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‘Ocean Women’ – Empowering women and girls to access the ocean

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Only 1/3 of women worldwide can swim. In many societies, women and girls don’t get equal opportunities to access and get to know and love the ocean.

In 2022 we supported Flossy Barraud and Aminath Zoona (Zuna) in partnership with The Manta Trust in launching ‘Ocean Women’ a multi-year, action-focused research project that aims to empower more women to access the ocean for recreation, with the eventual goal of improving connection to the sea for women and girls worldwide.

In tropical coastal communities like the Maldives – which is 99% ocean – forming a connection to the sea by physically experiencing it can improve women and girls’ interest in ocean conservation, access to careers, economic and social status, and well-being. Research also indicates that women are influential conservation leaders, so barriers to ocean activities can negatively impact conservation efforts.

Fear, societal stigmas, aesthetic ideals, lack of role models and lack of access to equipment can all widen the ocean-gender gap.

The program connects women to the ocean through swim, snorkel and dive training, growing confidence and driving positive change. Outcomes will include livelihood opportunities to help coastal communities develop and lead the conservation initiatives that work for them and future generations.

Later this year, Flossy and Zuna will train ten people on five Maldivian islands as swimming instructors, supporting them in developing programs to teach people to swim and snorkel on their islands for years to come!

This is just the beginning though; for more information, visit mantatrust.org/ocean-women, and for updates, follow @mantatrust and @saltedventuresswimmers on instagram.

Happy World Water Day!

How S.A.F.E Kenya is nurturing a network of empowered and environmentally conscious women

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Happy International Women’s Day! Inequity affects many women, but historically it has most commonly affected women in marginalised communities.

Today we want to introduce the work of our international partners, S.A.F.E Kenya, an NGO whose work towards equitable solutions surrounding women’s rights is nurturing a network of empowered and environmentally conscious young women to know their human rights and have the confidence to stand up for themselves and the environment.

The S.A.F.E. all Massai team – SAFE Maa – in the Loita hills focus much of their work and resources on changing the dialogue and intervening with Female genital cutting (FGC). This ceremony has long been associated with young Massai girls’ rite of passage and marriageability but harms them personally, physically, and psychologically, heavily impacting economic development.

Through their programs, SAFE Maa leverages the power of the crucial voices in the community, helping to build vital voices in confronting FGC and early marriage, finding workable alternatives to the practice, and presenting the debate on the abandonment of FGC in a respectful, culturally appropriate and non-judgmental way.

With their Young Women’s Empowerment Project, SAFE Maa has trained female ambassadors to gain access to girls vulnerable to FGC. They provide mentorship, education, and support to their younger and more vulnerable peers and vital training in environmental conservation and resource management.

SAFE Maa’s focus on community-led solutions will continue to ensure that more Maasai girls have access to education, helping them wield more power, influence, and authority over their lives. For more information about their work or details of how to support S.A.F.E Kenya visit safekenya.org

Words and photos by Daisy Wingate-Saul

Five ideas for being kind on Random Acts of Kindness Day 2023

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A “Random Act Of Kindness” is uplifting for the recipient and beautiful to witness.

Our team member Jo recently witnessed a moment of kindness while sitting in a queue of stationary traffic. Jo saw an arm appear out of the window of the car in front and hand a bunch of Tulips to an elderly lady who was being assisted down the hill. Jo recalled that the smiles on their faces spoke volumes.

Have you ever had your entire day improve because of a gesture of kindness from someone? Would you like the opportunity to make someone’s day a little better or change the trajectory of their life?

To celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day in our way, we recommend five projects from our community that you could sign up for or visit today (or any day) to spread some kindness.

Get to know your neighbours at Brightons Fitzherberts Community Hub – The Community Hub’s mission is to reduce food poverty and social isolation by welcoming and nourishing all with food, friendship, and fun! The hub offers a safe, inclusive space for all, where local people can come to eat and form lasting friendships.

The Real Junk Food Project Brighton runs a daily ‘pay as you feel’ community cafe from the hub using food that would otherwise go to landfill so in getting lunch at the restaurant you are supporting yourself, the community and the environment! You can even ‘pay ahead’ in a random act of kindness and buy a stranger their lunch.

Encourage someone to exercise – Brighton Table Tennis Club, based in the Fitzerberts centre, prioritises working with people who have the least access but would benefit most from playing and being part of the BTTC community. Thanks to their mass participation community model, anyone, anywhere in the world, can join their community and become an AllStar TT just by signing up and playing games.They also run open sessions for everyone who would like to develop their skills as a table tennis player. Do you know someone who could do with some endorphins or some fun? Suggest a game of table tennis.

