Sheba Hope Advocate Program

As part of the Sheba Hope Grows movement, lucky candidates, partnered alongside two Indonesian host Hope Advocates, from around the world are offered the opportunity of a lifetime, to experience the journey of coral restoration first-hand.

Since we revealed the letters HOPE spelled out on the ocean floor in May 2021, the public response and support has been inspiring. Thousands have actively contributed to the program but the most common question remained unanswered until now. “How can I visit HOPE Reef and help with the restoration?”. We know this is an opportunity our growing community is passionate about, and therefore an experience we were so committed to deliver.

Hope Reef, Indonesia

Sheba Hope Advocate Program 2022

In 2022, five lucky candidates visited the iconic Hope Reef at Mars's largest restoration site in Makassar, Indonesia. During their 10-day visit, participants took part in active coral restoration, met the local Bontosua community and captured their contents, stories and interviews to raise awareness.

Local community taking part in the coral tying process

"I was left feeling incredibly inspired after spending a week in the Maldives contributing to the SHEBA® Hope Grows restoration project, in partnership with the Maldives Coral Institute as the first UK Hope Advocate. A big highlight for me was the people I met, from the passionate team and volunteers to the friendly islanders who welcomed us into their homes and shared their stories of the reef with us. I came back to the UK feeling incredibly empowered to continue my journey within marine conservation, and I'm super grateful to be involved in the next stages of this ambitious and successful program as it expands across the globe."

Rebecca Daniel

SHEBA® Hope Grows Advocate 2022

Sheba Hope Advocate Program 2023

In the second year of the advocate program, seven lucky candidates from around the world were selected for the opportunity of a lifetime – to restore coral reefs in person at Hope Reef within the Spermonde Archipelago, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. They received practical restoration training, worked with local community members, and restored an area of coral reef using Reef Stars.