{"id":28195,"date":"2022-06-08T21:44:48","date_gmt":"2022-06-08T20:44:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/?p=28195"},"modified":"2022-11-03T11:45:01","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T11:45:01","slug":"safety-at-sea-community-training-inspires-change-in-timor-leste","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/en\/safety-at-sea-community-training-inspires-change-in-timor-leste\/","title":{"rendered":"Safety at sea: Community training inspires change in Timor-Leste"},"content":{"rendered":"

One thing that brings me the most joy working at Blue Ventures<\/a> is connecting with coastal communities to understand their relationship with the ocean. One particularly moving encounter was with 15 fishers from the villages of Beloi, Bikeli, and Beto-Tasi brought together on Atauro for intensive sea safety training.<\/p>\n

Over five hot and sunny days, Dreamers Dive Academy<\/a> taught first aid and snorkelling, the Mariners\u2019 Association of Timor-Leste<\/a> covered sustainable marine tourism and tourist safety during water activities, and participants spoke about the high number of water-related accidents and the real need for this training.<\/p>\n

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A fisher snorkels for the first time in Beloi\u2019s Tara Bandu, a locally-managed marine area (LMMA) in Atauro island, Timor-Leste.| Credit: Stephanie Rowbottom \/ Blue Ventures.<\/p><\/div>\n

Speaking to Antonio Perreira, a fisher from Bikeli in Atauro, showed me the importance of providing communities and fishers with the skills to keep themselves and other people safe. Shifting his gaze from me and with tears in his eyes, Antonio spoke about his brother\u2019s fatal fishing accident.<\/p>\n

My brother would be alive today if I had learned this a year ago,” he said sadly, but with a sense of hope that this training could save others.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/a>
A trainer from the Mariners Association of Timor-Leste shows fishers how to wear safety jackets for the first time.| Credit: Armindo Marques\/Blue Ventures.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
Fishers in action during the training session. | Credits: Armindo Marques, Blue Ventures.<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
Dreamers Dive Academy instructors demonstrate first aid to fishers. | Credits: Armindo Marques\/Blue Ventures.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

I sat with Antonio for more than an hour as he talked about his vision for the Bikeli community and his passion for rebuilding and protecting coral reefs near his village that harmful fishing methods have damaged in recent years.
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