eKhaya TURNS ONE!
Last year we shared a story that started with how our mission has always been to create strong communities for storytellers, conservationists, and scientists to help each other grow and take up space. In just one year, eKhaya has evolved into a space to gather, grow, learn, challenge, train, eat and rest in community. Created as to be a home base, #ChangingTheNarrative manifests as African storytellers, scientists, researchers, ocean explorers and conservationists filled its space with perspectives, ideas and dreams more diverse than our community of more than 250 fellows.
How does Virtual Reality contribute to real life impact?
As our country emphasises the importance of digital economies, VR emerges as an excellent medium to unite people in understanding ocean dynamics without the necessity of physical presence. For a significant portion of the population, the ocean remains a source of fear. But these immersive VR experiences ignite interest and encourage to further explore and learn about marine environments. This technology not only alleviates fear, but fosters a deeper connection and appreciation for the ocean among diverse communities.
What does freediving have to do with Ocean Access?
With the largest Ocean Access Programme for African Scientists, Conservationists and Storytellers, NEWF labs create opportunities for freediving certifications too. Recently, a cohort of fellows added this discipline to their skillset, each calmly descending and ascending along a dropped buoy line in Sodwana Bay's inviting water to a qualifying depth of 10 metres, just one breath at a time.
What role does documenting the past play in bringing stories about the African experience to life?
It is often said that to build the future, we must look to the past. At the core of Diving with a Purpose, is just that - purpose-driven deep work (no pun intended) to contribute to a more complete history that tells the stories of their ancestors. In an long-anticipated exchange between NEWF and DWP, we had the opportunity to welcome these divers who are part of the African diaspora, home.