Ocean Mamaz
Women Leading Coastal Restoration
Along the shores of Kilifi, a powerful women-led movement is taking root. The Ocean Mamaz are a self-organised collective of 16 women, registered as a community group in 2023, who are leading efforts to restore coastal ecosystems while building sustainable livelihoods. Rooted in the Mijikenda (Giriama) community, they are not just cleaning beaches — they are creating a model where environmental restoration and economic resilience go hand in hand.
Weekly Action & Marine Impact
The Ocean Mamaz operate through consistent, weekly activities that link environmental conservation with livelihood generation. Their work spans beach clean-ups to remove ocean-bound plastic, regenerative community gardening where they grow crops such as mchicha to support household food security, and compost production that restores soil health while generating income. Alongside this, they create upcycled products from collected waste, transforming pollution into value.
This integrated, hands-on approach ensures that each activity reinforces the next — building a circular system where waste recovery, food production, and income generation work together to strengthen both community resilience and ecosystem health.
Education Through Action
The influence of the Ocean Mamaz extends into the next generation, as beautifully exemplified by Sally Moguvelo, the team captain. Sally involves her daughter in the clean-ups, instilling in her a profound understanding of the impacts of plastic pollution. "With the work I do at Ocean Sole, cleaning our beaches weekly, I sometimes involve my daughter (8 years old) to participate in the cleans. Through that, she is educated about plastic pollution and she knows throwing plastic anywhere is harmful to the fish and turtles," shares Sally.
Partnerships for Greater Impact
Their commitment has attracted the attention of major conservation organizations like World Wildlife Fund-Kenya, Plan International, Kenya Wildlife Service and Hand in Hand Eastern Africa, which have offered additional training and support. By partnering with Friends of Nature and supported by Leaf Charity, the Ocean Mamaz also engage in mangrove planting, further protecting the coastal ecosystems that are vital to their community. To date their organised groups have planted over 24,000 mangroves.
Continuous Impact
The Ocean Mamaz maintain consistent, year-round engagement in conservation activities, combining environmental work with income-generating opportunities. As women from fishing communities, the alternative income streams they create — through compost production, regenerative farming, and upcycling — directly support household resilience while indirectly reducing pressure on fisheries. Revenue generated is reinvested into their collective fund, supporting household needs, small businesses, and long-term financial independence.
A Model of Community Empowerment
The Ocean Mamaz demonstrate that environmental conservation and economic empowerment are not separate goals — they are mutually reinforcing. By placing women at the center of scalable livelihood systems, they are reducing pressure on marine ecosystems while strengthening community resilience. Their model offers a practical, replicable approach for coastal communities facing similar challenges.
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Join us in supporting the Ocean Mamaz, who are truly transforming the landscape of conservation and community empowerment. Their dedication is a beacon of hope and an inspiring model for communities worldwide.