Turtle heroes: Protecting Sea Turtles in Suriname

Hello Sea Turtle Friends,

We’ve got so much to share with you!

If you read our last update, you already know that this year we’re going all in on fighting plastic pollution. Marine litter continues to be one of the biggest threats to our oceans and of course, to our precious sea turtles. That’s why all our vacation activities in Galibi this year were focused on pollution: what it is, how it affects our environment, and what we can do to stop it.

We kicked things off on May 1st with a beach cleanup, organized in collaboration with the Foundation for Sustainable Nature Management in Alusiaka (STIDUNAL). This wasn't just any cleanup. At least 14 kids rolled up their sleeves to help out, collecting 44 large bags (120L each!) of trash. That’s a lot of waste that won’t be bothering turtles or washing out to sea anymore!

Then on May 2nd, we spent the whole day with children between the ages of 4 and 16, diving into fun and educational activities all about protecting nature. We started with a storytelling session that followed the journey of a plastic bag left in nature, showing how one small piece of trash can cause big problems for wildlife. After that, the kids got creative by turning used PET bottles into beautiful jellyfish crafts. To wrap up the day, we played a “crab relay race” where the kids had to carry "crab eggs" through an obstacle course full of trash, just like animals have to do in real life. It was fun, educational, and a little bit messy, in the best way!

These activities weren’t just about having fun (though we definitely did that too). They helped the children of Galibi feel more connected to their environment, proud of where they live, and motivated to protect the incredible place they call home. And with their help, we removed real waste from the beach while planting seeds of environmental awareness that will last for years to come.

But wait, there’s more!

In July, we celebrated World Ocean Day... for an entire week! We kicked things off with a big cleanup at Leonsberg, a busy ferry terminal where people catch boats to see dolphins or head to Braamspunt, another key nesting beach for our turtles. During the cleanup, we removed an incredible 203.77 kilograms of waste from the environment, and 25% of that was plastic.

And the Ocean Week fun didn’t stop there. We also hosted a movie night and several days of workshops and panel discussions on amazing topics like manatees, whales, ocean literacy, collaborative science, and, of course, sea turtles! One of the highlights was hearing from Nina Marcovaldi, who shared the inspiring story of Projeto TAMAR, a sea turtle conservation program in Brazil that’s been running for over 40 years. Nina’s work combines science, education, and community involvement, exactly the kind of approach we believe in. We also heard from Max Villalobos, who presented the Ancestral Tides initiative by the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) in Costa Rica. This project blends Indigenous knowledge with modern conservation practices to protect coastal ecosystems and sea turtles.

Ocean Week was such a meaningful experience. It gave us the chance to connect with the public, spread awareness about why our oceans matter, and learn from global experts who are doing incredible work. It reminded us that we’re not alone in this fight, and that collaboration is key. If you weren’t able to join us for the Ocean Week sessions, don’t worry! You’re in luck. All the sessions are available to watch on our YouTube page, so you can catch up anytime and learn from the amazing speakers we hosted.

And that’s it for now! (Told you we had a lot going on.) But don’t worry, we’re not slowing down anytime soon. We’re always cooking up something new at GHFS. Want to be the first to know what’s next? Then make sure to keep reading our updates, follow us on social media, and stay connected.

A huge thank you to our amazing donors; your support makes all of this possible. Every cleanup, every child reached, every turtle protected, it all starts with you!

If you’d like to help us keep up the momentum, consider making a donation, becoming a partner, or just sharing our work with your friends and family. Together, we can protect Suriname’s coasts and keep our oceans safe for generations to come!