Within the Caribbean, the place palm timber sway within the mild breeze and the aroma of jerk spices fills the air – a melody composed of colourful communities, island beats, and heat smiles attracts vacationers from across the globe. Opening our arms to guests right here for greater than 4 a long time, we’ve uncovered the connection between journey and a love for group as a launching pad for hopes and goals beneath the Caribbean solar.
In 2009, the inception of the Sandals Foundation put a proper framework embodying this mindset – reinforcing that the true measure of tourism’s success is the flexibility of the Caribbean folks to stay wholesome, significant lives. The framework of the Sandals Basis would revolve round three pillars training, group and surroundings – inspiring a set of tasks from Jamaica to The Bahamas to Antigua, Turks & Caicos, St. Lucia, Barbados, Grenada and most lately, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, impressed by the distinctive wants and alternatives of Sandals’ and Seashores’ beloved island houses.
Studying Street Journeys supply friends of our all-inclusive resorts a singular alternative to interact with kids within the Caribbean with visits to native faculties for studying classes designed to enhance literacy expertise.
Rooted in Love
“The truth is, that this work dates again lengthy past 15 years, when my father based Sandals Resorts. Lengthy earlier than philanthropy was thought-about modern, my dad tapped into the wants of our group and carried that torch as a result of it was the best factor to do,” says Adam Stewart, Government Chairman of Sandals Resorts Worldwide and President of the Sandals Basis.
He reminisces all the best way again to 1981 when his dad, the good Gordon “Butch” Stewart, opened Sandals Montego Bay in his island house of Jamaica and instantly took word of the challenges and alternatives to uplift the encompassing communities. He adopted native faculties – caring for leaky repairs and the supply of books – extending a serving to hand to the smiling locals and cities and parishes enamoring friends of Sandals. The guts and soul of the Caribbean – and our why.
Adam Stewart, Government Chairman of Sandals Resorts Worldwide, based the Sandals Basis in 2009, embracing ‘Schooling’ as considered one of its three core pillars.
A Magnificent Milestone and The Sandals Basis’s Newest Feat: The Energy of 15
Steadfast in our dedication to creating a measurable distinction and creating options that our neighbors can really feel – we welcome our fifteenth anniversary by inviting friends from across the globe to bask within the solar and all of its splendor, as a result of because of renewable vitality tech, it’s powering extra than simply holidays. Enter The Energy of 15.
A brand new challenge to commemorate a milestone yr, The Energy of 15 will harness the energy of the Caribbean solar to convey sustainable photo voltaic vitality to Caribbean faculties, making certain a a lot wanted energy provide that enables for studying within the important digital house to proceed uninterrupted.
“Offering entry to a dependable and cost-efficient vitality supply places Caribbean kids . Energy is energy in as we speak’s world, the place a digital divide is figuring out who succeeds and who could also be left behind,” says Heidi Clarke, Government Director of the Sandals Basis. “We have fun and lean into our 15 years of labor empowering Caribbean communities mixed with a donor initiative bringing ahead the ability of a $15 donation to mild up faculties in a means that limits carbon footprints via renewable vitality sources.”
Atmosphere meets Schooling meets Neighborhood – and alternative for generations to return.
Why Photo voltaic Energy in Faculties
In some Caribbean islands, 4 out of 5 households with school-age kids don’t have entry to any sort of laptop gadget, with rather less than half reporting no technique of accessing the web of their houses in any respect. In combating this disconnection, college laptop labs have change into important sources, serving as international connectors and curriculum sources for locals of all ages. For our neighboring institutions with out efficient photo voltaic panels, the battle to maintain high-speed web and connectivity optimum isn’t any straightforward feat
Greater than 90% of the Caribbean’s vitality comes from oil, making the area extremely weak to exterior shocks like value hikes and useful resource shortages and prices locals greater than double the common value seen in america. Past decreasing vitality prices, and the tough environmental impacts of oil, these solar energy tasks improve entry to efficient expertise – connecting Caribbean college students to the world broad net, stimulating creativeness, and fostering complete teaching programs in as we speak’s ever-evolving digital world.
In its 15 years, the Sandals Basis has distributed over 6,000 digital studying units, supported over 2,000 faculties, awarded over 200 scholarships, and distributed over 300,000 books to colleges and libraries.
Via this effort, the Sandals Basis will increase the funds wanted for the set up of photo voltaic panels on college buildings in under-resourced Caribbean communities, serving to to fight these challenges for years to return.
“Now we have realized first hand the ability of transformation via training and what it means to unlock an individual’s capability to observe their very own goals – and in doing so, undertaking their very own financial objectives, caring for their households and residing the life they wish to stay. Making folks impartial is the best objective, and it begins within the classroom,” says Stewart.
The Good Match
For the whole month of June, Sandals and Seashores Resorts will donate $15 for each minimal $15 donation made to “The Energy of 15” Venture. These donations will go on to the photo voltaic panel fund with the objective of lighting up faculties within the area to match the digital capabilities of the ever-evolving world round us. To study extra about “The Energy of 15 Venture” and add your spark with a donation, go to www.sandals.com/sandals-foundation-the-power-of-15.
In our house and your comfortable place, the ever-shining solar greets vacationers, blooms flora, tempers waters, and can quickly actually empower the islands beneath the Caribbean sky. Collectively, we’re spreading the sunshine.
