The ocean has come ashore. The University of the West Indies (UWI) Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory (DBML) and the Sandals Foundation have partnered to launch an immersive marine ecosystem hallway — the first of its kind on Jamaica’s North Coast — transforming a traditional corridor into a living journey through the island’s underwater worlds.
From the depths of the deep sea to vibrant coral reefs and intricate mangrove forests, the installation features live aquaria, large-scale 3D marine species models, authentic coral skeleton displays, and research footage captured by UWI DBML divers along Jamaica’s north coast.
Valued at over JMD $4.2 million the investment also supports the facility’s wider outreach and education programme, providing upgrades to the Lab’s conference room with new furnishings to enhance the visitor experience, display screens for interactive learning, and modern retractable projector screen.
Speaking at the launch on Monday March 16, Dr. Camilo Trench, lecturer and academic coordinator at the UWI DBML says the project has been a lifelong dream to enhance the educational experience at the Lab. “The Hallway is an indication of our commitment to conservation and continued education in Marine Sciences. We aim to bring the sea and its diverse inhabitants closer to the curious minds of all ages. The features, adaptations, and nuances of these species are excellent teaching tools for STEM learning and inspire human thinking and innovation. We are thrilled that the Sandals Foundation afforded us the resources to fulfil this ambition.”
Interactive learning stations along the hallway have been strategically installed to deepen environmental education, allowing students to explore biodiversity through sight, sound, and touch to understand ecosystem connectivity, examine threats facing marine environments, and discover how they can help protect ocean health.
For Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, the project aligns with its mandate to nurture a sense of stewardship in the young. “Our oceans sustain livelihoods, protect our coastlines and support the natural beauty that defines the Caribbean,” Clarke said. “When young people are able to see and experience these ecosystems up close, they begin to understand just how vital they are to our future. This immersive hallway helps make that connection real. It allows students to move beyond textbooks and encounter the living systems that surround our island, while inspiring them to see themselves as guardians of the environment.”
Highlighting the importance of the space in advancing STEM education, Technical Development Officer at the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth, and Information for Region 3, Dr. Latoya Morgan Smith, “When students explore coral reef health, analyze water quality, study marine biodiversity, or examine the impacts of climate change on coastal communities, they are not simply learning science, they are applying STEM to solve real problems affecting our island, the Caribbean region and the world. This space… will allow young Jamaicans to encounter science not as an abstract concept, but as a living exploration of the natural world.”
Kiandra Greyer of Discovery Bay Primary and Infant School described the experience with excitement. “I was amazed by the lionfish. It has so many spikes, colors and fins! Seeing all the marine life made me realize how important it is to protect the ocean. Without the corals and the different sea animals, we wouldn’t have the beautiful island we are supposed to have.”
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), more than 600 million people worldwide rely on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods, while over 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for food security and economic survival.
Here in the Caribbean, the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) reports that at least 3 million people rely on fisheries for their livelihoods, while coral reefs generate an estimated US$3.4 billion annually through tourism, fisheries, and coastal protection.
As climate change, overfishing, and other human pressures intensify, the immersive hallway positions education as a powerful first line of defense — equipping the next generation with the knowledge, awareness, and sense of responsibility needed to safeguard Jamaica’s marine resources.
“A lot of our students are absorbed in the hospitality industry and so I am very excited for this.” The sentiments of a beaming Principal at Wycliffe Martin High School, Evorine Henry-Tracey as she shares the importance of a recent $3-million renovation of the Home Economic Department that has been completed by the Sandals Foundation.
Located just about 2.5 kilometers outside of St. Mary’s capital, Port Maria, the predominantly male population of Wycliffe Martin High are beneficiaries an inclusive learning approach that focusses on skills and professional development.
“To help meet the needs of our students, we focus on vocational areas even as we prepare them for 6th form, higher education and a place of work. We are part of the tourism belt so the Home Economics Department each year is oversubscribed,” says Principal Henry-Tracey.
For approximately 6 years, the department has been in disrepair, forcing a 50% reduction in the number of students that could be facilitated. Now, students of the 2025/2026 academic year will be able to complete their practical training in an industry-like environment.
