 3.56 million euros, compared with 3,338,000 euros the previous year. CAP48 also awards the annual Prix de l'Entreprise Citoyenne CAP48 (Citizen Company Award), in association with RTBF, RMB and Trends/Tendances magazine, since 2006, to reward actions by companies — large or small, public or private — in favour of people with disabilities. Recipients have included Biosmose, IBM, Elia, Adecco, Trace, I.R.I.S. Solutions & Experts, AXA Atout cœur, Total Belgium, EXKi, Rossel – Le Soir, Manpower and UCL, among others. The brand relies on a large volunteer base — 10,000 according to its website, 8,000 according to the French Wikipedia article — and on partnerships with public authorities and corporate partners such as RTBF, VW, Electrabel, CBC Banque et Assurance, the National Lottery, Proximus, Mobistar, Base and Entra. CAP48 is also the title of a television programme broadcast in Belgium on La Une (RTBF). It remains active, launching a 2026 campaign and producing new content such as the 'Les Capables' videocast.

• 2026

  CAP48 launches its 2026 campaign.

• 2011

  Closing evening raises a total of 4,059,798 euros.

• 2009

  Closing evening raises more than 3.56 million euros, according to La Libre.

• 2006

  First edition of the Prix de l'Entreprise Citoyenne CAP48, awarded with RTBF, RMB and Trends/Tendances.

• 2003

  Renamed CAP48 on the occasion of the European Year of People with Disabilities.

• 1967

  The solidarity action is structured as an ASBL under the name 'Opération de solidarité 48.81.00'.

• 1957

  On 23 September, radio presenter Jean-Claude Mennessier appeals to listeners to donate by calling the number 48.81.00.

Non-profit solidarity brand of RTBF, focused on inclusion of people with disabilities and support for youth in difficulty in Belgium's French- and German-speaking communities.

• Annual CAP48 campaign

  Year-round fundraising and awareness campaign culminating in a closing evening broadcast on RTBF.

• Post-It sale

  Annual sale of Post-It notes as a fundraising mechanism.

• Closing evening show

  Televised show on RTBF (La Une, La Trois with sign-language translation, La Première radio) live from Liège and in duplex from the ENTRA donation centre.

• Prix de l'Entreprise Citoyenne CAP48

  Annual award since 2006 recognising companies' actions in favour of people with disabilities.

• Les Capables videocast

  A videocast produced by CAP48.

1. 1CAP48 official websitecap48.be
2. 2À propos - CAP48cap48.be
3. 3CAP48 - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4CAP48 - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org