JUNIOR REEF DOCTORS

In 2013, funded by the Julie Ghosh Memorial Scholarship Programme, we implemented ‘Junior Reef Doctors’ to provide extracurricular environmental lessons to the brightest school children from Ifaty. Julie (pictured below) volunteered with Reef Doctor in 2009 and was passionate about helping the people of Ifaty, especially the children. Sadly, Julie passed away in 2013 but her legacy lives on in the Junior Reef Doctor programme. Reef Doctor, the ‘Juniors’, and their parents are immensely grateful to the continued generous donations made by Julie’s father, Mr Biku Ghosh, to the Julie Ghosh Memorial Scholarship that makes our Junior Reef Doctors programme possible and provides local children wonderful opportunities they would never have otherwise.

The scholarship is awarded to children between the ages of 8–12 who have performed the best in national school exams and who have an excellent school attendance rate. The main aims of the scholarship programme are:

  To teach children about the environment and conservation.

  To support the general education of the children by paying their school fees for one year and by providing educational materials every term.

  To actively engage the children in the work of Reef Doctor in order for them to become conservation ambassadors, to help spread awareness, and to facilitate local community-NGO relations.

The programme aims to raise awareness of the issues affecting their marine ecosystems and to educate the children on how to use marine resources in a sustainable way for their future preservation. It also aims to inspire the children to continue their education and be proactive in conservation matters, now and in the future.

To date, working with the local school teachers, Reef Doctor has awarded scholarships to 15 students. The Junior Reef Doctors attend weekly sessions at the Reef Doctor base every Saturday morning. The theoretical and practical (interactive) lessons provided complement the government’s environmental education programme. We also run several field trips throughout the year including visits to other conservation NGOs in the area, whale watching excursions, and snorkelling trips. Every year the scholarships are re-awarded, providing the opportunity for other school children to participate. We also involve the Junior Reef Doctors in our awareness raising community days and fundraising events. Meet each of our Junior Reef Doctors here!