You can remember those days when you were just starting out (Could even just be riding a bike), feeling like a small fish in a big pond? Well! Everybody has started somewhere; we’ve got a tale that signifies the immense belief in the power of dreams and hard work.
Meet Our Terrific Trio
Face Cards don’t look new, now meet Washington Denis, Joyce Mganga, and Husna Amimu. These three highlight-stars started as interns at Aqua-Farms Organization (AFO) back in 2023 being part of our MATUMBAWEHAI Coral Restoration Project in Buyuni. Little did they know, this was just the beginning of their future in the underwater adventure and the conservational space as a whole!
From Toe-Dippers to Deep Divers
During their internship, our trio got their first taste of scuba diving. They learned how to breathe underwater, swim with the fishes, and help save our precious coral reefs.
Talk about a cool job, right? They received training as open water scuba divers, acquiring a vital skill that would prove instrumental in their project work and future careers.
A Year of Growth: Swimming in New Waters
After their internship, Washington, Joyce, and Husna spread their fins and swam off to different organizations both local and international. But the ocean was calling them back always, and boy, did they answer!
At the beginning of 2024, Husna flew to South Africa for a three month long of dive training to Divemaster level under support from Nature, Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF). By July, we proudly couldn’t keep quiet on her completing her Divemaster Certification, a remarkable milestone marking her the Second Female Certified Tanzanian Divemaster.
Tanzania DiveLab 2024: The Big Splash
Fast forward to August 2024, and our former interns made a big splash at the Tanzania DiveLab. This wasn’t just any old pool party. It was a team effort between AFO and some awesome partners: This groundbreaking initiative was made possible through partnerships with:
– Africa Refocused Program (a collaboration between Nature, Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) and National Geographic Society
– International Aquanautic Club (IAC)
– Mnazi Bay-Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park
– Segal Family Foundation
The Deep Dive: more than 480 Hours of Awesome
For more than 480 hours (that’s like watching “Finding Nemo” 240 times!) Washington and Joyce worked their flippers off. And guess what? Husna being one month ahead of completing her Divemaster training gave a hand in training for their certifications.
And yes! Their hard work and perseverance paid off, resulting in a monumental achievement: all three are now officially Certified International Divemasters.
What’s the Big Deal?
Being a Divemaster is like being the captain of an underwater ship. Our trio can now lead dive trips, teach and inspire the next generation of ocean leaders and ocean conservationists, and make an even bigger splash in saving our oceans.
The Ripple Effect
Washington, Joyce, and Husna’s journey from interns to Dive masters is more than just a personal win. It shows how we at AFO are helping create the next generation of ocean leaders and changemakers. Their story is like a pebble dropped in a pond, the ripples will spread far and wide, inspiring others to dive into marine conservation.
We are on a journey to create equitable access to the ocean for everyone. The goal is reaching upto 300 individuals equipped with diving certifications by the year 2030.
Javis Bashabula
Communications Lead- AFO