eco news

Inseminating Hope For Our Oceans

We can’t deny the fact that our oceans are in danger. Due to multiple issue destroying our reefs such as misplaced nets, fish bombing, and the obvious pollution, we as humans have a lot of responsibility not only to restore it but preserve it as well. This is the realisation young Julia Aveline Rabenjoro has as she started Seed Of Hope to create and spread the awareness for a clean and healthy ocean.

Julia was just 4 years old when came to Kota Kinabalu. Born of French and Malagasy descent, she has been scuba diving since her 8th birthday. Throughout her experience as a scuba diver, the now 15 year-old has witnessed “not only the beauty of the underwater world holds, but also the dangers it faces”. Knowing some changes needed to be made, Julia started her “Seed of Hope” Facebook page in 2020 to help spread awareness through her scuba diving journey.

However, when covid hit, Julia knew she should change her approach. She started a series of online interviews with various conservationists, photographers, and organisations from Malaysia and later from around the world. Apart from said interviews, Julia has also taken part in conservation before and throughout the Seed of Hope. She’s helped with a turtle program, participated in various reef cleanups, and crown of thorn sea star (an invasive species) removals. Julia also gave talks and presentations for her school, Kinabalu International School, and also in Manila. She also won a mini grant from an organisation in Florida and sells postcard from pictures of her dives to help raise conservation funds.

In the long term, Julia hopes her interviews can be a big help to spread awareness. Though, she admits it’s crucial for her to expand her own knowledge and carry that forward for a professional career in marine biology. This is how she intends to put her experience from Seed of Hope and make the biggest difference in the conservation world. For now, the changes Julia sees since the start of Seed of Hope are mainly personal. She’s happy to be chosen as one of the ambassadors and became the youngest PADI AmbassaDivers. She’ll continue to learn and share her journey through Seed of Hope. Julia has also created a “group” of teen divers called Bubbles of Hope helping out with reef cleanups.

If any of you are keen to learn more and help contribute, feel free to contact Julia and check out her social media pages. Keen young PADI certified divers are welcome to join Bubbles of Hope to lend a helping hand.

Facebook: @SeedofHopeJulia

Instagram: @julia_into_the_blue

YouTube: Seed 9f Hope

by Noel Jinguli Image | Seed Of Hope

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