Frank Mollel

Tanzanian Frank Mollel, aka The Masai Diver, is fighting to protect local marine ecosystems, but he doesn’t want to do it alone. “I want to provide knowledge and to empower the local community on how to preserve and protect our ocean ecosystem,” says the PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer. So, in 2019, he founded Linda Bahari, which in Swahili means, appropriately, “protect our ocean.” 

Linda Bahari runs two three-month courses a year providing basic training in snorkeling, marine science, waste management, artificial reef workshops, coral reforestation, reef monitoring and underwater/beach cleanups for six to eight students from the local Matemwe area of Zanzibar. Linda Bahari goes even further by offering PADI training to these students – most of whom come from multi-generational fishing families – including Open Water Diver through Rescue Diver, as well as Fish ID and Peak Performance Buoyancy specialties. 

Throughout the duration of each course, students also visit different NGOs on the island to learn project details, and they monitor and enhance an artificial reef in front of the Sunshine Marine Lodge. “By monitoring and doing coral restoration, we hope to provide information to assist and understand how preserving the oceanic life and corals is more beneficial for the local environment.”