The Sandals Foundation and local conservation group BRANCH Coral Foundation have joined forced to help strengthen the island’s coastal resilience through the implementation of the Coral Nursery Establishment Project.
Launched on January 25, the 2-year project seeks to establish and maintain a coral nursery, in close collaboration with the local government, together with the Sandals Royal Curaçao Resort, erecting five trees that will eventually house some 1,200 fragments of the endangered staghorn coral.
Across the Caribbean, coral reefs have seen increasing degradation due to a combination of local and global stressors, including climate change, overfishing, and pollution.
Jeffrey Speelman, General Manager at Sandals Royal Curaçao says, “The preservation of the beauty of our island relies on the protection of our coastal resources. The Coral Nursery Establishment Project seeks to strengthen our first line of defense in preserving the marine biodiversity on which we rely for our lives and livelihoods. It is aimed at building our island’s resilience to storms, and finally, this project, we hope will nurture a strong sense of stewardship amongst communities.”
BRANCH, which stands for Building Reefs And Nurseries for Coral Habitats manages four nursery locations on the island of Curaçao. In addition to growing more than 2,000 endangered coral fragments each year, they provide education to both the local and international community.
Director at BRANCH Coral Foundation, Max van Aalst says the partnership with the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resort was ideal.
“Our mission is to collaborate with multiple organizations on the island that wish to contribute to environmental preservation. We believe that Sandals Foundation would be an excellent partner in working towards these shared goals.”
Providing insight into how the nursery will operate, van Aalst explained, “Prior to installing the nursery, the ideal location is analyzed and approved by the local government. The nursery will have 400 coral fragments at any one time, with 80 attached to each of the five trees. Three hundred (300) will be out planted every 6 months, eventually covering 100square meters of corals during our 2 year partnership.”
In addition to the growing 1,200 endangered coral fragments, the project will see to monthly maintenance conducted by BRANCH and the local dive shop, in collaboration with Sandals Curaçao Watersports team members to ensure the corals' growth and health.
The team will also provide training opportunities for up to16 instructors from the partnering dive shop at Sandals Resorts to complete the PADI BRANCH Coral Restoration Course, enabling them to become certified instructors themselves.
“Sandals firmly believes in using the power of the tourism network to effect change. The PADI BRANCH Coral Restoration Course will make it possible to for guests to play an active role in coral restoration efforts by booking this Specialty Dive Course to enjoy the incredible experience of out planting corals and helping to preserve our marine space.” says Speelman.
Coral restoration is a key part of the Sandals Foundation’s marine conservation efforts across the Caribbean. In Jamaica, the philanthropic organization manages two marine sanctuaries where coral nurseries are operated. In Saint Lucia, together with CLEAR Caribbean, the team has trained local fishers and has sought to increase coral health at the Soufriere Marine Management Area, in Grenada BIOROCK structures and coral trees were installed in 2022 as part of the community-led coral restoration project with partner, Grenada Coral Reef Foundation, and in The Bahamas, the Sandals Foundation has partnered with the Reef Rescue Network, the largest coral restoration initiative in the country to support coral research and conservation.
Twenty-one students from Ocho Rios Primary School recently received insight into the dynamic range of creative careers they could pursue as the Sandals Foundation hosted a special Reading Road Trip with social impact creator Joel Nomdarkham for his first children’s book Future Makers: A Guide to 30 Creative Careers.
Future Makers showcases creative professionals from eight Caribbean countries including Jamaica, Barbados, The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis, highlighting details about their fields. The school visit forms part of a region-wide effort to engage schools and libraries across the Caribbean through interactive activities, career workshops, storytelling sessions, and hands-on discussions to inspire and empower students on career opportunities that exist within non-traditional spaces.
With guest speaker Yvette Noel-Schure, Chief Communications Officer at Schure Media Group and head of publicity for multi–Grammy Award-winning artiste Beyonce’s Parkwood Entertainment, students were captivated by stories exemplifying how their talents and creative interests could propel them into innovative careers.
