Israela Atua and Evangelista Apelis are two young and vibrant marine biologists who are passionate about preserving their precious marine life in the seas of Papua New Guinea.
What's significant about them is that they are taking other young Papua New Guinean women with them.
Since 2016 Sea Women of Melanesia (SWM)was a project funded by several overseas donors and supported by Coral Sea Foundation. Although the pair are yet to graduate as Marine Biologists they are already directors of a newly incorporated local NGO which is Sea Women of Melanesia.
SWM was incorporated in April this year but the pair have been doing research with the project since last year. Then, Evangelista Apelis was the team leader and Israela Atua was a volunteer. Today they were among the resource people doing Power point presentation on their personal endeavors and knowledge in marine life preservation.
Both are set to graduate next month with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences.
SWM recruits young women from proposed locally protected areas. They have three teams composed of all women in Milne Bay, Kimbe (West New Britain) and Port Moresby.
In Milne Bay they have Martha Eimba; in Kimbe they have Naomi Longa Kimbe, with two others in NCD.
Basically the organization deals with young women from the coast and train in basic snorkelling.
Since it’s a new organization, recruitment of young women volunteers for training is ongoing.