02/09/13
My first morning at Blue Ventures’ London HQ is over and I thought it would be a good idea to write a blog now rather than after several beers later on….
A brief overview of who Blue Ventures are, and my expectations of the project seem like a good place to start. Blue Ventures are a science led social enterprise that work alongside coastal communities in order to protect marine ecosystems. Madagascar and Belize are the two main locations that are focussed on. Although the charity is still somewhat in its infancy, they are already becoming well known and respected. The work includes protecting fishing villages, addressing community health and improving the education of the local people. The reason I applied to this research project was to learn what it takes to run a charity, discover more about the challenges facing conservation charities, and to meet people who are genuinely passionate about their work.
The project I have started involves improving the census records for the Velondriake area in south west Madagascar. My work will contribute to the socioeconomic baseline that Cicelin, Blue Forests project’s socioeconomic scientist working on his PhD, is producing. With the local communities ever expanding, Blue Ventures current population data is out of date and requires updating to ensure other projects have accurate information. More on this in my second blog…
Coming from the north of England I am unaccustomed to high temperatures in September. As a result spending the morning in an office predominately made from large glass windows coupled with the blazing hot Sun, has been an experience. On a serious note though the office is airy with a relaxed atmosphere and the people who work here are great. Jo, my supervisor, has been instrumental is setting me off on the right path and I am looking forward to the next few weeks. As long as I wear shorts that is….
(Photos to follow in later posts due to camera issues!)