Our 2020 fundraising campaign: Help us provide Bangka’s kids with Wifi access and SCUBA training
As we enter the season of giving (and plastic), we’re launching our 2020 fundraising campaign. Our efforts to preserve and protect the Coral Triangle are completely reliant on public donations, so anything you can give is greatly appreciated!
One of our four key pillars is to raise awareness in the communities directly impacted by the degradation of the Coral Triangle. Education is of utmost importance to our mission as we spread the word about just how precious this marine environment is. Last year, we fundraised to support our pioneering education program that taught local junior high school students all about the mangroves, corals and sea grass surrounding their island home as well as about the threat that plastic posed to these ecosystems.
When coronavirus hit in early 2020, schools in Indonesia shut. To this day, they remain shut. Hundreds of thousands of children are going without any formal education. As an initiative that values education so highly, we felt we had to do something about this. The children of Bangka will ultimately be their island’s caretakers in years to come. Helping to enable their education as best we can is in direct alignment with our values and mission.
Towards the end of the summer, the team at Coral Eye started to use their resources to support local kids. Most families on Bangka don't own a computer and wireless mobile signal is patchy in remote villages. Data plans are an added expense that most families cannot afford, especially now, when the pandemic has resulted in reduced income for many. We set kids up with Wifi and drinking water so they could continue their studies as best they could. Some of them helped us to clean the beach and in return, we took them snorkelling. A few of the girls demonstrated a clear interest in learning more and so we took them on a discovery dive, igniting a passion for all things underwater. We want to continue and expand upon this good work - and that’s where we need your help!
Here’s what we want to do:
1. Train local students who want to learn how to SCUBA dive
We’ve been working with three girls - our three angels - who have a clear passion for the ocean. We want to help foster this passion and properly train them to dive. We’ve already taken them on a discovery dive and they absolutely loved it. You protect what you love; the kids play a crucial role in acting against plastic pollution.
A SCUBA qualification could open untold doors for these students if they decide they want to become dive guides or work in the tourism industry .
With just 1000€, we can certify five students!
2. Provide a place to learn and free WiFi for at least 15 local school kids for one year
Working with Coral Eye, we want to provide local school kids with a place to learn, free WiFi and drinking water so they can continue their studies.
It will cost 2500€ to get the high speed WiFi the students need to work effectively.
Can you help? Anything you can donate to support our mission is greatly appreciated! Donate here.