Earth is known as the “Blue planet”. With 71% of its surface being covered in water and more than one-third of the world’s population living within 100km of the coast, the ocean is vital to many people’s lives. However, this is not always reflected in the diversity of people that fight for its protection.
Climate change is threatening our marine environments and the multitude of benefits they provide us. This change is happening worldwide- from the icy waters at the poles to the tropical equatorial waters- people and marine species are having to adapt to the altering conditions. As a global issue, everyone deserves an equal chance to get involved and to be heard in the marine conservation conversation. We must have diverse voices and perspectives to overcome our biggest challenges.
Zandile Ndhlovu is a South African freediver, marine conservationist and founder of The Black Mermaid Foundation. She is working to diversify our ocean spaces and create a new generation of ocean guardians by educating coastal communities. Zandile advocates for diversity and inclusion through storytelling and teaches children the importance of ocean conservation in the fight against climate change. Her passion in life is sharing the wonders of the ocean and inspiring others to love and protect our natural environment.
Where It All Began
Zandile created The Black Mermaid Foundation from her experiences as a black freediver and instructor. She was the first Black African Instructor in South Africa and, since then, has used her voice to help diversify the ocean conservation space. Zandile shares her love of the ocean and passion for freediving to inspire, motivate and challenge people from all different backgrounds.
She explained why she felt there was a need to change how things were done:
“I had been diving for a few years and was always the only black person who was a guest on the boat. Once I qualified as a freediving instructor, I knew I wanted to create change. My aim now is to enable access to ocean spaces in a way that allows us, as black people, to expand our narrative around the water and change how black people and water are viewed socially. I also want to build a connection for communities to not only enjoy the water recreationally but to protect it and raise a generation of ocean guardians.”
The Ocean Classroom
The Black Mermaid Foundation prioritises getting outside and learning in the ocean. The best way to learn is to be hands-on and appreciate the sea and its weird and wonderful marine life first-hand.
“Our organisation takes children between the ages of 10 and 15 on ocean excursions. We teach them about the marine environment and the main challenges our oceans are facing, such as pollution, overfishing and warming waters. We kit up in snorkelling gear and go exploring in the water! It’s an incredible opportunity- providing practical and memorable experiences to these children which truly impact their lives.”
The Importance of Diversity And Inclusion In Ocean Conservation
“If we are to see a change in the current trajectory of our oceans, we need all hands on deck, and we need everyone making a change and actively showing up to be good guardians! We cannot simply enjoy the water but must become active voices for her protection.”
We need diversity, equality and inclusion to achieve our big ocean conservation goals and the work being done by Zandile and the Black Mermaid Foundation is doing just that. It allows people from different backgrounds to believe that they, too, can be a part of protecting our ocean environments and that the sea is something worth saving, not to be afraid of. We need a world in which people of all ages, ethnicities and walks of life can feel connected to our precious environments and act to create conservation solutions.
