Influencer: Kunuku Man

KUNUKU MAN IS DEDICATED TO KEEPING THE ISLAND CLEAN

A man true to his heart mission and vision

By Angelica Parris

Meeting people who dedicate their lives towards a better Curaçao has a purpose and a goal. I met this Dutch Citizen who calls himself Kunuku man. He works as a man who loves the countryside. ‘Hòmber di kunuku’ literally translated. But this person is dedicated to his foundation and other citizens to promote the idea of how we can join forces to keep our island clean and beautiful.

You will never know how less fortunate I felt when I discovered that he was not a local person and that he would not divulge his name. I can respect that! He has not a sparkle of being a local citizen. But his message is getting across to all of us!

Cleanliness starts in your home, with your parents telling you to keep your room clean and to clean up after yourself. It’s tedious when they keep telling you again and again, to go clean your room. But in the age and era of pollution and ‘I don’t care attitudes’ we see how not keeping clean becomes a serious menace to ourselves. When tourists visit the island and the drive around from the airport to their hotel, or resort, the last impression we want them to keep is empty bottles, cups, and garage containers that are overflowed while goats and dogs feast away. I despise that image. And here is why we all have the arduous task of joining forces to educate the youth, and the neighbors and put this into practice!

^{Picture credits: Kunuku Man & Roel Vinkes}

Could you share with us some information about your family life?
I was born in Holland and came to Curaçao as a pensioner, 9 years ago with not much. Only some small stuff that had a high emotional value for us. I left Holland because I was fed up with the tendency to overregulate everything in Holland. I come from a family of 10 siblings and we have three children of our own. I have had a good upbringing. Both my parents passed away, my father used to be a hardworking business owner, a flower shop and my mother was handicapped, but they taught us norms and values, like honesty and respect. I appreciate that because even in a soccer team there are rules, one needs to attend to. This imprint is part of me and who I am and appreciate this education that I got from my parents and tried to educate my children according. As I see it part of this has gone astray unfortunately of late in Holland and Curaçao.

Could you share something about your educational background and your experience?
I didn’t have much formal schooling as I worked with my dad in the flower shop since I was 12 years old. Going to school wasn’t seen as a priority. I have worked for 50 years in the flower shop. This is where I learned how to get along with people. I am pretty good at assessing people that was my schooling mostly. I am brutally honest and I say what I think. That doesn’t always come in handy, as the truth can be painful. I do this because it costs me so much energy to be a hypocrite. If people would take off their masks the world would be a better place, there are enough decent and honest people in the world. Unfortunately, I see that the world in the past 25 years has been gliding downwards in this sense, which saddened me at times.

How did you start collecting garbage?
In Holland, I was also involved in collecting garbage from the river Rhine. As we arrived and settled on the island, I noticed how littered the island was. We didn’t start with collecting garbage at first when I arrived. We did get involved in the organized offering of free food parcels for the poor for 5 years in Banda Abou, where we live. During the Covid era, we stopped doing this but I wanted to do something. Instead of lying at the beach, I decided to do something and I decided to form a team of volunteers. Through some advertisements, we started to try to find other volunteers who wanted to join me in my efforts. The rest was history, for we started 3 years ago and we now have a group of 40 volunteers, and each Sunday we collect garbage at different locations on the island. The group varies between 10 to 18 people and we collect between 203 – 280 kilos every single week.

What actions do you undertake to educate the people?
It’s very time-consuming. The past 2 Sundays of this year we are not going to be active because of the end of the year festivities.  Normally we work every Sunday, 50 weeks a year. It’s not an easy challenge. Over the three years, we had 153 Sundays where we collected garbage. This takes about 4,5 to 5 hours of work for the average volunteer. For me, it takes more time as I start at 9 am till 4 to 5 pm. Then I make a report and during the week I handle the crushed cans and plastics to recycle them, collect soft drinks to help cater to the volunteers at work, and give presentations at schools.

One week-end we cleaned up the Parasassa area and collected 1100 empty beer bottles. It surprised me that there is so much litter and people don’t notice it. If we would stop 10 cars on the road and check the cleanliness in their cars, 8 out of the 10 cars would be clean on the inside. So why not teach them to put their garbage in a glyko?  We once collected garbage close to the Landfill and collected 218 kilos of garbage, that is 18 laundry baskets of garbage, just 100 meters from the Landfill, spread on the left and right side of the main road. Why not bring it to the Landfill, as it is so close by? This is incomprehensible.

Educating people:

I believe that we need to educate the population more and teach them to put their garbage in the glyko’s, that is what glyko’s are for. Another reason is that the litter all over the island of empty bottles, plastic, and what have you is affecting the perception of tourists negatively visiting the island.

We work at schools. We are presenting at Marnix School this week and in 10 minutes we tell the children what and how they need to take care of their garbage. We lead them by example.

We also got 20 employees of FLOW involved in our cleanup actions close to their main office. My philosophy is, that to participate is nice, doing this every quarter of the year is wonderful, and this is part of their Corporate Responsibility efforts. We also had the Dutch marines help us in cleaning up the Plastic Bay and in 2,5 hours they collected 1800 kilos of garbage and plastic.

