Navigating in good winds
In the first days of October I arrived in Barcelona to start a great journey of 6 months. The city that is lit by the sun all year round, has works of art, sea and mountains, is also being the city that is opening me great doors for my professional development. Of course, with many challenges!
Some months ago in London, I found a host company that sparked me enchantment: An international consultancy and social enterprise specialised in ocean sustainability, acting as a liaison between companies, governmental and non-governmental organizations, research centres and other institutions that have a relationship with the marine environment, providing consultancy services, build capacity, and creating awareness for marine conservation.
Wow! This is Oceanogami! Founded by a PhD Marine Biologist and Entrepreneur, Oceanogami has been standing out locally in Barcelona and in international projects. It was everything I needed to gain expertise, networking and develop skills.
I graduated in Science and Technology in Brazil in 2016 and soon afterwards I won a scholarship to study Environmental Sciences in southern Spain. I took advantage of this great opportunity to specialize in environmental issues as well as to move to Portugal and study Marine Sciences. All this time was an excellent period to develop technical knowledge, but also a lot of self-knowledge in which I could really understand great purposes: One of them was to dedicate myself to marine conservation causes.
Since then, I have worked in marine conservation institutions along the coast and ocean islands in Brazil and also as an environmental educator. Today I seek to start my own social enterprise focused on generating opportunities and transferring wealth through education actions and environmental awareness focused on the marine environment.
Here at Oceanogami, we are currently working on consulting projects to make companies more sustainable in their actions and also in responsible marine tourism projects. We also participate in collaborations with projects from other institutions. In the photo, we are collaborating on a research project in partnership with other institutions and universities on microplastic. We collect this waste on the beaches of Barcelona with volunteers using kayaks or Padle surf boards, where we have the opportunity to develop environmental awareness issues with the community and actively participate in research projects, all using citizen science techniques.
In all this professional trajectory, which is linked to this greater purpose of marine conservation and all life that is connected with this environment, being able to be where I am today through the Erasmus Entrepreneur Program, is a great achievement and a great opportunity to give a step to success.
These first days have been so intense and full of life that at the end of the afternoon, the orange of the sun mixed with the blue of the sea transcribes the peace of knowing that I am navigating in the right way.
