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Friday 21 September 2018

Social entrepreneur James Ocalia in

cooperation with HopeAruba Movement

first time I work with addicts. ciety. People here tend to and tomatoes, Aruba has
I started with this crew two signal social problems and her comcomber chiquito
weeks ago and already point towards the govern- and jambo.” Our genera-
learned that I need to be ment, but Hope wants to tion does not know how
strict and clear. They are act upon themselves and to cook with our own veg-
different in their approach make a difference.” gies, we often are kings in
of life, this is like teaching preparing meals coming
life again as you do the Make a difference from the Italian or other for-
same to children.” To make a difference is eign gastronomy, but what
where both connect. “I about our own culture?” His
Cultural dishes myself want to make a dif- drive is contagious and cre-
HopeAruba is a national ference for my island from ates a curiosity towards the
platform for Civic Synergy my passion: sustainable real taste of local gastrono-
that began this project two agriculture. My goal is to my. “In my opinion three in-
months ago. The profes- have locals eaten the typi- gredients are necessary to
sional caregivers, the cou- cal Aruban veggies and be develop social enterprise:
ple Shannon and Shawn healthier.” He has a thing the social aspect, the envi-
Blankenship form the United for Aruba’s traditional veg- ronmental aspect and sup-
Somewhere uphill in Alto island at the same time.” States, live on the premises gies and fruits, since he port of economic pillars, in
Vista you will find a beau- with their children and work was a kid. “I wrote a book, Aruba’s case tourism.”
tiful piece of land with an Fair harvest according to the program ‘My favorite Curacaos and
old, white, traditional cu- While we are walking on Teen Challenge. James: Aruban Dishes’, and found If you wish to see Cas Spe-
nucu house on it, dating the land the students are “They are here to set up the myself asking my granny ransa Nobo for yourself and
from 1923. Nothing remark- enthusiastically showing program for a year and also how to prepare traditional buy some real local crops,
able about that, you might their plants, inviting Aruba screen the participants. dishes with local veggies. you are welcome at Alto
think, as there are many Today’s journalist to taste a Hope is a movement, a col- That is not right, we need to Vista 52 between 1 and 4
of these old aunties scat- comcomber chiquito. The laboration of foundations, implement them into mod- pm daily, except for the
tered around the island. But proud in their smiling faces companies and volunteers ern cooking to preserve this weekends. Facebook: Gos-
this one has an amazing is moving and there is defi- that sets up social projects diamond of culture. Italians hen Sustainable Develop-
background story. Aruba nitely something magic in where there is need in so- may have their zucchini ment Corporation VBA.q
Today visited the place on the air. Maybe it is best de-
a warm, sticky afternoon scribed as pure: the land,
where James Ocalia was the taste of the veggie,
working on the land with a the drive of the students
handful other men. and the sincerity of James,
all together it is ‘Hope’ in-
‘Cas Speransa Nobo’ says deed. On the 7.000 m2
the name sign on the cu- land only local crops are
nucu house, it refers to the grown: comcomber chiq-
new hope that is there for uito (cucumber), jambo
the students of the reha- (okra), boonchi (beans),
bilitation program that is pika (hot peppers) form the
run here. “We call them main production. But one
students rather than drug can also find patia (water-
addicts or clients because melon) and dragon fruit as
they have chosen to learn well as moringa. “But these
another life. Their addict are not for commercial use
life is their past, the goal yet.” The plants are seeded
is to learn and graduate and grown in the nursery,
in a new life.” The Aruban built by the students, and
James explains that he when strong enough are
runs his company –Gos- being transferred to the
hen, which means ‘inun- land. “So far we sell only
dated land’ - with the help to individuals that come
of the men that are part of to the house. That goes
the rehabilitation program. amazingly well. In the fu-
“They learn to cultivate lo- ture we would like to sell to
cal crops and it works in supermarkets and hotels.”
two ways. For them it is a James works every day on
subject they learn and a the land with his men, from
daily goal in life, for me it is 1 to 5 pm. “Two of them
exercising my job and do- are above 50 years old. It is
ing something good for my intensive as for me it is the