Page 13 - ARUBA TODAY

A13
Tuesday 12 december 2017

This article is donated by:

You Can Help Keeping Aruba Happy:
A Warm Home for the

Island’s Mentally Challenged

More than half of the clients are above 50
years old and thus aging is an extra care. “We
offer 24-hour care in a professional and caring
environment. The reason that the clients live
here is that it became too hard for the family
ORANJESTAD - Foundation Ambiente Feliz, to take care day in, day out. But we do aim
meaning Happy Ambiance, is a residential for a warm connection with the family and
home for mentally challenged adults. In an in- they always visit and spend time here.” Ambi-
terview with Aruba Today, director Luki Croes ente Feliz is the only residential home for men-
explains why this home for 20 clients is a safe tally challenged together with Cas Shaburi. It
haven for 10 sweet women and men. “We are is heart-warming to see the connection be-
a club of people that have a heart for our resi- tween the staff and the clients here, they are
dents, we are family to them during their stay indeed family and the smiles on the faces of
here and we strive to help more in the future.” the clients are priceless. Day in, day out these
The foundation is proud to exist for 31 years al- people do this rewarding job in the sense of
ready. giving happiness to those who just came dif- A Sunray
ferent into this world. But different is beautiful, For the coming holiday period the foundation
everybody counts and that is what Ambiente would be delighted with some support. “Tour-
Feliz expresses. ists are more than welcome to visit us here and
support in any way they can, even with their
Quality of Life valuable time. Just to do a game with the cli-
The board of the foundation is future-minded ents or bring a Christmas present”, says Croes.
and that means that they wish to do some- “That would definitely bring a sunray to their
thing about the waiting list with more than day!”q
100 potential clients waiting for a spot. “The
coming 5 years we wish to expand, but we will
need support. The subsidy from the govern-
ment is limited. We depend for a great deal
on donations and we are grateful for those
who help us. For our current location we need
more bedrooms and we do have the space
for that. You wish to offer a good quality of life
to your clients and that means a bit of privacy
at least.” Besides the expansion of the current
location there is a high need of a new loca-
tion for mentally disabled below 18 years old.
“There is no place like this right now for them
in Aruba meaning they need to stay home
where family does not always have the facility
nor time to cope with that.”

If you would like to visit the foundation, please call +(297) 585-8738 and ask for Luki Croes. If you would like to donate, please do so at bank
account CMB 160004404. For more information visit the website: https://www.stichtingambientefeliz.com or Facebook: StichtingAmbienteFeliz.