“The whole internal space has been refurbished. One of the major problems we had was serious termites which would have damaged cupboard spaces. We have gotten rid of all the pests, fumigation has been done, all the tiles have been replaced. The space is better organized, in addition to the paint and electrical work, we have a refrigeration section and an extractor fan to help minimize the heat in the space. And we have new glass windows and steam tables that can also be easily cleaned.
For Heidi Clarke, Executive Director at the Sandals Foundation, the support forms part of the philanthropic organization’s commitment to youth education and skills development.
“To facilitate the academic growth of our young people, it is important that they are provided with the resources they need to explore and learn. The renovation of the Home Economics classroom will, we hope to strengthen the teaching-learning process, enabling students to sharpen their skills to confidently take their place in hospitality- an industry that is boundless in the opportunities it presents.”
The improved infrastructure now enables up to 40 students to be facilitated in their studies. A welcomed feat of Principal Henry-Tracey.
“Far more students can now do the subjects and get the practical experience. Senior students being prepared for the world of work - they will now be in a modern space that will look more or less like where they will be working soon. The upgrade has significantly improved what we are able to offer our students.”
Stand Up For Jamaica has entered a new year of its transformative programme with a JMD $12 million investment from the Sandals Foundation, expanding support for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) in Kingston and Portland while continuing educational and psychosocial rehabilitation across the island’s correctional facilities of Tower Street, St. Catherine and South Camp Adult Correctional Centres.
The 2026 programme will train 40 women in Kingston and 40 in Portland, while also reaching more than 100 community members through sensitization sessions aimed at strengthening gender-based violence awareness and prevention. The inclusion of Portland marks an important step in expanding structured support services for survivors in rural communities where access has historically been limited.
“This year we have expanded our programme to support survivors of gender-based violence,” says Maria Carla Gullotta, Executive Director of Stand Up For Jamaica. “We will engage women between the ages of 18 and 40, many of whom are survivors of violence or residents of volatile communities identified through partnerships with community leaders, restorative justice offices and local health authorities. Participants will receive HEART-certified cosmetology training, along with counselling, legal guidance and entrepreneurship coaching designed to help them build sustainable livelihoods and reduce the economic dependence that often keeps women trapped in abusive environments.”
The programme’s evolution, Gullotta says, reflects a growing understanding that true rehabilitation requires more than education. “Over the years we have seen that when individuals are given education, psychological support and now livelihood skills, they begin to see possibilities for their lives that once seemed impossible. This programme is about restoring confidence, creating opportunity and helping people rebuild their futures with dignity.”
The 2026 programme builds on important groundwork laid in the previous phase of the partnership with the Sandals Foundation, which strengthened rehabilitation efforts within correctional institutions by introducing psychological and behavioural change interventions alongside education programmes. Through the support of the Sandals Foundation, in 2025 mental health clinicians, including counselling psychologists and psychotherapists were integrated into the correctional facilities’ initiative to help participants process trauma, regulate emotions and develop the resilience needed to fully engage in academic and vocational training.
Dr. Veronica Salter, Counselling Psychologist and Psychotherapist says the programme is already delivering measurable results. “These women inmates have faced a lot in society and have never had help to deal with it. They often feel inadequate as women and as mothers. But with the right support, we are able to help them regulate their emotions, express themselves and begin to rebuild their lives in meaningful ways.”
In 2025, more than 300 incarcerated individuals engaged in rehabilitation programmes, accessing education, counselling, vocational training and entrepreneurship development opportunities. The initiative supported 150 individuals through structured rehabilitation programmes, facilitated 103 participants preparing for CSEC examinations, and enabled 11 inmates to graduate from the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean, including five bachelor’s degree graduates and six associate degree graduates who all completed their programmes with honours.
One former participant, now a programme graduate, reflected on the life-changing opportunity the programme created.
“Being a part of the CSEC and Associate Degree programme facilitated by Stand Up For Jamaica and funded by the Sandals Foundation helped me value education in a new way. I am pleased to know there are still people who believe in the power of transformation and that not everyone wants to write us off and label us as criminals because we broke the law. Sometimes losing something — in this case my freedom — was the best way to unveil my potential, and I am eternally grateful for this opportunity.”
