The Aloha Foundation supports young people in vulnerable situations by offering them opportunities, confidence, and a positive outlook for the future.
Aloha envisions a world where everyone, regardless of background or circumstances, can develop themselves freely, with love and equality, and collaborate with joy and respect.
As the Aloha family, we are building a community that combines honesty and fun, inspiring young people and adults around the world to support and empower each other. We do this by creating opportunities, strengthening skills, and encouraging self-reliance.
Wilkison and Valber are students in a surfing project in the Barra do Ceará neighborhood of Fortaleza, in northeastern Brazil, where they learn both English and surfing skills.
Roberta and Marco move to Brazil with their three children to work in the Barra do Ceará favela as a doctor and an English teacher.
Wilkison and Valber launch a project under the name Aloha to provide young people in the favela with English lessons and surfing lessons.
Roberta, Marco, Rolf, and Paul establish the “Aloha Foundation” to support Wilkison and Valber with a salary and funding for healthy food.
Daniel from the ‘Zizi’ favela starts Aloha Jiu Jitsu, where young people receive healthy meals and sports lessons every day.
In the Netherlands, income grows through fundraising activities at schools and community clubs.
The Favela Tour kicks off: tourists from the nearby village of Cumbuco can visit the surfing project, making it financially less dependent on funds from the Netherlands.
Jiu Jitsu can continue independently financially through local income as a martial arts school.
Between September and December, we host students and gap-year participants who help Aloha in Brazil. We have a core team of four coordinators: Vladia, Valber, Ewerton, and Gabriel.
Aloha acquires its own house in the favela as well as a house in Cumbuco for volunteers, students, and gap-year participants. At the Aloha House Cumbuco, we welcome a mix of gap-year participants and students who have an amazing time. Aloha grows from supporting 40 to 65 Alohakids.
In Zanzibar, we start a mini Aloha program, providing daily tutoring to 15 young people with teacher Husna. We also support the organization Blue by offering kite lessons to six girls from the island, with the aim of starting a kite school with them during 2026.
We hold our first lessons in the new Aloha House at a beautiful location by the ocean. Here, we also plan to start a small shop. And who knows—2026 might be the year you join us to help Aloha in the Netherlands, Brazil, or Zanzibar!
Looking for some enjoyable reading for a Sunday afternoon? Download our Annual Report and Policy Plan below!
