This March, on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th, Aruba’s biggest annual volunteer initiative will once again unite our beloved island for its eighth edition of ARUBA DOET. From the bustling capital Oranjestad to the unassuming town of San Nicolas, thousands of participants will join forces to put the ‘ONE’ back in our ‘HAPPY ISLAND’. People from around the island and all over the world roll up their sleeves to provide communal buildings with a crisp paint coat, collect trash from our natural treasures, dance around with seniors and many other jobs. Last year, over 3300 volunteers put a smile on the face of Aruba, fulfilling no less than 165 jobs. This year, with over 190 projects, the goal is to obtain a record number by contributing to the largest volunteer event of the Caribbean and you can make it happen!
The noble heart of the organization.
When the Dutch Oranje Fonds initiated ARUBA DOET (Aruba does) in 2013, nobody dared to dream how great it would turn out in its following eight years. As part of a greater project, the project was set out on the six Dutch islands, of which Aruba quickly grew to become a large and successful contributor. The project Aruba Doet, together with CEDE Aruba, is highly dependent from the help of its associated partners and supporting organizations. Of course, the most important ones that keep up the vessels of ARUBA DOET and pumping are its volunteers. With thousands of people pitching in at hundreds of jobs every year, Aruba has stated its reputation as a noble heart of the Caribbean and showing how significant actively engaged citizens can be for the community as a whole.
What ‘Aruba Doet’ does.
Being the most revisited island of the Caribbean, the annual flux of tourism and the ever-growing population make a great impact on our tiny island. This is primarily visible in the sparse, yet beautiful nature that Aruba boasts. As a volunteer, you can help make our sandy shores white again during a beach clean-up, participate in a preservation program of the Spanish Lagoon or help out at an animal shelter. Outside the flashy shopping centers and holiday resorts, a large part of the island still lives in more faded conditions. These communities rely on the help of others, from laying structures of new constructions to filling wall cracks and repainting old buildings such of schools, social centers or gardening for the hospice.
Aside from environmental and community work, there are many leisurely options that ARUBA DOET sets up. Think of charring the coals on a festive BBQ party for the visually impaired, get physical during sports activities with the elderly or stimulating youngsters to express themselves through art. Whether you’re good at constructing and refurbishing, an artistic prodigy, environmentally engaged or even know your way around social media, there’s a right job to fit every helping hand.
Working for the greater good.
With the past years in mind, Aruba has proven to care about its community. The main prospective of ARUBA DOET has always been to connect the community with the social organizations of volunteer work. By doing this we connect young and old people with different cultural backgrounds and those who have more to share with those in need. Thanks to the high-spirited volunteers and the generosity of participating companies and organizations, every year actively has covered the island with a fresh layer of triumph. In 2020, your help is needed to keep up the wonderful work as we have done in the past and be part of a family that will contribute to the wellbeing of our dushi Aruba.
Find out more about the organization or sign up as a volunteer for a project on www.arubadoet.com!