The book is published by iMagiNation Books, an accessible publishing imprint headed by Latoya West-Blackwood, incorporating embedded multimedia content featuring sign language interpretation. The Sandals Foundation has donated some $5-million to support content production, print and distribution of the first 1000 copies of the book, as well as 1-year licensing and the execution of schools tours in Jamaica, Barbados, Grenada, and The Bahamas.
Future Makers: A Guide to 30 Creative Careers, authored by Social Impact Creator Joel Nomdarkham, is set to empower the next generation with insights into diverse and viable careers in the creative and cultural industries. The highly anticipated book will be launched on Monday, January 13, 2025, at the Kingston & St. Andrew Parish Library.
Future Makers builds on Nomdarkham’s reading promotion projects including the highly successful Reading N’ Reasoning initiative, which directly impacted over 1,000 boys across three Caribbean islands. Reflecting on his journey, Nomdarkham shared, “Growing up, I always knew I wanted to do something creative but never saw representations of careers outside of the traditional options; there were no marketers. I discovered marketing in my final year of high school, and that changed everything. I want to make a difference by presenting these opportunities to youth, so they can look beyond traditional career paths and dream bigger.”
The book is published by iMagiNation Books, an imprint headed by Latoya West-Blackwood, and showcases creative professionals from eight Caribbean territories including Jamaica, Barbados, The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Grenada, Dominica, and St Kitts and Nevis. The project is also a pioneering step in accessible publishing, incorporating embedded multimedia content featuring sign language interpretation.
West-Blackwood shared, “This is one of the most exciting books I’ve worked on! The final product is designed to inspire children and young people to dream more, think bigger, and prepare to unlock their purpose. I am proud that we’ve made this project accessible to children living with disabilities who are often forgotten in providing access to books.”
Future Makers was endorsed by former Minister of Education and Jamaica’s first female Minister of Finance, Hon. Fayval Williams as she believes it “aligns with the focus on developing students’ readiness for creative careers.” Additionally, the initiative has welcomed its first corporate partner, the Sandals Foundation, whose support amplifies its reach. Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, expressed their commitment:
“The Sandals Foundation is excited to support this initiative by gifting copies to school libraries and getting books into the hands of students in schools across the Caribbean. We believe deeply in the power of education to transform lives and create opportunities, and this book is a wonderful way to inspire young minds to embrace and pursue their creative passions for work.”
The book launch’s Guest of Honour, Yvette Noel-Schure, widely respected for her work with global superstars, including American singer, songwriter, and businesswoman, Beyoncé. She’s an advocate for creative expression and will join the launch event to deliver an inspiring keynote. Her visit to Jamaica will also include experiencing the island’s rich culture and promoting the project through media engagements.
With 30 dynamic career profiles, Future Makers offers an inspiring roadmap for young people to explore creative career paths and discover opportunities that go beyond traditional professions. The book is a celebration of possibility, creativity, and inclusion, providing a critical resource for youth across the region.
About The Book
This book is the first of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean. It introduces young readers to diverse creative careers—from filmmaking to fashion—while providing authentic insights from real Caribbean creative professionals spread across eight Caribbean islands. As a pioneering, born- accessible project—the book features embedded videos with sign language interpretation—the book is also designed for the inclusion of children living with disabilities.
The Sandals Foundation and Hasbro have come together once again this Holiday Season for their annual toy distribution, making the most wonderful time of the year for 16,000 children across the Caribbean even brighter.
Since 2011, the Sandals Foundation has partnered with United States based toy company, Hasbro, to mobilize hundreds of helpers who volunteer to spread the joy, going into schools and local communities with toys and games to kick off the holiday season.
“The holiday season is a time for giving and sharing, and even more a time to inspire hope. We are incredibly grateful to be able to partner with Hasbro to bring joy to children in a way that lets them know they are being thought of,” says Patrice Gilpin, Public Relations Manager at Sandals Foundation.
The annual Holiday Toy Distribution has become a tradition for children in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Grenada, Barbados, Curacao and now expands to its newest home, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
