We are proud and excited to announced that the Raja Ampat based NGO (Yayasan) The SEA People (Orang Laut Papua) has been approved for an Expedition Impact Program Conservation Grant funded by the Oceanic Society.

Oceanic Society is America’s first non-profit established to protect the world’s oceans.  Oceanic Society has worked to inspire and empower people worldwide to take part in building a healthy future for the world’s oceans since 1969.  Oceanic Society works to improve ocean health by deepening the connections between people and nature to address the root cause of its decline: human behavior.

The SEA People’s mission is to safeguard the “world’s most biodiverse coral reefs” through Restoration, Protection, and Conservation programs. The SEA People strives to create mutually beneficial programs and collaborations that provide benefit to all stakeholders, and in doing so, protect the most marine biodiverse location on earth.

The SEA Peoples’ Yaf Keru staff and volunteers tying coral fragments to wire grid.

This grant will aid in the expansion and impact of the Sea People’s Yaf Keru Reef Restoration and Conservation Initiative. Yaf Keru (which means ‘Coral Garden’ in a local dialect), launched in 2016, is a community-based reef restoration and conservation program.

SEA People staff teaching locals how to coral garden

Created with and by local people, the program aims to Restore, Protect and Conserve local ecosystems while benefiting indigenous communities and stakeholders.  To date, Yaf Keru has transplanted over 92,912 coral fragments and restored almost 3 hectares of degraded reef, safeguarded an equivalent area of healthy reef, and provided training and employment for local community members through a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach.

After two years the reef is regrowing and the reef fish are returning to their restored home.

It takes a TEAM to make this happen.  Thanks to Oceanic Society and The SEA People