WWF Everyday Heroes

Celebrating the Power of the Individual

The WWF Sanlam Living Waters Partnership recently honoured the first ever WWF Everyday Heroes. Everyday Heroes are special individuals outside the conservation sector who are doing extraordinary things to contribute towards WWF’s aquatic conservation goals.

The concept for Everyday Heroes came about in 2008 while during the write - up of the Living Waters Partnership’s Annual Report for that year. While discussing some of its major achievements, the Partnership realised that a lot of the ‘big-wins’ that we were reporting on were made possible by ordinary citizens - the Joes and Janes of the world, who have taken it upon themselves to contribute towards the work that we do - and ultimately the conservation of our country magnificent and life -giving aquatic resources.

Some of these individuals include farmers, IT whizzes, chefs, individuals with disabilities, business people and so on.

The following were chosen as the 2009/2010 WWF Everyday Heroes:

Lotar Shulz

Lotar Shulz receiving his awared from Valli Moosa

Lotar is a cane farmer and current Chairman of Midlands-North Canegrowers environment committee. He is also a member of the Better Sugarcane Technical Working Group whose task is to be involved in the development of the new global standards for responsible sugar production. He has tirelessly championed and supported the development of WWF’s SuSFarMS (Sustainable Farm Management Systems), to his fellow growers, the Union Co-op, and to the South African Sugar Association.

SuSFarMS grew out of a partnership started in 2001 between the WWF WESSA Mondi Wetlands Programme (MWP) and Noodsberg farmers. SuSFarMs has since become one of the first comprehensive sustainability frameworks for sugarcane growers, not only in Africa, but globally.

Lotar is an everyday hero because he has, for nearly 10 years, worked diligently and with unfailing sincerity and passion for the environment and the wellbeing of the people who depend on it for their livelihoods.

Ocean View Association for Persons with Disabilities

Deborah Gonzalves and Ivan Alberts of the Ocean View Center with Valli Moosa

A team of ten disabled individuals from the Ocean View Centre for the Disabled is involved in saving the lives of seabirds through their work of constructing tori lines and linecutters for the fishing industry. This initiative is a collaboration between the WWF Sustainable Fisheries Programme and the Kommetjie Environmental Awareness Group (KEAG).

Tori lines are ropes with streamers that fly behind fishing vessels scaring the birds away from danger areas and flying tori lines is one way of reducing seabird bycatch. The team supplies big fishing companies, with lines delivered on order throughout the year. The linecutter project has been championed with the help of a local engineer, Ivan Alberts, who offers his services at the Centre. Many turtles get hooked on the longlines of fishing vessels and drown. These linecutters enable fishermen to cut turtles and sharks off their lines when they get accidentally caught.

The people working on this project at the Ocean View Centre are everyday heroes because despite their physical limitations and their everyday challenges, their passion, dedication and craftsmanship help save thousands of marine animals every year.

Emily Adair

Emily receiving her award from Valli Moosa

Emily volunteers her personal time towards WWF’s Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI) programme. Her work has focused mainly on consumer awareness regarding the state of the world’s oceans and how consumer seafood choices can make a difference. She has given presentations to a number of consumer groups, women’s networks and professional organizations and also exhibited at expos. To date, Emily has engaged with over a thousand seafood consumers and she does so with great passion and dedication without any expectations for a reward.

Through her SASSI work, Emily has been a shining example of the characteristics encompassed by everyday heroes: she inspires and encourages the people that she meets; she believes in something bigger than herself; and lives her life according to her principles.

Fanyana Juju

Fanyana receiving his award from Valli Moosa

Fanyana, fondly known as uBab’Juju, is a member of the Dwesa Cwebe Community Trust. This trust was set up to liaise with the Eastern Cape Parks Board and other relevant stakeholders on behalf of communities adjacent the Dwesa Cwebe nature reserve and Marine Protected Area (MPA). He was one of the six community members from the Wild Coast region who was selected to participate in the first MPA Management Training Course to be held in the region as well as the first course to include community members. Based on the knowledge and the resources that he received from the course, Fanyana has taken the initiative to educate his community about MPAs, and more specifically about his local MPA- Dwesa Cwebe. He considers the opportunity to compare and merge his traditional knowledge about the sea and coastline with the scientific knowledge gained from the course as his greatest highlight of being part of the training.

