Receiving over 1,000,000 tourists annually, Aruba has long been the most popular holiday hub in the Caribbean. Famous for its long beaches, colonial-style villages and ever-shining sun, Aruba remains the preferred destination for people from around the world. Although serving the island well financially, the tourist flux has a great environmental impact on the island and often oversees the lesser conditions of people living away from the beach resorts. Thus, the volunteer initiative Aruba DOET was created to unite the people from around the island and all over the world with the community. In 2020, this wonderful event will once again put the ONE back in our HAPPY ISLAND on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th of March.
The ‘Aruba DOET’ family
Aruba DOET was initiated by the Netherlands Oranje Fonds in 2013, along with its sibling islands in the Caribbean. In the following eight years, in cooperation with CEDE Aruba, it quickly grew to become the largest volunteer event on the island. At the mothering heart of the foundation, are numerous independent organizations and participating companies: We have seen banks paying their share by scheduling flexible hours for their employees, while hospitality venues service the community by providing meals and drinks. Large stock suppliers make sure no volunteer is left on the shelf by supplying free water and juice, while supermarkets offer their products at discount, keeping the cartwheels rolling. Waste containers are at our discounted disposal, garden companies have dug into our hearts by affordably renting out excavators, hardware stores give a huge amount of discount on their materials and thanks to transport services, Aruba DOET have enough busses available for their social projects.
What genuinely makes the event triumph are the thousands of volunteers that join the family each year. People from different ages and cultural backgrounds clasping their hands together to make a difference, is the epitome of what our happy island stands for. This is reflected by the thankful Aruban community on the receiving end, but never as much as the joy that is shared by the generous participants.
Make a difference
As a volunteer, you will not only contribute to the community, but will also get the chance to participate in a project that brings people together. Holidaymakers and environmentalists, locals and entire families come together to make a difference. “This is my fifth year of participating in Aruba DOET, because it creates projects that puts a smile on the face of our children,” says an Aruban contributor. A Dutch volunteer notes: “With Turtugaruba we cleaned up the beaches, in order for the sea turtles to safely enter land and lay their eggs. Thanks to the organization, sea turtles are now abundant on the beaches.”
You also may join in on the fun! Visit www.arubadoet.com, choose from 194 projects, to find a job that best suits you and your schedule. The activities vary widely, from gardening for the hospital to brushing up a local church or even building an all-new education centre. Help a paw at an animal shelter, flip the meat on a barbecue for the hearing-impaired or stimulate youngsters to express themselves through art. There is a job for everyone, but if you find it impossible to choose much help is needed as a life-lining all-rounder.
Working for the greater good
With the past years in mind, Aruba has proven to care about its community like no other island in the Caribbean Sea. Volunteers are the heart and soul of community organizations.
Through CEDE Aruba and the Oranje Fonds, Aruba DOET emphasize how important actively engaged citizens are for the community as a whole.
Thanks to the high-spirited volunteers and the generosity of all participating companies and organizations, every active year has painted the island with a fresh layer of triumph. In 2020, your help is needed to keep up the wonderful work and be part of an undertaking that will set an example for the Caribbean and the rest of the world. Being a part of Aruba DOET will give a positive impulse to the island and it gives a deeper insight into the island. On top of that, it will surely be an incredibly inspiring and fun day! Plus the participating organizations can reach their goals on that day, which they might not have been able to achieve without your help.