For the Sandals Foundation, the continued partnership with Stand Up for Jamaica reflects a long-standing commitment to investing in people and strengthening Caribbean communities through education, and providing second chances.
“Gender-based violence and incarceration are not isolated challenges; they affect families and communities across our region. By investing in education, psychosocial support and skills training, we are helping individuals reclaim their agency and create pathways toward stability and opportunity,” says Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation.
Since 2019, the Sandals Foundation has supported Stand Up For Jamaica through investments in educational resources, teacher salaries, certification programmes and mental health services within correctional facilities. The programme’s continued expansion signals confidence in a holistic approach that combines education, healing and economic empowerment to create genuine second chances.
From sustaining physical endurance to supporting the gift of life, the Sandals Foundation has handed over critical, life-saving neonatal equipment to the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at the Millennium Heights Medical Complex, following the triumphant staging of Island Challenge Saint Lucia in October 2025. Funds raised through the four-day quest have been used to procure essential medical equipment valued at over £100,000, strengthening the hospital’s ability to care for critically ill newborns from their very first breaths.
The equipment—including ventilator, nesting system, infant warmer, incubator, jaundice meter and infant blankets—will directly support the SCBU in providing intensive care to approximately 180 neonates each year, from birth to 29 days old. For the dedicated team at Millennium Heights, the handover represents far more than new machinery—it is a renewed promise of care and a source of hope for families across the island.
Dr. Greaves, the Chief Executive Officer for the Complex, says the donation represents partnership in action and a shared commitment to protecting the most vulnerable. “Every newborn entrusted to our care deserves the strongest possible start to life. Through the generosity of the Sandals Foundation and the spirit of Island Challenge Saint Lucia, we are strengthening our capacity to deliver high-quality neonatal care and improving outcomes for families across the island. Today, we celebrate not only new technology, but renewed hope.”
Island Challenge Saint Lucia brought together more than 30 local and international athletes who committed their bodies and minds to a demanding four-day journey across the island’s diverse terrain—all in service of pediatric healthcare. Spotlighting the enchanting beauty of Saint Lucia’s natural landscape, participants traversed a 10km coastal run and sea kayaking along the island’s breathtaking shoreline, a rainforest trek through Fond St. Jacques in Soufrière, a half-marathon from Pigeon Island to Sandals Regency La Toc, and the iconic climb of the volcanic Gros Piton.
Each mile completed, each summit reached, carried a singular purpose—to give Saint Lucian newborns a stronger chance at life.
“The Island Challenge is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when visions are aligned and committed partners come together,” said Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation. “Every step taken by our athletes, and every donation made by our partners and donors, has led to this moment—where hope becomes tangible, and care becomes stronger. At the Sandals Foundation, we believe that investing in healthcare is investing in life itself, and
today, we are incredibly proud to stand alongside the medical professionals and families of Saint Lucia.”
The initiative was delivered in collaboration with Unique Vacations UK Ltd., Sandals Resorts Saint Lucia, and the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, reinforcing the role of responsible tourism as a catalyst for national development and community well-being.
Additional partners of the event include CPJ Saint Lucia, Island Routes, Harris Paints International, Caribbean Metals Limited, Superior Tours, Carnival Sailing, Excel Signs, Amicus Legal, Nico Tours, Grew Industries 1989 Ltd., Acado St. Lucia, Golden Egg Farms, RJB Hotel Supplies, and Heineken. While the list of international partners making the event possible are British Airways, Mobile Media, Mail Metro Media Group, RedPill, Accord Marketing, TTG Media, TripAdvisor, Hays Travel, Hearst, Threadneedle Media, The InPrint Group, EightandFour, Air Canada Vacations, and WeTransfer.
As this critical equipment now add to the service at the Millennium Heights Medical Complex, the effects of Island Challenge Saint Lucia will be felt far beyond the finish line—echoing in stronger healthcare systems, empowered medical teams, and brighter beginnings for hundreds of Saint Lucian families.
