Atudendu: an eco-friendly getaway in Suriname needs your help

Hi there, We are Jan-Pieter and Saskia and this summer we are heading to Suriname to accomplish a dream we have both had for the longest time. Together with the locals we are planning to revive a small eco resort located on an island near the Suriname River called Atudendu.. . . . .

Hi there,

We are Jan-Pieter and Saskia and this summer we are heading to Suriname to accomplish a dream we have both had for the longest time. Together with the locals we are planning to revive a small eco resort located on an island near the Suriname River called Atudendu.

Our dream

Ever since Jan-Pieter stayed at Atudendu, it became his dream to one day make the island accessible for adventurers who want to experience the beauties of the rainforest. The owners of the island tried multiple times to get the eco lodge up and running, but never quite succeeded. It became clear that although the island has great potential, financial and organizational support was necessary.

We strive to make this place accessible for tourists without losing focus on the environment and the impact we might have on it. That’s why we will only use natural building materials. We plan on harvesting wood from the environment in a sustainable way and growing bamboo responsibly to use as building material. Bamboo grows fast, is strong and the species we plan on using has no negative impact on the environment. We would like to collect solar power for lighting up the place, cooking, charging devices and other small utilities.

Atudendu is a beautiful secluded piece of nature located on an island in the Suriname Amazonian forest surrounded by the Suriname River. You can spot animals on the island, fish in the Suriname River, chill in a hammock or in the natural Jacuzzi, take walks with a local as a guide or just reconnect with nature and yourself. A lot of fruit grows naturally on the island, we have watermelon, passionfruit, coconuts, bananas and much more.

Currently, it is already possible to stay at Atudendu for a couple of days. There are open huts available where you can sleep in a hammock, there are clean toilets, an improvised shower and a big hut to eat together. We want to expand the possibilities and make it more comfortable for people to stay with us.

We would also like to sit together with the locals and figure out a plan to help with the conservation of the rainforest. What we lack in knowledge, the locals can provide for us. And the other way around, what the locals lack in organizational skills, we can make up for. The owners of the island have a passion for the untouched wilderness and are determined to keep the island in its current state.

Jan-Pieter is a teacher and a handy man. He has a lot of technical and practical knowledge concerning green energy and construction. He is used to building everything from treehouses to an automatic tennis ball cannon with bits and pieces he finds lying around. Saskia is a psychologist and an organized and systematic thinker. She likes to make sure everything goes according to plan and has an eye for detail.

We are convinced that the knowledge of the locals about the rainforest and all its wonders and our knowledge about construction and organization will be the perfect combination to make this island into an amazing eco-friendly getaway.

If you have any ideas to make Atudendu more self-reliant and ecofriendly, all suggestions are more than welcome and we will read them all!

Our journey

This July we are heading to Suriname to map out the first steps of our plan and discuss our ideas with the locals. Around October we are planning on heading back to Atudendu to revive the gorgeous island for once and for all. Even if we do not reach the goals we set out in this campaign, we will still start up Atudendu by only buying the essentials.

What do we need to revive Atudendu

A Pier to arrive (estimated cost €500)

We’ll need wood and other building supplies, so people can safely arrive and leave with the boat.

A treehouse to sleep in (estimated cost €750)

We are planning on building a treehouse for people who want to wake up high between the birds. Again, we’ll need the necessary building materials.

A secluded hut with walls (estimated cost €500)

For people who like some romance in the middle of the jungle we won’t fall short. We have a perfect spot in mind for a secluded hut near the water.

Renewable power (estimated cost €800)

We want to offer our guests some comfort by adding a few of these solar panels to the park. If there is one thing we have an abundance of on Atudendu, it’s sunlight. So we like to harvest this as much as possible to power your devices and light up the area.

Solar cooking (estimated cost €50)

We need a way to cook and we would like to experiment with solar stoves. There are a few different designs we want to try out to be sure we find the solar stove that works for us.

Sustainable food (estimated cost €175)

We would like to be as self-sustaining as possible to reduce our carbon footprint. We’ll do this by producing as much food as possible on our own island. There is already a wide variety of fruits and vegetables available at Atudendu, but we would like to expand on this.

We would also like to add some chickens to our island so we can feed them with the remains of our food. We’ll also get some eggs in return that will make for an amazing breakfast. Being big tea lovers, we also would like to offer our guests some freshly grown tea from our herb garden. And the last thing we’ll need are some pots and pans to cook delicious Suriname food with our guests

Amusement(estimated cost €250)

Our guests can enjoy nature, take a walk in the Amazonian forest, swim in the Suriname River, chill in our natural jacuzzi or in a hammock under some beautiful trees. There is also the option to fish. We would like to add a zipline to the island for a more creative way to get in the water. We would like to add some pool lines to the park to ensure the safety of everyone.

Water supply (estimated cost €300)

As a water supply we intend to use the Suriname River as a fresh water supply. We want to use two simple lowtech handpumps. For clean water we would like to build a bio sand filter system. We would also like upgrade our shower.

PR, social media and reservation (estimated cost €250)

One of the most important aspects of running Atudendu is a link to the outside world to share the beautiful moments and ensure a good line of communication with our future guests. The island has full 4G so we intend to add a Mifi adaptor to Atudendu, so we have a WIFI link. We would also like to rivive an old laptop with a new battery and an SDD hard drive. To protect our computer in the jungle, on the bumpy roads and around the Suriname river we would like to buy a shock-, dust- and waterproof case for our laptop.

First aid kit (estimated cost €250)

Atudendu is located in the beautiful, but sometimes dangerous Amazonian rainforest. An essential part is a good complete quality first aid kit present at all times, as well as a plan for fast and timely evacuation if the need arises. Both is possible. We recently completed the first aid license for the Belgian Red cross. There is a jungle landing strip opposite of Atudendu.

Lighting (estimated cost €150)

We would like to use efficient lighting so led is the only way to go. We would like to use fairy leds in recycled glass containers to add to the ambiance of Atudendu for the main hut. We will use a led spot powered by sunlight, pointing to the ceiling of the hut. To light the paths, we would like to use standalone solar panel lights.

To make all of this possible, our goal is to raise 3975 euro. If you would like to support us financially or with expertise, we would be forever grateful.

If we do not reach our goals, we will still start up Atudendu by only buying the essentials.

If we were to exceed our goals we would like to invest in:

- a small boat

- a solar powered engine for out boat

- some extra hammocks

- inflatable kayaks

What do you get out of it?

See the rewards section to figure out what kind of amazing things we can offer donaters!

It is possible to book extra days or extra people on to your reward. If you want to have transportation from the airport to Atudendu included, please contact us so we can discuss a price together. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you want information on prices and possibilities

Stay in touch

Want to follow our journey and see what we are up to?

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For more information and bookings: [email protected]