Until very recently, Cyndi Karel Ngnah did not go any closer to the sea than the shore. Today she is one of Cameroon's first female scientific divers.
His story is an example of self-improvement. In just two years, he went from not knowing how to swim to completing a demanding training course in France alongside other young Africans.
The training, carried out in Mediterranean waters, allowed him to acquire underwater observation and research equipment handling techniques, key skills for conserving fragile ecosystems.
Back home, Ngnah heads the Environmental Education area at AMCO, where she combines outreach to schools with awareness-raising activities for fishing communities.
She says her transformation is inspiring others: seeing a woman deep-sea diving is changing the perception of who can care for the ocean.
The immediate challenge is to apply the new capacities in monitoring marine protected areas and in turtle and aquatic mammal conservation projects in Cameroon.
Source: africanews.com; saveourseas.com