The Incredible, Strong, Creative, and Inspiring Women of Joali

Tuesday 9th of March 2021

At JOALI, the team is particularly committed to gender equality and to the development of talented women in all its entities and at all levels of the organization. It starts at the very top for this female-oriented resort in the Maldives, being owned by one of Turkey’s leading business tycoons, Esin Gural Argat.

Joali is rooted in supporting women, from aiding the training of girls in local schools to hiring local women and ensuring its team is structured in a way that encourages female team members to grow and progress. “Female empowerment is feeling as though we have the exact same access to opportunities no matter what our gender or sex. We must all help women around the world have access to equal opportunities, and to also gain the confidence to have their voice heard, and to believe in themselves and in their dreams.” explains Esin in her exclusive interview with Forbes.

Every aspect of this first and only immersive art resort in the Maldives reflects a feminine touch. From nature-inspired touches throughout its villas to rose-gold taps in the bathrooms, floral fan shapes and wall carvings, the slumbers feel like a warm embrace overall. Conceived by design studio Autoban and Tokyo-based architects Studio Glitt, the look gives nods to traditional Maldivian crafts juxtaposed with slick, futuristic touches.

“JOALI’s design reflects different talents of being a woman including our social sensitivity, communication power, our tendency to act with collective mind, and our leadership abilities. The coming together of all of these abilities is reflected in JOALI’s design.”

Iconic to JOALI, the Manta Ray Treehouse and underwater coral reef sculpture highlights sustainability in the resort and brings to light the protection of its pristine environment through experiential works of art and dynamic design. The island’s Reef Restoration Project is managed by in-house marine biologist, Martyna Socha, who stayed on the island while the resort was closed during the pandemic last spring and summer.

This year, JOALI is bringing back its Women in Art Project in collaboration with the Maldives Art Committee. Kicking it off, and marking International Women’s Day, visual artist Maena Hussain is currently at JOALI (until 13 March), giving ceramic art lessons to staff and guests. As well as a talented artist, Maena is the co-founder member and vice chairperson of MAC.

Through this collaboration, JOALI aims to support and honour female Maldivian artists by promoting emerging talent and showcasing their work. It will also create a platform for the academic development of young female artists in the Maldives. Guests can tap into their knowledge and skills with interactive workshops.

JOALI plans to continue hosting visiting female artists throughout the year, and staging academic workshops for aspiring Maldivian female artists, taught by art teachers from across the globe. JOALI’s guests will be able to participate in these and will be able to purchase works of art created during the programme.

Diversity is a valuable resource in JOALI. They have created a Leadership and Gender Diversity Program in line with our commitment to the UN Women’s gender equality campaign. The resort is committed to supporting training for local girls, hiring local women and supporting female team members to grow and progress. By the end of this year, JOALI aims to increase on-island female employee numbers by 20%. The goal is to increase this ratio to 50% in a short period of time.

“I believe that as a leadership team we are caring and empathetic, and I like to think that we are very unique and dynamic. As a new, modern-thinking and independently-owned resort, we have the ability to think innovatively and revolutionarily.” says Esin.

All women are deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve their own dreams. JOALI is at your support.

This articles is a remake of a feature on FORBES.