Give the gift of language – Conversation Over Borders offers free online one-to-one English conversation tutoring for refugees and asylum seekers. They bring displaced people and the wider community together to facilitate human connection, reduce social isolation and build confidence in spoken English. Classes run for 8-week blocks. Working with the same person twice a week, you do not need to be a trained teacher to apply, and the COB team provides teaching support and resources for all of their volunteers. In volunteering for COB, you will show someone enormous kindness, empowering them to feel more confident, less isolated, and more welcome when they need it most. You never know; you may learn a thing or two yourself and make a friend for life along the way.

If volunteering sounds too much for you right now, then why not rehome your old devices and donate your tech to them here >.

Cheer someone on – On the 2nd of April, 2023, thousands of incredible people will partake in the Brighton Marathon weekend. You never know who might need a simple smile or a clap of encouragement to get them through. So if you have a little time to spare, get down to the sidelines, cheer someone on, and support those runners while they run to raise money and change people’s lives.

Give a virtual gift to a young homeless person – For as little as five pounds you can give a virtual gift through the Clock Tower Sanctuary website and buy anything from a hot roast dinner to support back into education. Your kindness and generosity will help homeless young people in Brighton & Hove begin to change their lives and find a way forward.

These are a few ideas for spreading kindness on Random Acts of Kindness Day and every day! A small act of generosity or thoughtfulness could change the trajectory of someone’s life and maybe even yours. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has compiled a list of free ways to 25 FREE Ways to Celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day.

These small acts could change someone’s life forever.

A holistic approach to support – Voices in Exile group work funded by Enjoolata

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Voices in Exile support refugees, asylum seekers and those with no recourse to public funds. Their ethos  is multi-faith and human rights based and their approach is collaborative and holistic. 

First and foremost Voices in Exile offer practical and legal support to those unable to access the justice system and services such as healthcare, but once these basic needs are taken care of they also provide their members with access to a range of creative programmes. Through these programmes VIE Seeks to help people find positive ways to address their needs, build skills and work towards integration. 

VIE received a £10,000 grant from Enjoolata to help fund these group activities which included sewing on the  ONCA Barge at Brighton Marina, gardening and cooking activities with Common ground in Stanmer Park, a cultural visit to Brighton Museum and Pavillion and pottery and sculpture classes at Hanover Community Centre. 

VIE have reported that the activities have already had a significant impact on members –  improving their sense of connection to Brighton, reducing isolation and encouraging members to participate independently in beneficial wellbeing and creative activities and groups in the area. 

VIE have helped their members gain access to free classes such as women’s yoga at the Brighton Natural Health Centre, Men’s Pilates at the Meeting House, International Women’s group at Jubilee Library and stone carving, woodwork, textiles and photography at Fabrica. 

Outcomes of the workshops have included 

  • Improved knowledge and confidence to access local services and activities
  • Practise using digital devices and the internet
  • Participation in health and wellbeing activities
  • Improved social networks and connections to the city
  • Increased confidence in everyday English and participation in / leading group workshops
  • Access to other groups and volunteering

One member commented ‘I would like to thank you (Voices in Exile) for your help and support for me and my family, especially Miss Hayat who gave me support and was by my side in my most difficult times. I used to feel lonely and isolated but thanks to you I now feel that I am not alone’. 

Support comes in many forms and whilst it is vital to address the essential basic needs of individuals,  Voices in Exile’s work in the community is a reminder that there is more to life beyond basic needs and everyone should have the same opportunities to live their life to their full potential.

Art is not a thing, it is a way.

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By the shipping basin in Portslade there is an old boat yard whose entrance is covered in murals. This is Making It Out whose tagline is ‘Creative alternatives to repeat offending’.

The team at Making It Out design and make furniture, installations and a range of artefacts from small scale pieces to large public art installations. The difference between MIO and a regular studio is that MIO focuses on supporting people who have come from the prison system or are at risk of offending. It is a space where participants can access job opportunities and learn skills in a creative and supportive environment.

On our most recent visit we spent time in the Art Room, a space tucked away in the back, stacked to the ceiling with artworks of all types. The Art Room is a creative hub that actively encourages artistic exploration, focusing on the creative release that comes from experimenting. A place where participants can socialise and learn from each other.

