By: Foresee Foundation
For Ria Uiterloo, co-founder and President of non-profit educational foundation Stichting Expertise Centrum Ervaringsgericht Onderwijs St. Maarten (Stichting EGO) since 2003, children’s well-being must come first. A retired educator and education manager with a background in educational innovation, pedagogy, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and visual arts education, she has dedicated her career to creating environments where children feel safe, connected and inspired to develop their talents.
Her experience as a pedagogue and education innovator taught her that children learn best when they feel safe, valued, connected and actively involved in their learning. For Ria, “Social Emotional Learning is LIFE.” Knowing oneself, understanding others, relationships, autonomy and responsible choices all contribute to children’s academic and personal development. On her blog, “Education and Artistic Expression”, she explores these connections and their influence on her work.
Three educators have strongly influenced her philosophy and practice. Belgian Professor Ferre Laevers emphasised well-being and involvement as indicators of meaningful learning. The late Japanese educator Toshiro Kanamori demonstrated how empathy, relationships, emotional expression and community can transform a classroom. Finnish Professor Pasi Sahlberg reinforced the importance of play, physical activity, equity and protecting children’s well-being in an increasingly digital and achievement-driven world. Together, their work strengthened Ria’s belief in educating the whole child through relationships, creativity, movement, play, autonomy and meaningful experiences.
Stichting EGO puts this philosophy into practice through its Afterschool Programs, Healthy Schools and Healthy Communities, Skills for Life SEL programmes and A Step Beyond. At four Afterschool locations, children access sports, arts, SEL, homework guidance, STEAM and experiential activities. Healthy Schools and Healthy Communities promotes physical health, motor development and well-being, including BLOC motor-skills testing.
A Step Beyond supports young people ages 12 to 18 through SEL, creative expression, storytelling, media and digital literacy, talent development and career orientation, encouraging them to find their voice and participate actively in their communities.
Ria believes investing in children means investing in human development and St. Maarten’s future. Opportunities to build coping and social-emotional skills, resilience and well-being should not depend on a family’s financial situation. Sustainable change requires collaboration among government, schools, families, businesses, funders and community organisations.
Yet sustainable funding and human capacity remain the organisation’s greatest challenges. Quality programmes need qualified people, training, coordination, continuity and long-term investment. Transforming ideas into programmes and keeping those programmes going remains difficult when resources and staffing are uncertain. As Ria emphasises, children’s needs do not end when project funding ends.
Her hope is for children to become emancipated, autonomous, compassionate people who think critically, make responsible decisions and confidently use their talents. She wants them to navigate technology responsibly, not simply as consumers but as creators and informed citizens, building meaningful, healthy lives and contributing to St. Maarten and the wider world.
Individuals and businesses can support Stichting EGO through volunteering, professional expertise, funding, sponsorship, materials or partnerships. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
