Iberostar JOIA Aruba recently held a five-day Summer Camp designed especially for the children of its employees, offering them hands-on experiences and lessons about Aruba’s natural environment.
According to Sustainability Alliances Manager Jareth Vermeulen, the camp took place at the Aula di Lama, an ideal location for connecting nature, education, and sustainability. “In schools here, we often learn about whales or other animals that don’t live in Aruba,” he said. “We wanted to bridge that gap by focusing on local wildlife, like the shoco and the iguana, and linking it to the local education system.”
This pilot edition was open exclusively to employees’ children, with around 10 to 15 participants. Over the five days, the group visited different locations and joined a range of activities.
Resident Manager Dominique Meyer explained that the Aula di Lama was created to support the local community, making it the perfect venue for the camp. “When the idea came up to run a Summer Camp as a trial for our employees’ children, we loved it and wanted to get involved,” Meyer said. The program aligned perfectly with the purpose of the Aula di Lama, so the team took advantage of the school vacation to launch it. Organizers will now evaluate the pilot to see if it can be offered to the wider community in the future.
Research Associate Jean-Paul Moquette shared that this year’s theme was “Coastal Science.” Participants explored turtle nesting areas, visited Arashi and the local museum, and carried out experiments to learn more about how nature works. “I think the kids had a great time, and that’s the most important thing,” Moquette said.
