© Rainer Schimf.

Ocean Messengers the film and its brochures have been an accepted and recognized tool in 2007 - 2008. The film has been awarded with the KUDU Award by SAN Parks 2008 and received international recognition on film festivals.

For 2009, Ocean Messengers has found some great partners to continue help realizing the projects and new revolutionary ideas:

SSI (Scuba Schools International), Rufford Booster Grant and Dive Expert-Tours.

To promote education (training) and understanding the need to protect the sea and its creatures, I have thought further and come to the solution that only practical experience will make “locals” and “previously deprivileged” Africans understand the enormous eco tourism potential and value within the Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth. Despite the industrial developments, there is and has to be room for nature and conservation.

The practical task will be to donate 100 Open Water qualifications from June 2009 onwards and train 100 students to become fully qualified divers “Open Water One SSI by July 2010.

1 0 0 Open Water qualifications (training to become a scuba diver).The estimated value of this donation is 450.000,00 ZAR (about 32.000,00 £)

This is calculated by the value of the education material, the rent of lecture rooms, rent of boats and skippers and the fuel costs. (see details later)

These donations are aimed to be used pre-dominantly by previously deprivileged people. The aim is to make them aware of the importance of the ocean, its creatures and the connections to the terrestrial environment.

The open water qualification is an international recognized education and can be a first step into a career in tourism, water sport and as a qualified dive instructor it could well be the step into an own business venture with prosperous future inside and outside South Africa!