For the first time in FSL –  India’s history, more than 250 participants, including children, teachers, local community members of Kundapur and FSL staff came together for an awareness raising initiative of a different kind. In March of 2013, we held a drawing competition to highlight the importance and challenges of conserving sea turtles for future generations. Children were given various themes and topics for illustration, such as, the dangers sea turtles face, their life cycle etc.

Raising awareness is a crucial part of our Sea Turtle Conservation project, involving the coordinated efforts of our volunteers, FSL – India staff and, most importantly, the fishing communities that impact the sea-turtle nesting grounds. International volunteers must break through language and cultural barriers to reach out to the community. During the event volunteers gave a speech in Kannada, the local language of the area, on sea turtle conservation. The efforts they put in to break the language barrier and speak of a cause important to them motivated local community members to continue their own awareness raising efforts.

Our program made it in leading local newspapers too!