Literacy and development initiative

The Barbados Defence Force recently partnered with the BlueGreen Initiative Inc. (BGI) in the interest of literacy and youth development. The BGI gifted Private (Pte) Maria Burt, World Literacy ambassador, with two hundred (200) copies of My Coral Buddies and Me children’s activity book.

The book is a publication of BGI and written by BGI’s co-founder Senator Crystal Drakes. The children’s book is aimed to increase the awareness and education of the marine environment, specifically the role of coral reefs in maintaining healthy oceans.

The book’s coral characters Brainy Bob, Earl Elk, Samantha, Starlight, Fire Fred, and Polly Polyp shed light on the importance of coral reefs to other marine species and humans and the challenges they face such as climate change. Activities in the book include Name the Coral, Find the Underwater Words and Connect the Coral.

The My Coral Buddies and Me activity book is a product of BGI’s Be Blue School Tour which commenced in 2020 in partnership with Sandals Foundation and supported by Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy. However due to COVID-19, BGI was unable to visit the eight designated primary schools across the island to teach them about the ocean.

The tour also comprised of two underwater murals done by artist Jehmilah Wood at the Blackman and Gollop and Bay Primary Schools. The partnership between the BDF, WLF ambassador Pte Burt and the BGI will ensure the activity book reaches children in communities across Barbados.

BGI is set to release a second book My Coral Buddies and Me, Cricket Calamity, a free comic e-book written by young Barbadian writer Shakirah Bourne.

The comic e-book will merge scientific information with authentic Caribbean culture and storytelling so children can relate to the marine environment and feel empowered to be a part of the environmental action in Barbados and across the Caribbean region.  (PR)