Expertise Center Education Care Saba gets Appeltje van Oranje

Expertise Center Education Care Saba is amongst the winners of the 2021 Appeltjes van Oranje awards announced during a presentation of the Or­ange Fund awards at Noor­deinde Palace in the Neth­erlands.

Also among the winners were Ixta Noa from Arn­hem and Vriendendiensten Foundation’s “self-man­agement” housing shelters (“zelfregiecentra”) in De­venter, the Netherlands. The winners, who all work on behalf of the mentally vulnerable, were handed their prizes by Queen Max­ima.

The Appeltjes van Oranje awards are presented an­nually by the Oranje Fund to social projects aimed at ensuring that no member of society stands alone. The theme for this year is “Mental Strength”, mean­ing that this year’s awards go to projects engaging volunteers to ensure that people with mental health issues can fully participate in society.

Twelve projects were nom­inated, including Equine Foundation of Curacao, and each was represented at the award ceremony. Due to the COVID-19 measures in force, only a limited number could at­tend the ceremony live. The event was therefore also broadcast via livestream and can be followed on oranjefonds.nl.

The Expertise Center Education Care Saba Ways of Well-being project of­fers support to children with disabilities and to their parents. The last few years have been especially hard on these children due to Hurricane Irma, which hit the island in 2017, and the COVID-19 crisis, which completely cut it off from the outside world.

Ixta Noa won the Big Ap­peltje van Oranje because of its unique style of con­tinuous development and innovation. At Ixta Noa, people with mental health problems receive support from experienced experts.

Vriendendiensten’s hous­ing shelters make sure that people who have mental issues can re-join society. Numerous activities are organised where they can meet other people, includ­ing others with a similar condition.

The Oranje Fund is com­mitted to building a more cohesive society where people are there for each other and everyone is able to participate. To this end it mobilises, strengthens and supports as many indi­viduals and organisations as possible to ensure that no one is left behind. Sup­port is provided in the form of knowledge, networking, money, time and acknowl­edgment.

The Fund is supported by the Nationale Postcode Loterij, the Dutch Lottery, friends and businesses, among others. King Wil­lem-Alexander and Queen Maxima are the Oranje Fund’s patrons.

The Daily Herald.