This project gives local people economic benefit from sea turtles via the sales of arts and crafts embroidered with sea turtle patterns instead of poaching turtles for meat to earn income.
Shell Beach is located in the Northwestern Region of Guyana, South America. It is the only place is Guyana where four of the world’s seven endangered species of marine turtles, leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), come to lay their eggs. These massive reptiles usually arrive under the cover of darkness from March to August every year, yet turtles are poached here for meat.
Poaching will continue unless alternatives are made available for communities facing poverty challenges. One way to combat this is through income generation from arts and crafts (embroidery)
Embroidery products are handmade and created through the imagination of the women. Today, the entire business is managed by the women themselves and all proceeds go directly to the women in assisting their communities.
