Helping Mozambican Biology students to join international Marine Field Courses, gives them the same opportunity as students from more developed countries. This gives them the chance to learn about marine conservation and develop their research skills in the water. This means that they can pass this knowledge and interest to others within Mozambique. This project empowers Mozambican students to become conservationists and assist the process of sustainable development within their own country.
For any conservation project to be sustainable and successful, it requires the key players to be 100% committed to the overall mission. When it comes to conversation practice the key players are largely the local people that call this area home. Engaging Mozambicans in research, conservation and sustainable management is the best way to protect and preserve the relatively pristine and ecologically valuable mozambican coastline. With exponential development already begun, the time to act is now!
By empowering, educating and training local students they not only become researchers in their own right, but also teachers in their own areas. This creates ripples of change that carry positive effects and wisdom far beyond this one course. This project will allow local Mozambican students to participate, learn and develop their own careers within conservation and environmental sciences which has the power to create long term and sustainable change in the fragile eco-system they call home.
With any development project, being able to build the capacity of the local community has proven to be the best way to create sustainable positive change. Enabling Mozambican students to actively participate in conservation efforts in their country of origin, will also increase the education they are able to pass on to their own local communities. We hope that by building the capacity of a few, we will inspire many to join in our vision and actively support marine conservation.