Fanyana is an everyday hero because of his dedication and passion to educate his community about the importance of conserving their local marine heritage as well as supporting their local MPA. His efforts thus far have played a significant role in spreading the MPA message in the rural areas of the Wild Coast.

iVeri Payment Technologies

Barry Coetzee of iVeri Payment Technologies with Valli Moosa

Since SASSI’s FishMS service first went live in December 2006 it has responded to over 73 000 queries on sustainable seafood from over 18 000 different consumers around South Africa. This is largely thanks to Barry Coetzee, Roland Elferink and Tony Seebregts from iVeri Payment Technologies who developed the innovative system.

A significant amount of work has gone into developing the system, updating the FishMS database and compiling the monthly reports. Their efforts have also inspired others to give freely of their time and expertise to help SASSI’s cause. In return for the late nights and extra hours put into developing and maintaining these services, the only thing that they have asked for is that SASSI continues to work at raising awareness of the threats facing our marine resources.

Just another example of some everyday heroes who prove the point that no matter what industry you’re involved in, everyone can be a part of the solution.

Carol de Kock

Carol reveiving her award from Valli Moosa

Carol works as the secretary of the Fresh Tuna Exporters Association (FTEA) and is a strong, vibrant and enthusiastic person – personality traits needed when working with tough tuna fishermen! Since working with the Sustainable Fisheries Programme Carol has led the Associations decisions and actions to go for MSC certification. In addition, she has become a champion in promoting the WWF Responsible Fisheries training course within her work environment.

Since she has taken up our cause, 71 tuna pole skippers and 30 Fisheries Compliance Officers have completed the course. The tuna pole fishery is one which was featured last year as making significant changes to the way they fish since attending the course.

Carol is an everyday hero as she is going beyond her call of duty to ensure that consumers know about SASSI and that responsible fishing is implemented.

Mike Tannet

Mike receiving his award from Valli Moosa

Mike’s love for the marine environment and the desire to make a contribution towards the protection thereof led him to join Seawatch and become an invaluable member of the organisation. Seawatch is a neighbourhood watch type organisation operating between Rooiels and Kleinmond, concentrating on protecting the coast and its inshore marine resources from over-exploitation. This organisation was funded by WWF for the first five years of its existence.

Since the inception of Seawatch in 1996, Mike and the other members of the organisation have made numerous important contributions towards the prevention and control of poaching activities and the strengthening of marine conservation efforts in the Rooiels - Keinmond area. Most outstandingly, the Seawatch team has provided direct assistance to the various authorities in the prevention, apprehension, arrest and conviction of over 7000 poachers resulting in fines and jail terms.

Being at the forefront in the fight against poaching activities also comes with a lot of risks, the greatest being the continual threat of intimidation and personal injury to Mike and his family. It is this self-sacrifice, strong commitment and passion towards the protection of our marine resources that make Mike an Everyday Hero.

What makes an Everyday Hero?

1. WWF Everyday Heroes have overcome difficult challenges to do special activities, outside their normal everyday/work environment, in aid of aquatic conservation.

2. WWF Everyday Heroes deliver on activities that address aquatic conservation but are not employed by conservation organisations.

3. WWF Everyday Heroes’ ‘special projects’ feed directly (or indirectly) to the targets of the specific Keystone Programme or the entire Living Waters Partnership.

4. WWF Everyday Heroes play a key role in motivating others in their sphere of influence to become involved and pro-active.

WWF Everyday Heroes

Lotar Shulz

Ocean View Association for Persons with Disabilities

Emily Adair

Fanyana Juju

iVeri Payment Technologies

Carol de Kock

Mike Tannet

What makes an Everyday Hero?

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