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Thursday 8 augusT 2019

Happy Community Initiative supports Heart-centered Leadership Foundation

“By empowering the young generation, you get great adults”

this to Aruba. “The intention
SAN NICOLAS —The Heart-centered Leadership was to have 100 leaders from
Foundation is a non-profit educational foundation organizations and schools
dedicated to assist and empowering schools, youth- participating. We brought this
serving organizations, teachers, and parents to better program to the schools. Parents
serve our world’s youth and prepare them to lead saw amazing improvement in
healthy, fulfilling and successful lives. Through the their child and requested it for
recently-launched Happy Community Initiative (HCI) their other children.”
you can support this foundation and help build our Nathan started volunteering
youth strong. because he can find himself in
this work. “I was looking for some
Project coordinator Keyla Rojas: “We focus on personal meaning in my life. It brings
development and offer different programs like after me joy, the smiles on people’s
school programs, seminars, counseling and coaching. faces is rewarding. It feels good
We envision a new generation of young people who to help others. If you educate
are responsible, resilient and respectful.” The foundation the young generation, you get
focused on a secondary school drop-out prevention great adults not only on school
program and worked in three different schools over results but in empathy, loveliness
the last five years. “We identify risk factors as in the and resilience.” AshnaThijsen
individual, the family, the pull and push out flows. This is youth coordinator and
can be the school climate (rules, teachers support and always has felt like serving the
so on), pregnancy or teenage fathers and financial community.
crises within the family. We work together with the school “We as citizens have a
counselors and care coordinators in this.” Most students responsibility to care and
wanted to participate and it went very well. Nathan emphasize and help out.
Tromp, volunteer: “Drop-out is often an attack to the Everyone needs people,
self-esteem, creating feelings like I am not enough, I guidance and support. By
cannot do it. In my volunteer work for the foundation I donating you are contributing
want to be that person that turns this around.” and investing in the young
generation. In their future, and
Some Facts in a progression of the island. If
Millions of people around the world love Aruba, the ONE this is your second home and
HAPPY ISLAND and the home away from home! Tourism you love Aruba you would like
in Aruba is performing well. However, in Aruba, about 6 of to care about it, right? You help
10 youngsters between the ages of 12 and 18 are alone, building this society strong by
or without adult supervision after school. In most cases, contributing.”q
it is because their parents are working. In addition to
this, many of Aruba’s youngsters experience boredom.
Often there is a lack of activities during vacation Our Newest Column is All about YOUth and Happiness
and limited opportunity to travel. Furthermore, 4-out- ORANJESTAD — Our newest column set to support projects for Aruban youths.
of-10 Aruban youngsters do not complete secondary Happy Community Initiative is published CEDE Aruba will make sure that the do-
school. This is a very big issue that will eventually have bi-weekly on Thursdays in Aruba Today. nations reach meaningful projects of lo-
a detrimental impact on Aruba’s future economy and We inform you about these dynamic, cal non-profits, based upon quality and
the tourism industry. A recent study found at least 60% of new projects from a different angle to transparency of finances of the offered
Aruba’s youth is asking for afterschool programs, aimed give you a complete feel so follow us programs. In this manner, you can be
at sports; cooking; art programs, and a safe place to and stay engaged! assured that your donation will reach its
hang out with their friends. goal! With your donation, you support
The Happy Community Initiative is a visi- Aruban children with after school pro-
The Heart tor charity program that you can help grams, mentorship activities and social
Siouxsie Kock, founder of the Heart-Centered Leadership strengthen Aruba’s community by do- support.
Foundation in 2008, comes from the education system. nating to good causes. CEDE Aruba, a You can donate at the kiosks in the lob-
From working with older teens she saw the necessity for dynamic community foundation, and by of several hotels (Costa Linda, Playa
these programs based on heart-centered leadership. the Aruba Timeshare Association (ATSA) Linda, Paradise Beach Villas and La Ca-
Keyla: “They lead from the heart; decisions are made by collaborates in this platform for visitors bana) or you can donate on the web-
feeling unique and having integrity. Not by personal gain who would like to make a donation, but site: https://happycommunityaruba.
but what I can do for others.”Kock saw the Achievements also volunteer in the future. The priority is org/donate.
and Commitment to Excellence Program (ACE) in Los Copyright CEDE Aruba
Angeles school area and was determined to bring