Diversity in the ocean space and helping kids learn to love and protect nature with Zandi Ndhlovu, freediver and founder of The Black Mermaid Foundation

In today’s episode I’m chatting with Zandi Ndhlovu – an ocean explorer, South Africa’s first Black woman free diving instructor and the founder of the Black Mermaid Foundation. Zandi discovered free diving when she was 28, and fell in love with this beautiful practice and the underwater world. Ever since she’s been using her voice to advocate for more diversity and access in the ocean space and change the narrative that black people don’t belong in the ocean.

Through the Black Mermaid Foundation she started in 2020 in Cape Town, she teaches local kids how to swim and helps them discover the wonders of the ocean through snorkeling. She told me how she realised that working with kids had a much broader impact on the community, as they come home from a snorkeling adventure and tell their parents all about what they have learned and discovered that day. She also said that kids are the leaders and decision makers of tomorrow, and so by getting them to understand the ocean, they will learn to love it and want to protect it. She told me how they’re usually terrified of getting into the water but once they do, they gradually learn to love it and marvel at the beauty of what they see.

Want to dive deeper?

• The Black Mermaid Foundation - https://www.blackmermaid.co.za/home-1
• To get in touch with the foundation directly - blackmermaidinfo@gmail.com
• Watch WaterBear’s documentary about Zandi - https://www.waterbear.com/watch/the-black-mermaid

Come say hi!

• Zandi on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zandithemermaid/
• The Black Mermaid Foundation on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theblackmermaid_foundation
• Why We Care on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/whywecarepodcast/
• Tiphaine on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tiphainemarie_/
• Discover Earth on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/discoverearth/

If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it. A big thank you as well to Discover Earth for partnering with Why We Care and helping raise awareness of the importance of ocean conservation.

Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love!

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