Scaling affordable credit facilities for fisher communities in East Africa through collaborative learning

About the author: Joan Otengo, Blue Ventures partner support coordinator in Kenya, shares her experiences from the community learning exchange visit to Zanzibar. It has been two years since we launched the Eco-credit Project in Kwale County, Kenya, a fund...

/ Jan 30, 2024

2023: A Year of Action in West Africa

This year was the first full year of action for Blue Ventures in West Africa, putting in place our activities plan after extensive scoping and discussions with potential partners. What an exciting year it has been: we formed key partnerships,...

/ Dec 14, 2023

Learning from successful MPAs in Senegal to pave the way for Congo’s first marine protected area

The writers of this blog are part of Renatura Congo, an NGO dedicated to promoting sustainable development through biodiversity conservation. This exchange journey was made possible through co-funding by Rainforest Trust and Blue Ventures, aligning with Renatura Congo’s strategic plan...

/ Dec 14, 2023

Gambian youth group championing green initiatives for a healthier environment

In an effort to make a real difference in their community and address issues related to the environment, members of the Sanyang Youths for Environmental Protection and Development (SANYEPD) are making waves with their hands-on approach to mangrove restoration and...

/ Dec 1, 2023

Embarking on a sustainable shrimp journey in Indragiri Hilir, Indonesia

Inayah joined Blue Ventures Indonesia as a Fisheries and Data Technician in June 2023. Her role involves supporting local partners with data collection, analysis, and reporting. In her first blog, she talks about how the first shrimp stock assessment carried...

/ Nov 21, 2023

The African Community Conservation Forum 2023: power, money, and partnerships

In a remarkable gathering of minds and voices organised by Blue Ventures and Maliasili, the first-ever African Community Conservation Forum brought together African Civil Society Organizations, international NGOs, and donors to harness the power of collective knowledge and experiences to...

/ Oct 11, 2023

Small-scale fishers should be in the driving seat for blue carbon projects in the future. Here’s why.

Jemima Gomes joined Blue Ventures in 2016 as the Diving Assistant during Blue Ventures Expedition programme in Timor-Leste. Jemima recently participated in a Seagrass Ecosystem Services regional workshop in Indonesia. Here, she shares her personal experience of the Blue Carbon...

/ Oct 3, 2023

Joan’s trip from Kwale to Kilwa: witnessing the benefits of octopus fishery closures and gender diversity

Joan Otengo joined Blue Ventures in March 2023 as the Partner Support Coordinator for Kenya. Joan recently participated in a learning visit to Kilwa, Tanzania with the beach management unit (BMU) members from Kwale, Kenya. Here, she shares her personal...

/ Sep 26, 2023
Learning exchanges inspire mangrove forest conservation in Indonesia

Learning exchanges inspire mangrove forest conservation in Indonesia

Yoga Putra joined Blue Ventures in August 2023 as the Global Senior Communications Officer for Asia-Pacific. Yoga recently participated in a learning visit to Surabaya, East Java in Indonesia, with community representatives from villages in Indragiri Hilir, Riau. Here, he...

/ Sep 14, 2023
Women pilot savings and loan scheme in Timor-Leste to introduce alternative livelihoods in communities

Women pilot savings and loan scheme in Timor-Leste to introduce alternative livelihoods in communities

Natercia Verdial joined Blue Ventures in March 2022 as a Fisheries and Livelihoods Senior Manager in Timor-Leste. Natercia uses her expertise to support women to identify and introduce alternative livelihoods in their communities. Here she talks about her recent work...

/ Aug 23, 2023

Empowering Ende: monitoring coral reefs for thriving fisheries

How local expertise and data-driven conservation are reviving octopus fisheries in Ende, Indonesia Arya Dhani joined Blue Ventures in November 2022 as a Fisheries and Data Technician in Indonesia. Arya uses his fisheries management expertise to provide technical support to...

/ Aug 9, 2023

Our first-ever peer-to-peer learning exchange on blue carbon ecosystems in Madagascar

Holly Elgar joined Blue Ventures in 2022 as a Senior Scoping Officer for blue carbon ecosystems. Holly uses her expertise to identify potential sites to expand our community-led mangrove management projects around the world. Here she talks about her recent...

/ Jul 19, 2023

A National Workshop Brings Hope for Senegal’s Artisanal Fisheries

As is the case with countries around the world, Senegal is facing a crisis of depleting fish stocks. Speak to any artisanal fisher in the country, and they will complain about the disappearing fish and the long, dangerous journeys they...

/ Jul 6, 2023

Traditional fishers trained as certified divers

The Barren Isles is an archipelago of nine islands in the Mozambique Channel off of Madagascar’s west coast. Its ecosystem is extraordinarily diverse, comprising vast coral reefs, offshore islands, seamounts, extensive mangrove forests, estuarine marshes, and coastal dunes backed by...

/ Jun 16, 2023

A West Africa Success Story: Communities work together to bring back mangroves

Much of the news coming out of the conservation world is pretty depressing these days: we are approaching a point of no return on climate change, with massive sea level rises and mass extinctions predicted within the next century. In...

/ May 25, 2023