Impact Above Water
When we install Reef Stars, we don’t just regrow coral. We spark a global movement of long-lasting and meaningful partnerships that expand our impact far beyond the reefs we are directly restoring.
Impact Above Water
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Stories of Hope
When we install Reef Stars, we don't just grow Hope for the coral reefs we're restoring. We grow and spread Hope for each person who is part of the journey, providing tangible evidence that there are man-made solutions for man-made problems.
Marion Thebault
Sheba Hope Grows Collective Champion, France
Ledama Masidza
Sheba Hope Grows Ambassador, Kenya
Jane Cita
Sheba Hope Grows Ambassador, Indonesia
Maserati
Sheba Hope Grows Ambassador, Indonesia
Marion Thebault
Sheba Hope Grows Collective Champion, France
Hi everyone, I'm Marion, I am French, currently living in Paris and have a big passion for the Ocean & Music! I joined Mars as my first company 6 years ago and have grown and developed in the organization since then. In 2020, I joined the Sheba team as the European Brand Manager. Mars gave me this amazing opportunity to combine my passion for the Ocean with work, leading the exciting launch of the Sheba Hope Grows program in EU. Working on this project helped me understand the urgency of the coral reef situation and awakened a new life purpose for me. Since then, I have been diving more and more, obtained qualifications and became a coral gardener in partnership with a French NGO that restores coral reefs. I feel proud to work for a company who cares and act for this important cause, and to be part of the Sheba Hope Grows movement.
The Sheba Hope Grows program has awakened a new life purpose for me! This is the beginning of an amazing journey to restore this beautiful ecosystem, and I am so excited by what’s coming next!
Ledama Masidza
Sheba Hope Grows Ambassador, Kenya
Ledama Masidza is an emerging young Kenyan leader in marine conservation and community empowerment, fueled by an unwavering love for the ocean. Advocating for sustainability, Ledama drives transformative initiatives that champion community-led conservation and sustainable policies. His compelling stories and initiatives resonate globally, capturing hearts while bolstering coastal communities and revitalizing marine ecosystems.
To lose the ocean is to lose the very essence of life itself
Jane Cita
Sheba Hope Grows Ambassador, Indonesia
Jane is an early career standout marine scientist, currently undertaking her Masters degree of marine science at IPB University. Jane took part in Mars' Coral Reef Restoration Science Fieldwork Expeditions, where she was mentored in restoration science and monitoring by renowned scientists Dr. Timothy Lamont, Ben Williams, Jason Lynch and Dr. Ines Lange. Now a student intern at Lancaster University, UK, Jane is completing her Master's program dissertation in collaboration with Dr Tim Lamont. Jane's research, conducted at Pulau Bontosua quantifies the community development of fishes on the restored reefs, to understand how coral restoration is impacting local fish communities.
Having an opportunity to be part of the Sheba Hope program, has given me a valuable experience in seeing how coral reefs come back life. I was impressed by the program and its team because it's not just about planting coral; it’s a long-term commitment where everyone working together to create a big impact on marine life. Seeing and learning how the team works to restore the degraded areas, develop the methods, maintain, and monitoring the restoration areas, has shown me that the key to successful reef restoration is commitment and teamwork. I am very proud and honored to be part to this project. I believe Sheba Hope Grows will continue its journey to create the better reef ecosystem for the future. Together we can protect the beauty of our coral reef.
Maserati
Sheba Hope Grows Ambassador, Indonesia
Maserati is a Master's Student in Marine Conservation at Universitas Padjadjaran. Being part of Mars' Coral Reef Restoration Science Fieldwork Expeditions, Sera was mentored in restoration science and monitoring by renowned scientists Dr. Timothy Lamont, Ben Williams, Jason Lynch and Dr. Ines Lange. Sera is now completing her Master's program dissertation at the University of Lancaster in collaboration with Dr Tim Lamont, focusing on fish behaviour on restored versus natural reefs in Pulau Bontosua. In 2024, Maserati shared her research at the Reef Conservation UK (RCUK) annual meeting in London, where she was awarded the Runner-Up for Best Poster.
The Sheba Hope program is truly amazing. Having the chance to join and be part of this project has been such a valuable experience for me. It has the largest and most sustainable coral reef restoration area I've ever seen. Learning how the team works to build coral restoration, and getting to know some of the researchers involved, made me realize that this is not just about knowledge or a project— their work has a significant impact on marine life and the world. A big thank you to Sheba Hope Grows for giving me this opportunity, as it has been the start of an incredible journey for me!
COMMUNITY DRIVEN
Our community driven impact reaches far beyond our local reefs and islands. We engage with community leaders and representatives, as well as regional and international universities, to make sure our reef restoration creates the maximum possible benefit for as many people as possible. We ensure to involve multiple stakeholders including local communities, NGOs, researchers, and agents of government, within every stage of the restoration process – from the development
of the MARRS its continued evolution and deployment. This includes how it’s integrated with local laws, and ultimately how it is monitored and used to inform future projects and policies.
OUR METHODS
As we share our methods, we are expanding into new collaborative projects with local communities and Traditional Owners in a range of different social and environmental contexts. We take a supply-chain approach to reef restoration; each link in the chain provides an opportunity for the local community to be directly involved. There are multiple entry points to the process, which increases the skills required and diversifies and expands participation. Consequently, large numbers of the local community are involved in restoration, with over 10% of the local Bontosuan Island community actively participating in restoration.
In addition to reef restoration, we provide funding & support for projects aimed at delivering sustainable ‘reef-based’ livelihoods, supporting community cohesion & engagement, and providing restoration training to increase the local capacity of the local community to restore their own local reefs.
For example, at our flagship site in Indonesia, members of the local Bontosuan Community received their PADI Open Water dive qualification and MARRS competency training to form the Bontosua Community Restoration Team (BCRT), capable of supporting future restoration builds and restoring their local reef. We also support schools in teaching children about the importance of coral reefs, through educational snorkelling and glass-bottom boat tours.
We are committed to the long-term sustainability of restoration and will continue to develop our community-based approach for years to come.
STREAMS OF DIFFERENT SKILLS
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Research & Innovation
We train partners across the world who share our vision for community-based restoration at scale.