Photo by Saskia Koerner

Aaniyah has worked in conservation for more than 10 years, at WWF South Africa from 2001 until she resigned as Manager of the Marine Programme in 2010. Her most significant contribution to marine conservation was being part of a team that worked towards the proclamation of the Prince Edward Islands as the first offshore Marine Protected Area for South Africa. She now consults to various organisations and her focus is People and Conservation. In November 2017 she founded and registered a non-profit company – The Beach Co-op – which started in March 2015 as a voluntary group cleaning and documenting what they found at Surfers Corner in Muizenberg every new moon. The Beach Co-op is on a mission to reduce and eliminate single-use plastic to ensure that our marine environment and ultimately the air that we breathe remains healthy. In addition to this she is also a business partner in and co-author of children’s colouring and activity books by Creative Nature.

Photo by Juliette Bisset

Photo by Tereza Cervinkova

What makes you YOU in one sentence?

I love the ocean and being outdoors – without it I would not be able to survive. I need time in wild places and away from the rat race to keep sane and happy.

How will your outlook on life improve the world?

I remain positive despite the odds. Always trying to find solutions, and to work together with those who want to make a difference too.

Photo by Lisa Beasley

 Follow Aaniyah and the Beach Co-Op:

Facebook page: @Thebeachcoop

Instagram: @thebeachco_op

Twitter: @thebeachcoopza

Website: 

Photo by Saskia Koerner

Aaniyah has worked in conservation for more than 10 years, at WWF South Africa from 2001 until she resigned as Manager of the Marine Programme in 2010. Her most significant contribution to marine conservation was being part of a team that worked towards the proclamation of the Prince Edward Islands as the first offshore Marine Protected Area for South Africa. She now consults to various organisations and her focus is People and Conservation. In November 2017 she founded and registered a non-profit company – The Beach Co-op – which started in March 2015 as a voluntary group cleaning and documenting what they found at Surfers Corner in Muizenberg every new moon. The Beach Co-op is on a mission to reduce and eliminate single-use plastic to ensure that our marine environment and ultimately the air that we breathe remains healthy. In addition to this she is also a business partner in and co-author of children’s colouring and activity books by Creative Nature.

Photo by Juliette Bisset

Photo by Tereza Cervinkova

What makes you YOU in one sentence?

I love the ocean and being outdoors – without it I would not be able to survive. I need time in wild places and away from the rat race to keep sane and happy.

How will your outlook on life improve the world?

I remain positive despite the odds. Always trying to find solutions, and to work together with those who want to make a difference too.

Photo by Lisa Beasley

 Follow Aaniyah and the Beach Co-Op:

Facebook page: @Thebeachcoop

Instagram: @thebeachco_op

Twitter: @thebeachcoopza

Website: https://www.thebeachcoop.org