By DIVE Staff
Cat-food brand Sheba is recruiting for a ‘Hope Ambassador’ to participate in the world’s largest global coral reef restoration programme on the Maldives island of Fulhadhoo.
The Ambassador programme forms part of Sheba’s global ‘Hope Grows’ campaign, created to restore damaged coral reefs. Sheba’s first project was unveiled in 2021 – a 14m by 46m artificial reef spelling the letters H-O-P-E using regrown coral. Located off the southwestern coast Sulawesi, Indonesia, the newly created ‘Hope Reef’ is visible from space – which Sheba hopes has inspired people to take action and protect the oceans.
No formal experience is required for the role, other than a ‘passion for the environment, strong swimming ability and a knack for storytelling’, which are a must. One lucky UK applicant will be partnered with a Maldivian Hope Ambassador to join the Hope Grows movement for a three-week period. One week of training with the Mars Petcare and coral restoration team in Leicestershire, UK will be followed by two weeks in Fulhadhoo to participate in active coral reef restoration.
The successful applicant’s role will involve joining local community members on the island together with the Maldivian Hope Ambassador, preparing and planting reef stars and keeping everyone updated with regular blog posts on the SHEBA website with content, stories and interviews about life and the community on the island.
Sam West, Global Brand Manager, Sheba, said: ‘We are thrilled to be searching for our very own Sheba Hope Ambassador. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to become part of the world’s largest coral reef restoration programme and we encourage anyone with a passion for ocean conservation and storytelling to apply. We hope that our Hope Ambassador helps inspire others to consider how they can also protect and restore critically threatened ecosystems.’
The Sheba coral reef restoration project plans to restore more than 185,000 sq m of coral reefs — roughly the size of 148 Olympic swimming pools — at key sites around the world by 2029. The new Maldives initative is the next phase of the programme following the success of its Indonesian project.
Hope Reef’s construction has proved a strong success in just one year – coral cover has increased from 2 per cent to 70 per cent; the average size of fish has increased by 175 per cent; and there has been a 10 per cent rise in the number of fish species – a strong success story for future and current project plans.
Aya Mariyam Rahil Naseem, Co-Founder and Vice Chairperson of the Maldives Coral Institute said: ‘The ocean makes up 99 per cent of my home, the Maldives, and coral reefs are the very heart of our oceans. Coral provides the very foundations for Maldivian society, which is why we’re proud to be part of the Hope Grows movement working to restore these vital ecosystems. It’s more important than ever, that we invest in ocean-based solutions and we can’t wait to welcome the SHEBA Hope Ambassador to our family.’
Applications to be considered for the role as Sheba Hope Ambassador are open until 30 June. A full description of the role, terms and conditions and an application form can be found at: www.shebahopegrows.com/uk/ambassador
