Job Type
ECOP (Early Career Ocean Professional)
Subject Area
Fisheries, Aquaculture
Policy, Law, Economics, Management
Pollution
Research Support Services
Activities
My work on ocean literacy in Africa focuses on the co-creation and implementation of culturally grounded, community-led education initiatives that integrate ocean science, indigenous knowledge systems, and emotional and ethical connections to the ocean. Core activities include the co-design of place-based blue curricula with teachers, youth, elders, and coastal communities, aligned with the Ocean Literacy Principles, the UN Ocean Decade, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
I lead and support community and school-based learning activities that use storytelling, oral histories, participatory mapping, and experiential learning to strengthen understanding of marine ecosystems, climate change, coastal risks, pollution, and sustainable livelihoods. A key component of this work is the EMOCEANS approach, which documents and integrates emotional, cultural, and spiritual relationships with the ocean into education and stewardship practices.
Additional activities include capacity development for teachers and Early Career Ocean Professionals, youth leadership training, facilitation of community dialogues, and support for locally led stewardship actions such as mangrove restoration and coastal awareness initiatives. I also engage in policy-relevant knowledge translation, advocacy for equitable and indigenous-informed ocean governance, and contribution to regional and international processes under UNESCO and the UN Ocean Decade.
Monitoring, reflection, and participatory evaluation are embedded throughout the work to assess impacts on knowledge, attitudes, emotional connection, and pro-environmental behavior, ensuring relevance, scalability, and long-term sustainability of African-led ocean literacy initiatives.