What position do you hold at Save Cambodian Marine Life? What has been your career path so far?
I am SCML´s Project Manager. I studied Biology in Mainz Germany. After that I finished my Masters in Coastal and Marine Management in the Westfjords of Iceland and graduated in summer 2013.
Next I worked as a research assistant at the Carl von Ossietzky University in Oldenburg, Germany until I started working at SCML.
Working as a Volunteer during my studies at the Red Sea Environmental Center (RSEC) initiated by Robert Hofrichter, I gained first hand experiences with volunteer programs and became an open water diver here in 2009.
I started working with SCML in February and I have completed Rescue Diver course in the Gulf of Thailand. Next I plan to get certified as a Dive Master.
My research interests are in artificial reefs establishment and sustainable development.
What inspires you most about your role on a daily basis?
Working with SCML I have the chance to improve our projects and our work scope every day. As we are a new project, there is a lot of room for new creative ideas and innovations.
Learning to understand the local culture, the challenges they face and their way of living helps us to provide them with the best knowledge to improve their way of living in a more sustainable and profitable way.
What makes Save Cambodian Marine Life's programs unique?
We are an international team, combining the most important expertise to run our projects successfully. Compared to many other NGOs we have the big advantage of having a local dive instructor and dive center manager on our team who helps us to connect with the local community as well as with the Cambodian government.
Our areas of expertise are marine ecology, experience with challenges in social, environmental and economic interests and more importantly problem solving.
We are also successfully running the first coral nursery in Cambodia and are planning to expand as well as research the best practices to establish an artificial reef in the Gulf of Thailand around Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem.
Share with us your favorite story of a volunteer's experiences with Save Cambodian Marine Life.
One of our volunteers happened to be a circus performer, doing modeling as a mermaid. So I took her to our coral nursery frames, which are about 3 m deep, and did an underwater photo shoot with her.
Doing a photo shoot at a three meter depth was a unique and exciting experience. And we got really good shots of a mermaid cleaning algae from our coral frames. Thanks again to your great work with us, Lily la Mer.
What advice would you share with volunteers considering the Save Cambodian Marine Life program?
Pack all your skills, abilities and motivation, to make the most out of your stay in our little paradise, Koh Rong Samloem. Together we can do a lot of good things for the people here and their nature.
Be ready to entirely be here and help out the best that you can. Be prepared to leave home behind for a little while, as there is no Wi-Fi in M´psi Bay.
Our project is great for everyone who wants to escape the stress at home and concentrate on the most important things in life for a little while.
