From Peru to Indonesia, Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) works with over 80 youth-led Hubs around the world that focus on propelling local engagement with timely ocean action.
Hubs are youth-led, action-oriented groups organized around regional locations or university affiliations. Together, SOA's Hubs work to promote ocean health and sustainability by implementing at least two annual projects—often with financial support from SOA's Grants Program. In the article below, dive into some of the funded projects spearheaded by SOA Hub leaders in 2023.
Project Leader: Monique Calderon (28), Grant: $2,000
Project Leader Monique Calderon is currently working as a Fisheries Biologist with the Fisheries Department in Saint Lucia.
Impact: 2 days of snorkeling and educational activities attended by 22 children.
Future plans: Continue to host snorkel and Families In Nature days to engage families to participate together.
Project Leader: Nelson Maia Siqueira Amaral (27), Grant: $2,145
Impact: 500 mangrove seedlings planted and 30 young people educated through the bootcamp activities.
Future plans: Continue empowering and educating local youth through initiatives such as beach clean-ups, education events, and bootcamps.
Project Leader: Rashid Said Ali (26), Grant: $1,460
Impact: Approximately 1,000 mangrove seedlings planted by 60 participants.
Future plans: Continue monitoring the planted mangroves and providing educational opportunities to the community.
Project Leader: Annalisa Sambolino (31), Grant: $2,214
Impact: 100kg of plastic waste removed by 100 participants.
Future plans: Continue to educate over the protection of our marine life in the waters' of the Madeira archipelago through educational campaigns, beach clean ups, workshops, and events in collaboration with local artists.
Project Leader: Rainbow Wing Sum Leung (25), Grant: $1,584
Impact: 11 shellfish reefs constructed using 1.44 kg of fishnet fragments and 13 kg of shellfish shells by 22 participants.
Future plans: Students will act as citizen scientists and collect data on species to evaluate the success of the shellfish reefs.
Project Leader: Lavinia Voiculescu (26), Grant: $2,976
They organized a cross-event run and educational awareness day about the detrimental impact of litter on the sea and its diverse fauna. Lavinia Voiculescu is the Projects & Events Coordinator of SOA Black Sea and has been working with Mare Nostrum for more than two years.
Impact: 28 kg of marine litter collected and analyzed; 2,000+ individuals participated.
Future plans: The monitoring program for marine litter will continue, with the data being submitted to EMODNet and MarineLitterWatch.
Project Leader: Valeria Magaña (29), Grant: $2,000
Mexico is home to 6% of the world's total mangroves, placing it fourth in the world for most mangrove habitats. Recognizing the importance of this ecosystem, SOA Mexico created an immersive scuba dive and educational project for younger generations in La Paz. Project Leader Valeria Magaña is a biologist and has been leading SOA Mexico since 2021.
Impact: 27 youth received their PADI open water scuba certification alongside mangrove ecology training.
Future plans: Continue to provide certifications to youth in Baja California Sur, enabling them to attain knowledge and promote the conservation of the mangrove ecosystems.
Project Leader: Stefanie Torres (25), Grant: $2,700
Impact: 55 young individuals trained on negotiation topics for Peru; 52 participants attended the pre-COP28 event.
Future plans: Continue hosting advocacy events for youth to promote awareness and reflection on the crucial role the ocean plays in their lives.
Project Leader: Maria Rita da Quelha Magalhães (20), Grant: $2,240
Impact: 120 individuals educated through the Science Café events.
Future plans: Expand outreach efforts to attract a broader audience, collaborating with local institutions or organizations to co-host events.
Project Leader: Nikita David (21), Grant: $1,170
Impact: 5 clean-up events, 59 volunteers participated, and 72 kg of litter removed
Future plans: Continue to host cleanups each semester and increase the diversity of events to encourage higher involvement with the hub.
In 2023, 34 Hubs in 25 countries received a total of $70,000 in grant funding from SOA's Grants Program—with 70% of initiatives taking place in developing countries and 20% being indigenous-led. The following impact data was achieved:
Impact Area: ECOSYSTEM PRESERVATION & RESTORATION
1,316,871 square meters of marine habitat restored
1,282,050 square meters of marine habitat created
4,500 mangrove seedlings planted
Impact Area: POLLUTION—WASTE REDUCTION & THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
627 kilograms of ocean-bound pollution removed
440 kilograms of pollution avoided
Impact Area: OCEAN DATA, LITERACY & RESEARCH
3,525,030 square meters monitored
31,663 people reached
1,747 people educated or trained
5,300 direct participants