Karumbé Marine Turtle Center – Uruguay (2009)

Uruguayan organization Karumbé promotes the preservation of marine wildlife through research and environmental education, focusing in particular on flagship species such as sea turtles. The Karumbé Marine Turtle Center, near the capital city of Montevideo, is a unique space designed to support and advance the conservation of sea turtles and their habitats. In 2009, a SWOT Outreach grant helped fund Karumbé’s ongoing education and awareness program along the Uruguayan coast.

 During the campaign, Karumbé staff members used SWOT Reports while leading discussions in schools, teaching workshops at universities, and meeting with fishermen in villages. Karumbé also held a sea turtle drawing contest among schoolchildren, using the beautiful photographs in the SWOT Reports as inspiration. The winning team was awarded the honor of painting a mural on the wall of Karumbé’s new Marine Turtle Center, which is due to open in early 2010. the center, aimed at schoolchildren, fishermen, and tourists, will feature exhibits on the importance of responsible fisheries, the threats of marine pollution, and the challenges of climate change.