Community
We have seen that when we invest in one person, we are empowering an entire network of people – their families, friends, communities and nations who are all set to benefit from their contributions.
“The best part of being involved in this work is knowing that at the end of the day, despite the hard work and sometimes significant challenges, we are helping to make people’s lives better.”
Joseph Wright, Great Shape! Inc Executive Director
The challenges that face the Caribbean are as diverse and complex as the people they affect. Our communitites must battle issues such as poverty, inequality and violence each day. By working closely with government agencies, civic leaders and private donors, we are creating new, sustainable solutions that empower at-risk youth, women, local entrepreneurs and the underprivileged.
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Our Programs & Projects
The School of Business Entrepreneurs (Entrepreneurship Training)
"Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime.” Entrepreneurial training is designed to provide individuals develop the requisite skills to identify, start and nurture successful business, creating employment opportunities for themselves and other members of their communities.
Youth Engagement
Authentic youth engagement benefits communities, organizations and nations at large. The ability to positively engage at risk youths is critical to ensuring a positive future for any nation. Young people benefit and gain life skills and academic opportunities, through sports, music, skills training and other intervention programs.
Improving Healthcare
Pre-term babies born in Antigua have a greater fighting-chance following the donation of two comprehensive Infant Care Centres from the Sandals Foundation (valued at almost $20,000) to the Paediatric Unit of the Mount St. John’s Medical Centre. These machines provide critical care to pre-term babies when the need arises. To date, 299 babies have used these units.
One of the most important aspects of strong communities is good health, and therefore Sandals Foundation has been working assiduously alongside medical facilities like Mount St John’s to help build their capacity by providing access to training, donations of much needed equipment and donations of updated technology which link our local hospitals to international ones.
These Infant Care Centre machines provide critical care, such as temperature control, monitoring of vitals, weighing and respiratory assistance, to preterm babies when deemed necessary.
Flanker’s Music Program
The Flanker Marching Band is a group of promising youths from the inner city, Flanker community in Montego Bay, Jamaica. During Mega Fam trips, travel agents came together to donate to the Flanker’s Resource Center.
Funding for this program has provided new musical instruments and repair to existing instruments; lessons and tools for weekly theory and practical classes; uniforms for band members; a band coordinator; and examination fees for theory level exams. The band is now performing at a level where it has been paid to play at Sandals Montego Bay-area resorts once a week.
As part of the Division of Haematology and Oncology at SickKids, I will have an opportunity to observe and become immersed in the management of over 22,000 annual patient visits to the Sears Cancer Clinic and the approximately 350 children whom are newly diagnosed with cancer each year in Toronto.
Mikel Turner, Band Director
Before being part of the band, I didn’t really know how to be a part of a team and how to believe in myself and my abilities. The band gives me something to look forward to and a positive way to express myself.
Renaldo Hendrick, Band Member
Disaster Relief
The Sandals Foundation has made a commitment to the entire Caribbean region to respond promptly to national emergencies caused by natural disasters.
The Foundation lobbies support from resort guests, trade partners, travel agents, suppliers and other organizations to bring relief to communities affected by disaster. Additionally, local organizations that are on the ground are engaged to ensure our efforts are sustainable.
SickKids Caribbean
The Sandals Foundation has been instrumental in funding three main initiatives:
- Nurse Training
- Telemedicine Room
Creating a telemedicine room in St. Lucia so local medical experts can present patient cases to SickKids for advice, as well as connect doctors in neighbouring islands.
- Training
Training of a paediatric oncologist, Dr. Chantelle Browne, who will return to her home country, Barbados, after completing a two-year fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and become the second paediatric oncologist in the Eastern Caribbean.
As part of the Division of Haematology and Oncology at SickKids, I will have an opportunity to observe and become immersed in the management of over 22,000 annual patient visits to the Sears Cancer Clinic and the approximately 350 children whom are newly diagnosed with cancer each year in Toronto.
Dr. Chantelle Brown
Women Helping Others Achieve (WHOA)
The Sandals Foundation and The Bob Marley Foundation have joined forces to address the chronic issue of gender inequality in the Caribbean. WHOA provides support, mentorship, education and skills training to empower marginalized women across the region.