Sean, who started out as a participant with MIO, is now Artistic Development Coordinator of the project and makes his own work at the studio. Sean explained that through ‘creating such allegorical works at the Making It Out studio, whilst also guiding others in their creativity, I hope to bring a realisation of the cathartic and self awareness that any participant can delve into, on any level’.

There is a playful, experimental element to spending time in the Art Room and the first thing Sean hopes for above everything else is ‘the discovery a client might have of the fun of playing and experimenting with artistic methods and materials’.

Al, a participant who was completely new to painting, showed us a vibrant landscape that he had been working on. He said ‘I have learnt to paint by being in the art room with Sean and it is all about having the freedom to explore.There is no right or wrong; if we get anything wrong, we can start again. Sean just gives us the space to get on and if we need help, we can ask for support. That’s where the growth is.’

Sean’s ‘’Razor wire in the blood’ – is a ceramic piece started during his time in prison. We also loved his ‘Lockdown Self-Portrait’ – 30 individual paintings made over 30 different days. The most recent of his works, ‘The 4 Truths – Social, Personal, Universal and Human’, is a series of colourful sculptures exploring the issues of our time through Sean’s lens.

Sean describes this work as a ‘4 piece sculpture representing my views of 4 types of truth. Different coloured clay creatures represented humanity. This work is part of a trilogy that began with ‘Forgiveness’, a series of paintings from 2020 but developed a couple of years earlier. The third artwork was a painting about the positive/negative aspects of ‘Guilt’.

Ty, who had first picked up a pencil and discovered his rare talent in prison, is also continuing his artistic development with MIO. The walls were lined with huge pop art like paintings of famous icons such as Amy Winehouse and members of Oasis and a large scale , detailed self portrait in pencil.

When we asked Ty about this work he said: ‘ I did my self portrait for a competition. I had only been drawing like this for about 2 years. I had never done any art until 2 years ago. I had done some detailed portraits of famous people before but this is my first self-portrait. I found doing it very challenging as it is hard looking at your own face for long periods of time, but at the same time it seemed to come together quite quickly. I added the Mod badge as that shows my interest and it gave the portrait a splash of colour.’

Outsider artists have always offered fresh insight into real life. They create such important documentation of the realities of life, beyond the normal conventions of the art world. It’s amazing to see the creators and the artists of MIO continue this tradition. We are all hoping for an exhibition of these works someday soon!

See an article about our last visit to Making It Out here >

‘Working together to end homelessness’ with Emmaus

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The first Emmaus community was founded in Paris, shortly after WW2 when a man called ​Georges came to Father Henri-Antoine Grouès for help. Georges had just been released from a 21 year prison sentence and his family were unable to cope with the change. Inspired by George’s story and hardship Father Grouès asked Georges to help him build a sanctuary for homeless people like himself, first in the priest’s garden and then on land scrounged and bought.

Georges became the first Emmaus companion. He later said that ‘what I was missing, and what he offered, was something to live for’ and to this day it is a sense of purpose, beyond just sanctuary,  that Emmaus offers to its companions.

Today Emmaus is an international solidarity movement made up of thousands of men and women whose work is motivated by the philosophy ‘Serve first those who suffer most’ and ‘fight against the causes of poverty’.

Set against the backdrop of beautiful and peaceful gardens, Emmaus Brighton is made up of a series of charity shops and a cafe, entirely run by Emmaus companions in an old convent. We visited on the eve of it’s 25th anniversary and it was a hive of activity with a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The bustling cafe offers food throughout the day, a vast emporium offers vintage collectables, the second-hand superstore is packed with bric-a-brak and preloved furniture and the greenhouse offers everything garden related including honey produced by the garden’s bees. The Old chapel has even been creatively decked out into a vintage clothing store by local charity Making It Out who work with people coming from the prison system in need of structured occupational support.

Unlike regular hostels, Emmaus companions work a regular 40-hour week. After three months a companion will get a long weekend off work and receive a week’s holiday after six months. Once a companion has been with the community for over six months they will receive a twenty day holiday alongside regular Public holidays.

Some companions choose to make Emmaus home for a few days and some stay for years. There is no limit and that’s what makes the model so different from other ‘homeless’ accommodation. Besides the training given in the shops and cafe, education and relevant training opportunities are also provided.

It is important that companions stay up to date and build skills to ensure the best chances of finding long-term ways to overcome homelessness  and to manage their own lives by accessing health services and welfare benefits online, managing money and finding work. The computers provide focused, distraction-free tools for companions to achieve this.

Pictured is Emmaus’ companion Steve who was making use of one of the laptops funded through an Enjoolata Community grant.