Singapore, November 8, 2024 – In a powerful moment at the Blue Water EduFest in Singapore, Rose Huizenga, founder of Coral Catch, received the Blue Water Heroes Award 2024 from Dr. Sylvia Earle in recognition of her outstanding contributions to marine conservation and gender equity in the field.
Reflecting on the achievement, Rose shared:
“When I walked onto the stage, I hugged Dr. Sylvia Earle and whispered, ‘Thank you for all you do and for spreading a message of hope.’ She replied, ‘I keep having hope because of people like you.’ Winning this award is a dream come true, and my hope is that this honor inspires young women everywhere to reach for the stars and to dream of ways to make the world a better place.”
Coral Catch: A Vision for Marine Conservation and Gender Equality
As Indonesia’s first all-female coral restoration team, Coral Catch combines marine conservation with a mission to foster gender equity. The organization’s nine-week scholarship program has already supported 32 Coral Catch Superwomen, all of whom have gone on to pursue careers in marine conservation or continued studies in marine sciences. Coral Catch’s vision extends far beyond coral reefs; it is also about transforming lives and building community.
“They say that when you change a woman’s life, you change her entire community. Our success isn’t just about how many corals we plant or how much reef we restore. We measure success by how many lives we transform,” said Rose
Coral Catch is actively working toward its mission of establishing a network of 100 female leaders dedicated to coral reef protection across Indonesia. Through its innovative approach, Coral Catch has created a blueprint for empowering women in marine science that could easily be adapted to other countries facing similar environmental challenges.
Our Vision for the Future
With the S$25,000 prize from the Blue Water Heroes Award, Coral Catch will host the first Coral Catch Conference, a three-day event aimed at uniting women in marine science from across South- East Asia. This event will feature discussions with leading female conservationists, knowledge-sharing sessions, and workshops.
The conference will also bring together all Coral Catch Superwomen to strengthen their professional networks and provide a platform for future collaboration. As part of the event, Coral Catch aims to build and deploy 1,000 hex domes, symbolizing the power of united women in marine conservation.
Honoring Community and Partnerships
The Blue Water Heroes Award, presented at the Blue Water EduFest, celebrates exceptional ocean conservation efforts across Southeast Asia. Rose Huizenga acknowledged the invaluable support of Coral Catch’s sponsors, including The International SeaKeepers Society, the Arthur M. Blank Foundation, PADI AWARE Foundation, Coral Gardeners, UK artist Will Solomon and the Way of Malama. A heartfelt thank you as well to all the Coral Catch Ambassadors for sharing their knowledge, wisdom, and passion—and for being the best mentors our Superwomen could wish for. With the support of its growing community, Coral Catch will continue to drive forward sustainable marine solutions, inspiring young women in Indonesia and across Asia to lead change in their own communities.
About the Blue Water EduFest and Blue Water Heroes Award
Organized by ONE°15 Events Management, the Blue Water EduFest is a premier marine conservation event held at ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, Singapore, from November 7–9, 2024. The three-day event includes the Blue Eco Summit and offers eco-champions a platform to share their ideas, receive mentorship, and collaborate with environmental experts. The Blue Water Heroes Award recognizes exceptional efforts in ocean conservation across Southeast Asia, with a total prize pool of S$50,000 to support impactful projects.
About Coral Catch
Coral Catch, an official NGO under Yayasan Gili Matra Bersama in Indonesia, is dedicated to protecting marine ecosystems through community engagement, environmental research, and education. With a focus on empowering women, Coral Catch’s mission is to build resilient ecosystems and nurture a generation of female leaders committed to ocean health and sustainability.
Pictures and Branding
Visit - Coral Catch - the Story Book
Visit - For high-resolution images of Coral Catch, please click here.
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Press Contact
Rose Huizenga - Founder Coral Catch | [email protected]
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL SEAKEEPERS SOCIETY
The International SeaKeepers Society is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that facilitates oceanographic research, conservation, and education through direct involvement with the yachting community. Providing educational resources and hands-on marine science experiences to students is the primary focus for ensuring the wellbeing of our planet. SeaKeepers enables the yachting community to take full advantage of their unique potential to advance marine sciences and raise awareness about global ocean issues.
Founded in Monaco in 1998, The International SeaKeepers Society has been supporting ocean conservation through direct involvement with the yachting community for more than twenty-five years. What started as a data collection program aboard select luxury yachts, has evolved to engage thousands of participants annually with at-sea and coastal programming. Today SeaKeepers’ mission is focused on the DISCOVERY Yacht Program which is comprised of Scientist-Led Expeditions, Citizen Science, Educational Outreach, and Community Engagement.
As a catalyst working with governments, scientists, institutions, and other marine organizations to further its mission, SeaKeepers supports sensible, achievable marine protection and restoration. Activities take place globally through the efforts of headquarters based in the United States with offices located on the east and west coast, and international representation in Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the South Pacific.
VISIT WEBSITE — SEAKEEPERS.ORG