Our Journey

From a small group of committed citizens to a national civic movement - the story of HopeAruba.

2017 – 2018
Phase 1 · Idea Formation

Awakening & Foundation

2017 – 2018
  • Identified gaps in civic development, identity and engagement in Aruba
  • Established HopeAruba Movement Foundation
  • Developed Mission, Vision & Strategic Priorities with national stakeholders
  • Public citizen dialogue events
  • Commissioned Cornerstone Economics - 5-Year Business Plan & HopeFund framework
Ideation→Vision
01
2018 – 2019
Phase 2 · Platform Development

Identifying Hope Champions & Social Initiatives

2018 – 2019
  • "I Am HopeAruba" campaign launched
  • Identification of Hope Champions
  • Launch of Social Inspiration Lab
Partnerships
  • Designathon Netherlands
  • Ministry of Education
Goal
  • Introduce Design Thinking for youth & schools
02
2020 – 2022

⏸ 2020 – 2022 Pause

COVID Pandemic
  • Funding loss
  • Closure of building
  • Activities paused
Continued Service
  • Hope Helps - Feeding the Community
  • Red Cross Partnership
⏸
2022 – 2023
Phase 3 · Developing Ecosystem

Partnership for the Goals

2022 – 2023
Collaboration with
  • Foundation for Good Governance
  • University of Aruba
Focus
  • National Integrity Systems Assessment
03
2023
Phase 4 · Developing Ecosystem

Economics of Mutuality

2023
  • Private sector engagement
  • Webinar: The Power of Mutuality in Value Creation
Speakers
  • Bruno Roche · Dr. Arleen Westerhof
  • Evert Stamhuis · Lisette Malmberg
04
2024 – 2025
Phase 5 · Developing Ecosystem

Social Progress & Community Implementation

2024 – 2025
  • San Nicolas selected as pilot transformation area
  • Social Progress Index identified as framework
  • Workshops at The Hub (see Annual Report 2025)
Workshop Topics
  • Social Resilience · Personality Discovery
  • Trust for Co-Creation · Data Literacy
05
Phase 6 · Movement Building

Strengthening Organizational Capacity

2025
  • Hiring of Project Officer for HopeAruba
Focus
  • Operational structure
  • Strategic planning
  • Execution capacity
Key Responsibilities
  • Organizational Capacity Building: Supports the foundation's capacity building and strengthens internal structures.
  • Cross-Sector Partnerships: Focuses on strengthening partnerships between civil society and other sectors.
06
Jessica Besselink, Project Officer

Jessica Besselink

Project Officer, HopeAruba

🎓 B.Ed Education 💼 MBA Business Administration 🌐 20+ Years Experience

In August 2025, Jessica Besselink was hired as Project Officer assuming responsibility for the daily operations of HopeAruba. She is an education professional with over twenty years of experience as a teacher, school leader, and educational researcher.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Education and an MBA in Business Administration, and has worked in multilingual and international educational contexts within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Phase 7 · Expanding Ecosystem & Building Movement Dynamics

Creating Space for Youth Voice

2025
  • Strategic priority defined: HOPEAcademy
  • National Symposium with University of Aruba, Dept. of Education & Instituto Pedagogico Arubano
  • Parlamento Hubenil
Research Input
  • Post-COVID Youth Monitor (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam & UA)
  • Internal survey - 101 responses
07
Phase 8 · Expanding Ecosystem & Building Movement Dynamics

Designing HOPEAcademy

2025 – 2026
Core Pillars
  • Identity & Belonging
  • Purpose & Leadership
  • Civic Development
Alignment
  • UN Sustainable Development Goals
Vision→Structured Program
08
2025 – 2026
Phase 9 · Expanding Ecosystem & Building Movement Dynamics

Infrastructure & Program Development

2025 – 2026
Deliverables
  • Youth Transformation Curriculum
  • Facilitator Handbook
  • Participant Workbook
  • Gen Z-adapted training module
Building
  • Facilitator network
  • Strategic partnerships
09
2026
Phase 10 · Expanding Ecosystem & Building Movement Dynamics

Pilot Activation

2026
  • Launch of HOPEAcademy Pilot Cohort
  • 20 Participants: Gen Z youth (18-28) & emerging youth leaders
Program Includes
  • Identity development
  • Emotional resilience
  • Leadership training
Iteration Based On
  • Youth feedback · Cultural relevance
10
Idea → Platform → Ecosystem → Movement → Transformation