This year’s theme: Equity of Opportunities for all Youths
The Heart Centered Leadership Foundation in Aruba and the K1 Britannia Foundation in St. Maarten have been revealed as the first two nominees of the Oranje Fonds’s Appeltjes van Oranje award 2022. This was announced at a special pitch day held in Curaçao. Ten candidates pitched their social projects to an Oranje Fonds jury. While all candidates proved themselves worthy contenders, it was the Heart Centered Leadership Foundation and the K1 Britannia Foundation who managed to secure nominations with their inspiring and unique youth projects.
The Appeltjes van Oranje is a yearly award presented by the Oranje Fonds to three initiatives that successfully connect distinct groups or that help people to start participating in society once more. Each year, the jury selects ten nominees, including two based in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. The nominees from the European Netherlands will be announced in January.
Equity of Opportunities for all Youths
This year, the theme for the award is Equity of Opportunities for all Youths. Inequality of opportunity is an urgent problem in our society, and the COVID-19 crisis has only aggravated the issue. The Oranje Fonds wants to use this year’s award to put the spotlight on projects that are successfully tackling this issue and provide them with well-deserved support and recognition.
Nominees
The Heart Centered Leadership Foundation works to empower young people in Aruba through a variety of programs. They guide youths in becoming aware of their identity and individual strengths, as well as of the ways in which they can contribute to society. Their approach is driven by the efforts of committed age peers. All the work is done with and for young people. The K1 Britannia Foundation’s Scholarship Fund offers the chance of an education to young people for whom this would otherwise be out of reach. The Foundation focuses on young people who grew up in foster care and/or who came in contact with law enforcement and the justice system.
The Awards
The Appeltjes van Oranje winners will be announced in spring 2022. They will receive a bronze statuette made by Princess Beatrix and a cash prize of 25,000 euros. As a rule, Queen Máxima hands out the awards, while every five years the awards are handed out by King Willem-Alexander. As this year’s event marks the 20th presentation of the “Appeltjes,” this year’s winners will be handed the award by the King.
Oranje Fonds
The Oranje Fonds is committed to a society where no one stands alone and everyone can participate. To this end, we support social initiatives that work towards a more cohesive society, take care of those who temporarily need it, and contribute to equity of opportunities. Our support is provided in the form of knowledge and networks, funds, time and recognition. This, in turn, is made possible by the assistance we receive from the Nationale Postcode Loterij, the Dutch Lottery, friends and businesses. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima are the Oranje Fonds’s patrons.
