Category: Timor-Leste
Taking control with Tara Bandu
The community of Behau in Timor-Leste has decided to take control of its marine resources by using customary law to establish a locally managed marine area.
Becoming a Divemaster
Marine conservation volunteer Aleksander Gakovic shares the personal journey of his time in Timor-Leste.
Amos and Mima: the journey to Divemaster
Blue Ventures’ Dive and Science Assistants in Timor-Leste have achieved PADI Divemaster certification and are now inspiring locally led conservation efforts in their communities.
Using fisheries monitoring as a tool for empowering women in Timor-Leste
Community-based monitoring groups in Timor-Leste are collecting fisheries data and raising women's voices in discussions about marine resource management.
Fiar-an, La’o ba oin: the women of Ataúro Homestay Association are moving forward
A learning exchange with Agora Food Studio has led to a greater confidence and engagement in cooking for Ataúro Island’s homestay hosts.
Contributing to conservation in Timor-Leste: a day-in-the-life of one volunteer
Thinking of volunteering in Timor-Leste, but don't know what to expect? Recent volunteer Martin Cloix dives into the details of a day on Ataúro Island.
Welcome visitors! Families on Ataúro pioneer the island’s first homestay association
Homestays offer a unique cultural experience that is long-remembered by visitors, and that would be impossible to replicate in a hotel or guesthouse.
Collaborating to save seagrass: communities in Timor-Leste embrace a new opportunity for conservation
A community-based seagrass monitoring programme has been established to empower the residents of Ataúro Island to protect one of their most vital marine ecosystems.
Plastic in the oceans: a volunteer’s perspective
Timor-Leste volunteer Rebecca Loy reflects on what individuals can do about this global problem.
The whales are coming: cetacean surveys around Ataúro Island
Blue Ventures staff and volunteers join Karen Edyvane of the National University of Timor-Leste in her yearly quest to study the pygmy blue whale migration.
A fisherman’s journey into deeper seas: scuba diving and conservation in Timor-Leste
Amos Da Costa's family has always relied on the sea for their food and livelihood, but he believes they must look to the future. He now helps to conserve Ataúro Island's marine environments as Blue Ventures' Dive and Science Assistant.
The crocodile’s children: community-led marine management on Atauro
The community of Ilik-namu have decided to take control of their future and begin managing their marine resources.
Sea Change: Ataúro’s first female scuba diver lends her voice to marine conservation efforts
Jemima Gomes was the first female scuba diver on Ataúro Island, and she is now advocating for marine conservation in her community.
Having a whale of a time in Timor-Leste
Volunteer Harrison Root describes his two favourite mornings from his marine conservation expedition on Ataúro Island.
A warm welcome on Ataúro
Volunteer Mackenzie Burke came to Ataúro Island for the diving and the marine science, but was blown away by the welcome she received from her host community.