Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort and The Aujan Group launch a scholarship programme

Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort and the Aujan Group Holding have collaborated to form the Aujan — Anantara Scholarship Programme. The scholarship aims to provide youth from the local Zenguelemo, Pangaia and Sitone communities with access to college education upon completion of their secondary education.

The launch of the programme has provided ten students from the local Zenguelemo Secondary School with scholarship opportunities. The students were selected based on educational performance and placed at Instituto Industrial e Comercial ‘Eduardo Mondlane’ de Inhambane, in Inhambane City. The scholarship programme will be a career launchpad for the local youth, which will see them studying a comprehensive hospitality course for a three-year period, with lessons covering theoretical hospitality foundation and English language classes.

The scholarship initiative is part of the resort’s overall focus on enhancing education for local youth. The resort has built three primary schools and one secondary school over the past few years in the villages of Zenguelemo and Pangaia. Education is a fundamental pillar for youth populations and creates avenues for alternative income generation other than the traditional means currently practiced on Bazaruto Island.

Lourenco Zivane, Community Supervisor for Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort said: “Since the establishment of the resort at Bazaruto Island, Sheikh Adel Aujan insisted on education for local children and the development of the island community. In his legacy, we would like to keep his vision alive and support the sustainable growth of the young islanders.”

“One of the biggest challenges for the local island population and a stumbling block in employing as many islanders as possible in the hospitality industry, are the limitations of higher education on the island. To improve this situation, we continue to invest in education initiatives for youth, and this scholarship programme will go a long way in ensuring that the chosen learners are equipped with knowledge and skills that enhance their chances of finding sustainable employment across various industries,” said Yiannis Kosmas, general manager for Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort.

Anantara is passionate about working hand-in-hand with guests and team members to contribute to social and environmental projects. Sustainable tourism drives the brand’s choices, from the way hotels conserve ecological resources, the positive impact they can have on communities, and the way in which they ensure sustainable growth are woven into each property’s operations. The aim is to preserve and nurture communities and environments and operate in a way that is beneficial to the people who live there and ensure sustainability for generations of residents and travellers still to come.