Our Partners

Working Together for Healthier Oceans

We collaborate with schools, research institutions, and community groups across South Africa to expand the reach of marine education and coastal restoration.

Cape Peninsula Schools Network

Hosts our tidal pool workshops and brings marine biology lessons to classrooms in the Western Cape.

KwaZulu-Natal Estuary Research Group

Provides scientific guidance for our water quality monitoring and citizen science training programs.

Garden Route Coastal Cleanup Alliance

Coordinates seasonal beach drives and shoreline restoration events along the southern coast.

Eastern Cape Marine Educators Forum

Develops accessible learning materials on endangered species and freshwater ecosystems.

Wild Coast Community Volunteers

Leads local restoration drives and supports our seasonal shoreline monitoring efforts.

Freshwater Watch South Africa

Supplies testing kits and data collection tools for river health assessments.

Our Team

The people behind the tide

Marine biologists, educators, and local volunteers who turn ocean knowledge into shoreline action.

Dr. Nandi Mokoena

Marine Biologist & Program Lead

With 12 years studying rocky shore ecosystems along the Eastern Cape, Nandi leads our tidal pool curriculum and trains volunteer educators. She has published research on intertidal biodiversity and works closely with local schools to bring ocean science into the classroom.

Pieter van der Merwe

Freshwater Ecologist

Pieter coordinates our citizen science water quality monitoring network. He has spent the last eight years mapping river health in the Western Cape and trains community members to collect reliable data on pH, turbidity, and macroinvertebrates.

Lerato Ndlovu

Education Coordinator

A former primary school teacher, Lerato designs our school workshop materials and digital marine library. She focuses on making complex ocean topics accessible to young learners and creating resources that teachers can use with confidence.

14

Coastal educators

320+

Volunteers trained

6

Monitoring sites

40+

School partnerships

Community-driven marine education

We connect daily choices to healthier rivers, reefs, and oceans

WaterWorld Life is an educational nonprofit built around ocean literacy and freshwater ecosystem protection. We work with families, educators, and local volunteers across South African coastal regions to make marine science accessible, practical, and rooted in real community action.

School workshops that bring marine biology into classrooms with hands-on activities and local examples.

Citizen science training for water quality monitoring, so volunteers can gather data that actually informs conservation decisions.

Beach cleanup coordination and seasonal restoration drives along the shoreline, open to anyone who wants to help.

Who we serve

Teachers looking for reliable marine resources, families wanting meaningful coastal experiences, and volunteers ready to contribute their time to local waterways.

Our approach

Plain-language guides, guided tidal pool explorations, and a digital library of marine biology resources that make complex topics approachable for every age group.

Why it matters

South Africa's coastline holds extraordinary biodiversity, from endangered African penguins to delicate kelp forests. Protecting these ecosystems starts with understanding them. Our programs turn that understanding into measurable community action — cleaner beaches, better data, and more informed decisions about the water we all share.

Cookie settings

We use cookies to keep the site reliable, remember basic choices, and understand which pages are useful. You can accept, reject, or review the settings before continuing.