Involve others:

So we try to involve others in our work, as this helps create awareness and hopefully change behaviors. We consider our work as a team as value added to what the GMN stands for. The Ministry supports this effort and I work closely with the secretariat Mr. Gabriel and the rest of the team. We present our projects and we get their support. We at times try to trigger them to move faster, but as a big Bureaucratic organization, things don’t move so fast. I even invited the Secretary General of the Ministry of Health to join us one week-end so that he could experience this personally, hoping that this would speed up things that the Ministry might be able to undertake. If we would reduce the amount of litter by 70 %, you wouldn’t need to market the island so much anymore. We are a beautiful island and we have all the ingredients to be a top destination. We have a nice and friendly population. But now people come here for the first time and have decided to never come back again. And this is not what we would want to happen, right?

Are there other ways that you try to create awareness?
Yes, I started first on my own with the volunteers, and after half a year Radio Dolfijn called for an interview, then Radio Paradise and the Radio of those who speak Papiamentu mostly, and we now have a weekly article in Extra, and Amigoe di Kòrsou. We have 5000 followers via Facebook and we are very active on Instagram and we have a website. I believe that we have more information for the general public on our social media outlets compared to the government their outlets. I don’t want to say it out too loud ha, ha, ha.

Do you believe that this littering of the island is underestimated?
Maybe it is because I expect GMN and Selikor to act more swiftly but I believe that they should be more open to suggestions that come from different walks of life. I see the world being turned upside down because of how waste is being managed.

For example, if we would recycle our glass, as we import so much glass, 15 % of the crushed glass could be re-used to asphalt our roads. I believe that we should consider the island of Curaçao as a boutique. And if you were the owner of that boutique you wouldn’t want it to be littered, right? This apparent inertia is frustrating at times but we don’t give up. We will keep on working to increase awareness of these issues and keep on being constructive. I have a lot of friends on the island and we feel great living here I have people from England, the USA, and Holland supporting our initiatives.

What are your plans for the coming years for the coming 5 years from now?
Within 5 years from now, I hope I can be able to go snorkeling every Sunday. I would hopefully be still alive, ha, ha, ha.  I would hope that our people on a grand scale would have awakened and that we would work not with sanctions only but with incentives mainly. We once offered 5 cents per empty plastic bottle. This created a drive for some people to collect bottles from everywhere they could collect them. Some in one weekend could go home with Ang 140,-. If you have 7 volunteers that receive 5 cents for every empty bottle you can imagine how much they picked in 6 months, right? This initiative proved his worth but we had to stop it because our sponsor money dried up. We are an import economy and we import such a fast number of packaging for the goods imported, plastic bottles 90.000 and over 50.000 aluminum cans per day and if there is no recycling plan in place, you increase the chance that after they are used they turn up somewhere as litter on the island. I love Curaçao too much to sit aside and not do anything.

What are the challenges that you are dealing with?
Explaining the issue at hand and explaining the business opportunity that is possible. The Italian Mafia earns 30 % of its income from garbage. They see it as worthwhile and explore it. But working for children gives me goosebumps. That is another reason I will not sit still on the side. Furthermore, I don’t do this work for a statue or something. But it makes me proud to be invited by the PAR to attend an activity on Thursday the 14th of December 2023, where they are going to honor us. This is a compliment for the whole group.

What are your strengths?
My honesty.

How would you describe yourself in one word or one sentence?
Upright, honest person who will tell you what he thinks. I am who I am. I don’t wear a mask and only during Carnaval do I take it off. That is what people in Holland do.

Who are the persons that have inspired you the most in your career?
My father and my mother.

What was a defining moment in your life?
My father, as I told you, I was working side by side with my father when I was 12 years old. He has died at the age of 52. We had a great connection and I still had 10.000 questions to ask him and at times it is as if he stands close by me. I also realized that I was privileged compared to my other siblings because I was working with him in the store.

When he suddenly passed away my mother had 11 children to take care of. My mother was an honest, warm, caring, and strong woman. I would call her the sister of Mother Teresa, although she was partially paralyzed, we survived and she was 87 years old when she passed away as a very wise person, who had struggled 40 years on her own raising her 11 children.

What would you want your Loved Ones, family, friends, and others to say about you let’s say 20 years from now?
They will have to answer that for themselves. A loving person or the opposite of a loving person.

What makes you stay optimistic about the future of the island?
Despite the downsides of the island, I love the freedom that the island has to offer, because it is less regulated. The people are friendly and I love the nature of the island. When I first arrived here I told my wife that it looked like Holland 30 years ago.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Yes, check the bank account of our foundation. You can help by contributing to our funding or participating in one of our Sunday clean ups that we might have on any specific Sunday.

