Reading time 5 minuten
DE + OF LOUIS WILLIAMS
“In a small community, it’s easy to be recognised...”
In the Caribbean Sea about seven thousand kilometres off Amsterdam lies an island where the government is a perfect stranger. St Eustatius has about 3,200 inhabitants. But life never stands still. The Netherlands Red Cross is also very active. Meet Louis Williams, one of the volunteers on this sun-drenched island.
We asked him why he joined the Netherlands Red Cross. He smiled and said: “I’m not quite sure, really. I just happened to come across a poster that said more volunteers were required. I had a lot of spare time so I thought to myself, why not, it's always good to help the community. Even when you're busy, you can always make a small effort."
Never stand still
And so Louis stepped into a strong team of more than 10 volunteers, driving most of the time. For instance, he supported the St. Eustatius drag race. Exposed to bright sun and the smell of gasoline, he stood between the squealing tires, fast engines and colourful parades ready to catch any racers. Fortunately, no one joined the race with too much excitement and there were no accidents. Louis also supports various hikes, like those at the local school, the sponsored walk for cancer research and he helps out on soup day. “Soup day kicked off as an initiative, serving soup to those passing our tent. After that, the project setup changed and today we bring soup to people who are less fortunate. We drive around the island and visit poorer families and people who really need it.” Because of the many events Louis attends, his face now represents aid on the island.
“One of the experiences I remembers quite vividly so far is when we worked together on a petition with a team from Saba, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands. It was very nice to meet Red Cross’ volunteers from other corners of the world. Although we come from different places, we share the same goal. It was nice to sense the mutual connection, despite our different backgrounds.”
“We feel connected despite our different backgrounds...”
In addition to the Red Cross
In addition to the Red Cross, Louise is also involved in the community in other ways. He organises local volleyball competitions and likes to go out with his running group. “Together we travel to different islands to explore the villages and nature. We have already been to Saba twice, once to Saint Kitts and we want to visit Sint Maarten soon.”
What the future will bring
Many plans exist for the future. “I hope that with new projects, we can help the community and make it even closer. After the corona crisis, the thrift store closed its doors. I would like to see it reopened because it could be of great help. With it, we can let the younger and older generation meet in a positive way.”
“I hope that with new projects we will be able to make the community even closer...”
I learned a lot
When told he is probably a familiar face on the island as one of the most active volunteers, Louis smiles modestly. "Looking back on my time at the Red Cross, I am particularly happy that I was able to learn a lot. I’ve gained many experiences. Because you interact with the people of the island, you learn to understand the community better. You learn how other people experience it here and see how our little community is connected."