KRALENDIJK – The first two students who met all admission requirements have received their Bonaire Tourism Scholarship Award. Hensmier Jeomar Arrindell and Elise Arrindell-Weerstand are both embarking on a culinary journey to Bulgaria, with the aim of enhancing their culinary skills.

Hensmier works as a chef at Ocean Oasis and teaches children at the Nature Cooking School. His wife, Elise, owns Sweeti Bakery. In her bakery, she also offers a learning environment for students of various levels and gives workshops to inmates and students from the Bonaire School Community (SGB). She is also actively involved in shaping the Culinary Capital project in Bonaire.

Both students are determined to create positive change and aim to create new opportunities for the local community. They also want to improve Bonaire’s culinary offerings and contribute to the sustainable development of the island’s tourism sector. This experience in Bulgaria will broaden their horizons and enable them to bring back their new knowledge and skills to Bonaire.

“I envision a future where culinary education and international collaboration strengthen Bonaire’s tourism sector. With this initiative, we want to bridge the gap between Bonaire and international education institutions and stimulate growth and innovation. The school in Bulgaria offers affordable and professional tailor-made programs, specially designed for students from Bonaire,” Elise says.

About the Scholarship Program

The Bonaire Tourism Scholarship Program helps finance individual professional development courses and full-time academic courses in all areas of Hospitality and Tourism Management for Associate (MBO), Bachelor, and Master’s degrees. The scholarship enables both students and non-students to achieve their objectives and realize their dreams. Moreover, the scholarship program allows participants to take advantage of opportunities to continue their professional development. The scholarship is also an effective tool for improving the recruitment of qualified local employees and encouraging retention and professional growth in Bonaire’s tourism sector. The Bonaire Tourism Scholarship Program is a collaboration between Tourism Corporation Bonaire and Guardian Group Fatum.