Wednesday 12 October 2016

PATRIOTS OF STATIA - Devika Chandler



Meet the creator of Carib Thing

Twenty-year-old Devika Chandler also known as "Didi" is the creator of Carib Thing, a social networking service. In 2013 at the age of 17, like many Caribbean youngsters Devika left the island of St. Eustatius to continue her education in the Netherlands. She currently studies cultural and social development at The Hague university of applied sciences.

Carib Thing aims to educate, entertain and empower the Caribbean and other youngsters through the medium of film. The videos are uploaded via its own YouTube channel. On this channel, videos on various topics can be found, such as art and inspirational stories, just to name a few. Carib Thing also has interviews with Caribbean students,  in these videos students share the story of their educational journey in a foreign country. 

How did you come up with the idea?
Well, I have always loved art and been fascinated with entertainment. I spend allot of time on Youtube and enjoy watching movies, cartoons, documentaries, music videos etc. Because of these factors and my passion,  I knew I wanted to start a Youtube channel. I just wasn’t to shore jet  on what kind of content I would create.

Within my study, one of the main focuses is on ways  to empower marginalized groups in society, and how to stimulate citizens to participate in these activities as a result of positive change.  We also focus on in which ways art, self-expression contribute to development and social cohesion.    

During the first semester of my first year, I received a group assignment, where we had to interview professionals in the work field , and present a short film of it in class. I loved it. This first year was my first time I ever spend such a long period away from my mother, sister, and best friends, I really missed them. It was also the first time I was fully independent and  really had to be an adult. Dealing with these things, plus handling school and adjusting to a new environment was difficult. Even though I lived in the Netherlands when I was younger, it was still new in its own way. So I could only imagine for others who lived on  their island their whole life’s, and immigrate to a new country where they don’t have any family. 

I know that our parents, older siblings, cousins and maybe our grandparents all went through this, and the generation after us will follow as well. I believe that we all leave home with a goal to accomplish something. So I created Carib Thing as a platform to share information, support, motivation and advice, for both students who are currently studying and high school students, so they can have insight on the experience.  Carib Thing also tends to people who are hesitant about going go back to school or viewers who just enjoy seeing Caribbean people uniting and the content that is produced.


I’ve received allot of support from Caribbean students, friends and family, and not to forget my fellow Statians. I really enjoy what I  do,  and pray I can keep developing my craft and expand my audiences. As for student life,  I got the hang of things now, but of course life comes with its ups and downs. I just ask the lord for guidance and continue to focus on my goals. 

Tuesday 4 October 2016

STATIA TOURISM LAUNCH NEW WEBSITE

STATIA TOURISM LAUNCH NEW WEBSITE

ORANJESTAD, St. Eustatius -The St. Eustatius Tourism Development Foundation (STDF) launched a new fully-featured website. The new website www.statia-tourism.com went live on World Tourism Day, September 27, during the Sustainability Conference. 

The new website is part of STDF’s ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and availability of information to viewers worldwide. The new site has extensive content and offers quick and easy access to essential information and activities on Statia. The purple and green website boasts a modern and attractive design. The updated information and pictures give visitors a realistic insight into what Statia has to offer. 

“We had to make sure the site was ready for the world to see and had every bit of content that we want it to have. As we know, having a website means constant change, and we will be seeing to it that the web pages are highly glossed on a regular basis and accessible to browsers around the clock,” said STDF’s Public Relations Officer Teena Lopes. 

“We are also aware that having a website optimized for usage on a laptop, smartphone, tablet, et cetera, is only half the work. We would like to encourage everyone to visit this website and explore its features,” STDF said. 

The website also has a page which provides detailed information about STDF. Feedback and opinions for content updates are welcome. “Being active daily and connecting with the world of social media is an intricate part of the development. Hence the reason why we encourage all stakeholders to link this site to theirs and we do the same in return,” STDF stated.

Happy International Women's Day

Happy International Women's Day From Friends at Statia