Last year September, Sint Maarten was severely hit by the hurricanes Irma and María, leaving many people in a deprived situation. We have gotten support from many organizations and people from the Dutch Caribbean and The Netherlands, who had their hearts and prayers with Sint Maarten. One of those organizations is the Stichting World Statues (SWS) in Arnhem, The Netherlands. For many years, they have been partnered with the Beyond Kultura Events Foundation, in organizing the ‘Caribbean Living Statues Festivals’ on Sint Maarten. The president of BKE, Ms. Drs. Loekie Morales, was very pleased, when she received the message from SWS, that moneys were collected during the September 2017 World Statues Festival in Arnhem.
‘Because of our good relationship with the Stichting World Statues and the big devastation Mr. Robin Hagen, Director of the SWS, saw through the images via the TV in Holland, hehas come up with the idea of collecting moneys for the Sint Maarten victims during the World Statues Festival end of September last year in Arnhem. And so it happened, and the collected money was transferred through the BKE’s bank account. They have collected 704 euro’s and trust our foundation with making sure the money is directly and well spent by hurricane victims’, Morales stated.
‘We have tried to donate the money to victims via church organizations, by writing and trying to call them, but they didn’t react,’ she elaborates.
In the meantime, Morales has read in the newspapers about the great relief and work the White and Yellow Cross CareFoundation has been doing directly for families who have suffered from the devastation of the passing of hurricanes Irma and María on Sint Maarten.
The White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation has been very active in Irma recovery projects and due to its work (healthcare, both in institutions and at client’s homes) they are in contact with the most vulnerable residents of Sint Maarten. Morales contacted the Operations Manager immediately.
‘You have the connections and would know which families can be served best by the by SWS collected money. That’s why BKEtrust you and your organization, to make sure the right families are supported from the 704,00 euro’s,’ Morales wrote to Bregje Boetekees, Operations Manager of the White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation.
Boetekees: ‘We are extremely happy that you have selected our Foundation as the beneficiary of the generous donation that was so warmly collected in the Netherlands. Every time we receive support we realize that many are still concerned with our Island’s well-being and this feels really good. We are not alone! We will purchase Naf 100, – food vouchers at a local supermarket and will deliver these to 14 selected persons/families.’
BKE’s president Loekie Morales and WYCCF Operations Manager Bregje Boetekees, have send a warm THANK YOU to the Stichting World Statues Foundation, on behalf of the victims.