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AWEMainta.com DIABIERNA 31 DECEMBER 2021| 9

Kooyman ending the year with a bang!

FOR years Kooyman has upheld a popular Aruban
tradition; enjoying a drink with colleagues on the last
day of the year, lighting a Pagara in front of the building,
musically accompanied by Dande in order to start the
new year prosperous and without evil spirits.

The tradition was put on hold in 2020 due to the Covid
crisis. Gatherings were not allowed and we had to cut
back on all fronts.
This year we aimed to resume the tradition and plans
were made to make this another fun party with all of the
Kooyman colleagues. Well, almost all of them.

Unfortunately, one member of our loyal staff couldn’t be
there. She has been in Colombia since August of this year
for medical reasons, and she gave birth to her premature
son in September.
Her baby had a difficult start in life because of a
congenital heart defect and has already undergone
several surgeries within the first months of taking his
first breath.

The road to recovery is long and mother and
son have been there for over 4 months now.
In the meantime she misses her husband and
her teenage daughter terribly. I spoke to her
one evening early December and she said it
was difficult, especially now that she also has
to spend Christmas and New Year without
them. There was simply not enough money
for two tickets to Colombia.

I thought “No one should have to spend
Christmas alone in a hospital in another
country.”
The next day I spoke with the Kooyman staff
and a plan was born to sponsor the tickets.
To collect the money for flights, food and
accommodation, we decided to do three
things:

1: Collect donations among colleagues
2: Cancel the planned Pagara and put
the budgeted amount towards the family
reunion. (for Pagara and cleaning costs this
is almost AWG 2000,-).
3: Ask that the remaining amount be
supplemented by Kooyman B.V.

Because of this wonderful collaboration we
were able to buy the tickets within four days
and the family has now been reunited in
Colombia.
All employees supported this action and as
a result we are able to wish our colleague a
happy Christmas together with her family.

On behalf of Kooyman and employees, we
wish you all a Constructive 2022.