Two of the most visually stunning and wellness-focused resorts in the Maldives, Joali and Joali Being have launched a new Sustainability Fund to boost local initiatives in healthcare, diet, education and entrepreneurship around its atoll. Read on to see how a little care and creativity could have a big impact on the people living near your favorite hotel.
WHEN JOALI SPLASHED on the Maldives scene in 2018, it had the islands’ legacy brands shaking in their flip-flops. The country’s first art-immersive resort wasn’t just refreshing; it was an aesthetic showstopper. From its massive manta ray-inspired arrival jetty to the pops of pastel pink and emerald greens throughout its 73 villas, I swooned as soon as I stepped foot on the island.
After visiting this Raa Atoll outpost multiple times since its opening, as well as its new wellness retreat resort, Joali Being, I rank it among my top three Maldives resorts—and I’ve visited more than 30.
But it’s not just the delicate rose-gold details or the standout staff remembering I like an iced chai latte for breakfast that keeps it at the top of my ranking. Its care for its fragile environment is evident in its coral and tree planting efforts, its turtle conservation with Oliver Ridley and its ethically sourced and island-grown eats.
And while every resort in the Maldives is focused on going green, not all back it up with greenbacks. So, let us hat-tip to brands across the regions like Shinta Mani, Banyan Tree and Soneva that have given back to their local communities across the region for years. Now Joali is joining them.
-
Coral restoration at JOALI BEING
-
Diving around JOALI Maldives
-
Heron chair - KARA at JOALI Maldives
This year, Joali announced the Joali Sustainability Fund, pledging US$15,000 to five different community initiatives around Raa Atoll. These projects exemplify their four pillars: “safeguarding the planet, fostering well-being, creating platforms for women, and nurturing ethical consumption.” Here are the five local recipients the resort has selected.
Rasmaadhoo School
“Green for a Healthier Life”
On the small, sandy island of Rasmaadhoo, growing vegetables is no easy feat. So, the island school will use its grant to build a hydroponic garden and supply the local community with fresh, nutrient-rich veggies. Students will also hand out seeds and plants to community members to encourage them to build their own island farms. And they’ll create a compost-making unit to inspire farming without hydroponics.
Ungoofaaru School
“Inclusive Education”
-
Reading Park and Special Education Needs (SEN) classroom at Ungoofaaru School
-
Ungoofaaru School is known as one of the oldest and biggest schools in the country, educating nearly 500 students ages four to 16. Money from the Joali Sustainability Fund will go towards its Special Educational Needs (SEN) program, including purchasing classroom materials and resources to provide a more productive learning environment for special needs students. The program hopes to create strategies and teaching practices that can benefit students with various cultural and linguistic backgrounds so that all students can thrive socially and academically, on and off the island.
Hulhudhuffaaru School
“Fostering the Youth”
The grant for this Maldives school will go towards teaching students the skill of sewing. Not your average home economics class, here students will learn stitching and embroidery skills to create hand-made cloth bags to sell around Hulhudhuffaaru Island. This project’s goal is to bring in extra income for their families while instilling an entrepreneurial spirit in students and inspiring them to one day start a business of their own.
Ungoofaaru Regional Hospital
“Dental Radiovisiography”
This tertiary care hospital in Raa Atoll serves a third of the local population. The Joali Sustainability Fund will purchase a state-of-the-art digital radiography system that will provide higher-resolution images and allow quick communication between health professionals and patients. The images are also digitally stored, making follow-up procedures easy and efficient.
Dhuvaafaru Zuvaanunge Jamiyya
“Joy of Empowering Women by Farming”
-
Joy of Empowering Women
-
A Dream of Fantastical Fish: the final artwork is displayed in JOALI Maldives with the aim to gather donations and raise funds.
Dhuvaafaru Zuvaanunge Jamiyya is a beloved local non-profit on Dhuvaafaru Island. They work with local councils, schools and hospitals to improve health education and the quality of life on their home island, as well as safeguard the coral reefs. While the residents here historically fish for food, the Joali Sustainability Fund will pay to help create an easy-to-use hydroponic system for growing vegetables and selling them in the local community.
The profits will be split between the non-profit and each family farming the gardens. Dhuvaafaru Zuvaanunge Jammiyya will use their portion to reinvest in more gardening systems on the island. The team will also educate the local community on vegetable nutrition and how to have a balanced diet using home gardening. The remainder of the grant will be used to support island women without opportunities for income by giving incentives to learn nutrition and self-sustainability.
BOOK YOUR STAY AT JOALI BEING VIA BOOKING.COM
BOOK YOUR STAY AT JOALI MALDIVES VIA BOOKING.COM
Images courtesy of JOALI.
Written By
