Page 29 - WEB

A16 LOCAL
Thursday 19 July 2018

Social entrepreneur James Ocalia in cooperation with HopeAruba Movement

‘Sustainable agriculture for healthier locals and rehabilitated drug addicts’

Today’s journalist to taste a are above 50 years old. It is
comcomber chiquito. The intensive as for me it is the
proud in their smiling faces first time I work with addicts.
is moving and there is defi- I started with this crew two
nitely something magic in weeks ago and already
the air. Maybe it is best de- learned that I need to be
scribed as pure: the land, strict and clear. They are
the taste of the veggie, different in their approach
the drive of the students of life, this is like teaching
and the sincerity of James, life again as you do the
all together it is ‘Hope’ in- same to children.”
deed. On the 7.000 m2
land only local crops are Cultural dishes
grown: comcomber chiq- HopeAruba is a national
uito (cucumber), jambo platform for Civic Synergy
(okra), boonchi (beans), that began this project two
pika (hot peppers) form the months ago. The profes-
main production. But one sional caregivers, the cou-
can also find patia (water- ple Shannon and Shawn
Somewhere uphill in Alto Fair harvest hen, which means ‘inun- melon) and dragon fruit as Blankenship form the United
Vista you will find a beau- ‘Cas Speransa Nobo’ says dated land’ - with the help well as moringa. “But these States, live on the premises
tiful piece of land with an the name sign on the cu- of the men that are part of are not for commercial use with their children and work
old, white, traditional cu- nucu house, it refers to the the rehabilitation program. yet.” The plants are seeded according to the program
nucu house on it, dating new hope that is there for “They learn to cultivate lo- and grown in the nursery, Teen Challenge. James:
from 1923. Nothing remark- the students of the reha- cal crops and it works in built by the students, and “They are here to set up the
able about that, you might bilitation program that is two ways. For them it is a when strong enough are program for a year and also
think, as there are many run here. “We call them subject they learn and a being transferred to the screen the participants.
of these old aunties scat- students rather than drug daily goal in life, for me it is land. “So far we sell only Hope is a movement, a col-
tered around the island. But addicts or clients because exercising my job and do- to individuals that come laboration of foundations,
this one has an amazing they have chosen to learn ing something good for my to the house. That goes companies and volunteers
background story. Aruba another life. Their addict island at the same time.” amazingly well. In the fu- that sets up social projects
Today visited the place on life is their past, the goal ture we would like to sell to where there is need in so-
a warm, sticky afternoon is to learn and graduate While we are walking on supermarkets and hotels.” ciety. People here tend to
where James Ocalia was in a new life.” The Aruban the land the students are James works every day on signal social problems and
working on the land with a James explains that he enthusiastically showing the land with his men, from point towards the govern-
handful other men. runs his company –Gos- their plants, inviting Aruba 1 to 5 pm. “Two of them ment, but Hope wants to
act upon themselves and
make a difference.”

Impact Sunday
Coming Sunday you are
most welcome to join the
Impact Sunday meaning
we can all help by paint-
ing, renovating, gardening
and other activities to sup-
port the foundation. Come
work together with the stu-
dents and experience the
start of the project ‘Back
to the Land’ and bring your
own fresh vegetables from
the land to your hotel or
home. The Impact Sunday
starts at 8 AM until 2 PM.q

If you wish to visit the
foundation another
day, you are wel-
come at Alto Vista 52
between 1 and 4 pm
daily, except for the
weekends. Facebook:
Goshen Sustainable
Development Corpo-
ration VBA.