More info or connect
Facebook: Kunuku Man
Instagram: Kunuku Man
Website: kunukuman.com

One of the 250 Influencers

The Kunuku Man is energetic, driven, persistent, honest social entrepreneur, that is dedicated to fostering  awareness about maintaining a litter-free environment in Curaçao. Unwilling to stay idle, he initiated a garbage collection initiative three years ago, rallying volunteers recruited mostly through advertisements. Since then, every Sunday, without fail, he and his team have tirelessly worked to keep the island clean. What makes him stand out is his consistency in collecting garbage 50 weeks in a year. His honesty and straight forewardness, makes him as “authentic” as a person can be, that sincerely wants to create a lasting impact. For all these reasons, we consider him one of the 250 influencers on the island, shaping Curaçao’s environmental landscape, representing the ‘Environmental Sector’. 
Look at the list of the Influencers we have interviewed or reported on, up to now.

As an extra honorary note we would like to share the following:
On the 15^th of December 2023 Caribbean Change Award 5.0 honored The Kunuku man together with CleanUp Curaçao.

Here is the award and the reasons why the Kunuku Man was honored:

“In Recognition of Exemplary Commitment to the Elevation of Curaçao to Society 5.0”

This award is presented to Curaçao Clean Up and Kunuku Man for their unwavering dedication to initiating positive change on the island. Embodying the principles of cleanliness, orderliness, and purity in every facet—be it physical, moral, or spiritual—their tireless efforts have significantly contributed to the upliftment of Curaçao.
Through consistent advocacy and periodic island-wide cleaning initiatives, Curaçao Clean Up has been instrumental in shaping a vision where the elevation of Curaçao begins with pristine surroundings.
Furthermore, we commend the outstanding efforts of Kunuku Man, whose actions transcend rhetoric. His weekly commitment to cleaning various parts of the island serves as a powerful testament to the belief that actions indeed speak louder than words.
May this award serve as a token of appreciation for the positive impact Curaçao Clean Up and Kunuku Man have made in fostering a cleaner, more harmonious Curaçao.
December 15, 2023

Nominees Caribbean Change Award 2023

Curaçao Clean Up
Clean Up Curaçao is nominated for consistently embodying the vision that a clean island is the foundation for its prosperity, demonstrating unwavering dedication to maintaining a pristine environment.

Little League
Little League earns the nomination for consistently showcasing Curaçao as a talent factory, particularly in the realm of baseball, contributing significantly to the island’s sports reputation.

Kunuku Man
Kununku Man is nominated for consistently exemplifying the transformative power of action over mere talk, making tangible changes in the world through proactive efforts.

Didi Deeds Foundation
The Didi Deeds Foundation is nominated for giving back to the talent factory that is Curacao, of which Didi himself is a product, highlighting a commitment to nurturing and supporting local talent.

Team Multidisiplinario MEO
Team Multidisciplinario MEO is nominated for consistently enforcing cleanliness and health standards across all economic sectors, contributing to the well-being of the community.

Curaçao Tourist Board
The Curaçao Tourist Board is nominated for guiding the tourism sector to outstanding performance, breaking records in 2023 and contributing significantly to the island’s economic success.

Komishon despensa pa sklabitut
The Komishon despensa pa sklabitut is nominated for enabling the healing from the past of slavery, contributing to the reconciliation, and addressing historical injustices on the island”.

This announcement was send to us by Miguel Goede Curaçao 5.0

The goal of the core group of Share2Uplift for 2023

The goal of the Share2Uplift movement is to: “Identify 250 leaders from all walks of life to connect, align and create impactful changes in all walks of life, which includes intergenerational collaboration by the end of 2023.” We will use interviewing Influencers, meet-and-greet events, “train-the-trainers”-programs on “Emotional Mastery” and “Intentionality “as national intervention strategies, to reach this goal on top of our goal to scale up the possibilities to connect, align and create impact via a virtual platform. We believe that by collaborating with Miguel Goede on the virtual Vision 2030 platform, we will accelerate the possibilities to connect the diaspora and others elsewhere in the world and on the island willing to constructively create impactful changes in Curaçao, to join.

As Share2Uplift, we are fully trying to align with this thinking of Center for Curriculum Redesign to promote this agenda in our educational systems and workplace. So, in that sense, we fully support any initiative to make our educational system 21st-century proof.

Share2Uplift aligners are those that:
– Create an inspiring vision of the future;
– Motivate and inspire people to engage with that vision;
– Manage the delivery of the vision;
– Coach and build a team, so that it is more effective at achieving the vision. These criteria are now being polished.

We also consider these 5 values the most important ones for Share2Uplift aligners. They are:

• Peace from within;
• Compassion;
• Respectfulness;
• Integrity;
• Responsibility.

As we will progress towards this goal, we will update you on the progress.

Personal Coaching tips

This week we will share some short informational videos on plastic and garbage. We will upload one of these videos every day on our Facebook page.

1. Garbage doesn’t just disappear (short,15 second 1080p) – YouTube

2. Cities Of Trash: World’s Worst Garbage Problems – YouTube

3. The Story of Plastic Trailer – YouTube

4. A Plastic Ocean Official Trailer – YouTube

5. Plastic Pollution – YouTube

6. Facts on Plastic Pollution 🐠 🐟 🐬 – YouTube