With schools closed and the July–August vacation in full swing, children across Trinidad and Tobago are swapping classrooms for adventure.
One group brought the JAVA vibes straight to Belmont, but with a twist, as this camp aims to keep African traditions at the heart of the fun.
The African Women’s Association added a cultural spin to the holiday excitement, blending heritage awareness with practical life skills to give young campers a vacation that is both enriching and educational.
Association President Lilla Williams shared why ensuring African heritage remained central to the learning journey was important.
“This is our main aim: that they learn about their ancestry, their history and be in touch with the past that is so important to the present.”
From nostalgic games like marbles, jacks, moral and hopscotch, Camp Coordinator Carlene Gumbs said the camp also sought to introduce children to games that generations enjoyed before the age of smartphones and video games.
“In this digital age especially, we want our campers to move back to structured play. We want them to put down the iPads, put down the phones, put down all the electronic devices, and we want them to get a lot more physical. Well-being is important. We want them outside.”
She explained that the camp’s core mission is to bring families together, which is why table etiquette was included, teaching children not just manners but the value of sharing meals and conversations across generations.
“A lot of these children are not getting the opportunity because they don’t sit for Sunday lunch, they don’t sit for dinner, so it’s important for us to do that so that they can know how to go out and how to socialise, how to learn etiquette and how to interact in their communities. That is very vital and important for them.”
Building on this year’s success, Ms Williams is already anticipating an even larger turnout next year, with plans to expand the camp.
“We are planning to do one in South because we also have a South chapter of our association that is just beginning, and we plan to do one in the South and one in the North, and we plan to add other aspects, like simply adding how to sew a button onto clothes and to hem something, so we are adding that aspect next year to make things even more interesting.”
The two-week vacation learning camp comes to a close on August 21st.