5 Week Research Program

We are currently offering positions for a select number of participants on the following program dates:

2024
26th May – 30th June (Ending 7th July inc. safari)
30th June – 4th August (Ending 11th August inc. safari)
11th August – 15th September (Ending 22nd September inc. safari)
15th September – 20th October (Ending 27th October inc. safari)

Program Fee: £1995
Program Plus Safari Fee: £3195

PREREQUISITES

Applicants must be studying or have studied a relevant degree area. Please enquire at info@lovetheoceans.org if you’re unsure if your degree is relevant to marine conservation. Not qualified? Don’t worry, you can apply for our Conservation Adventure Program or our 2 week program.

Applicants must be +18 on the time of arrival. We’re busy developing an under 18s program at the moment. Watch this space!

Applicants must be at least PADI Open Water qualified. If you are not Open Water qualified, it is possible to come and do your Open Water the week before your program starts at an extra cost. Please email info@lovetheoceans.org for details.

It’s important to know where your money is going. For a full price breakdown please click here.

As a Love The Oceans Field Assistant you form an essential part of our team. During your program, you will be support the following activities:

Megafauna surveys
Fisheries research
Teaching and painting at the local schools
Coral reef surveys
Ocean Trash Research
Swimming Lessons

We highly recommend joining us for the week safari, making it a 6 week trip, since it is not too far away from Jangamo and is another incredible experience.

Our field assistants have Saturday mornings and Sundays to participate in optional extra activities such as surf lessons, boating trips or just relaxing on the beach. Saturday afternoons will be spent teaching the local school children how to swim.

After you have settled in, your program will start with an intense training week. We aim to ensure that everyone on the program has the same level of knowledge about LTO, the conservation work we do and your role and responsibilities as an LTO field assistant. In this week you’ll learn about your next month in Mozambique and we will get to know each other better, refresh diving skills and learn new skills as you come up to speed with the research requirements.

Conservation science is very complex so at Love The Oceans we aim to provide you with the basic knowledge and skills to allow you to go on to develop your own projects and continue with Conservation Science. You will participate in a series of educational lectures led by our marine biologists during your first week with us, based around our specific areas of research and community outreach. Want to use our data for your dissertation? No problem. Find out how here.

Toward the end of training week you will be placed into a team and will rotate around the following key activities:

CORAL REEF SURVEYS

We believe we’re in a biodiversity hotspot and we need coral reef data to prove our area is worth protecting. You will be trained in LTO’s coral reef methodology and once trained, you will conduct LTO surveys on your dives.

LTO collects this data to develop a robust dataset which will provide the evidence base required to effectively lobby for changes to certain fishing legislation and a Marine Protected Area (MPA) to be established. Securing an MPA will create opportunities for eco-tourism, bringing income into the region, and providing a viable alternative to unsustainable fishing.

TEACHING AND PAINTING

Educating the next generation of fishermen in schools about sustainable fishing and why the ocean is important is key to increasing ocean stewardship and protection.

As part of your expedition, you will assist our Community Outreach Manager Pascoal at Guinjata and Paindane School. You will be teaching 10-13 year olds about the marine environment, as well as basic biology, geography, marine resource management and sea safety. You’ll do this usually for 3-5 days during your time with us – it’s dependent on what the schools request.

The Government does not have enough money to provide the standard of learning facilities the children need. Every year we fundraise for money specifically to improve the school facilities in consultation with the local community.

We strongly believe in supporting the local community, and as such we employ local builders to complete the desired construction work to put money back into the local economy. Our expedition participants then enhance this by painting educational murals on the walls.

This is your opportunity to get creative and design a mural and spend your time between teaching bringing your art to life for the children.

OCEAN TRASH

Unfortunately plastic pollution is a problem the world over. We’re on the edge of the Indian Ocean Garbage Patch which spans approximately 5 million kilometres squared. One of the most efficient and easiest way to remove trash from the ocean is through beach cleans.

We’ve committed to doing at least 2 beach cleans a week and weighing and logging what we collect to work out if it is international or local trash and what we can do to reduce this pollution. So far LTO has collected over 1000kg of trash off the beach.

After we have collected the trash off the beaches, we process it – wash & dry it – and then we processing the trash, up-cycling it into new items using our trash machine from SeaMonkey. You will get to use and see this trash machine yourself while you’re with us.

MEGAFAUNA SURVEYS

Humpback whales migrate through our waters from June – November. LTO is collecting data on these magnificent creatures, looking at surface behaviour, pod formation and bioacoustics, never before studied in our area.

After training you will boat ride with a camera, binoculars, a hydrophone and survey sheets in order to record humpback whale vocalisations, sightings and IDs (during the season) and any other megafauna (whale sharks, mantas and dolphins are residential). You’ll go out on the dive boat to conduct the whale surveys. We also have visiting scientists throughout the year and you may get the chance to learn aerial surveying techniques via drone.

FISHERIES

Collecting fisheries data allows us to assess how sustainable local fisheries are. From these assessments, eventually we would like to determine minimum landing size for individual species, as well as changing certain fishing legislation.

We cover two fisheries sites; Guinjata Bay and Paindane Bay. A third may be sporadically covered from time to time. Both sites have active local fishermen. The Guinjata research site is next to our base, while the Paindane research site is a 45minute walk. Expect to walk to both sites. Every group will have a mobile phone so help is always at hand.

Every day on fisheries you will be responsible for recording the data into the logs along with the corresponding images (checking shark and ray IDs with a field specialist if you are unsure), cleaning the collected shark/ray vertebrae, and ensuring equipment is clean and stored.

SWIMMING LESSONS

Few local children are confident in the water. Part of our commitment to the community is teaching 4-18 year old local children swimming on weekends. As part of your program you’ll assist our qualified swim teachers with lessons.

We do this to improve water safety skills and reduce drownings, reducing fear and igniting passion for the marine environment in the younger generations.

Learning to swim also opens up career options. This swimming initiative feeds into our Ocean Conservation Champion program, which empowers the next generation of ocean stewards.

SAFARI (OPTIONAL)

After 5 weeks in Jangamo, you have the option to go on safari in South Africa and explore the stunning Balule Private Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger Ecosystem with our amazing ethical partners Campfire Academy. We LOVE it here. All accommodation and overland transport to the safari lodge and onto Johannesburg airport is included, but the drinks are on you!

This is one of the best spots for spotting the Big 5 our team have ever come across, with one of the most ethical operators in Southern Africa. You will be taken on game drives, bush walks, and participate in ecology, conservation management and sustainable tourism lectures and walks – all with a very experienced field guide. You’ll learn how to track animals and pick up trails. You’ll have a sleep-out under the stars in the bush. You’ll learn what it’s like to be a ranger from experienced professionals.

There will be a scenic tour through the Drakensburg Mountains to see the iconic God’s Window, the Three Sisters and the spectacular Bourke’s Luck Potholes. When it’s time to say good-bye, you will be transported to Johannesburg Airport to arrive Sunday evening.

WEEKEND ACTIVITIES

There are a variety of adventures available around the local area which have proved great fun. You will have the opportunity to participate in at least two of the below adventure trips depending on the time of year, weather and availability. You can pay for these while you’re in Mozambique, no need to pre-book:

Fish Tagging Trip – learn how to tag fish and help contribute to an international database
Surf Trip – Day trip to Tofo (a surf hub) for a fun surf lesson, shop around the local market and the chance to enjoy some delicious cakes
Seahorse snorkel trip – snorkel Inhambane estuary hunting for seahorses
City Walking Tour – discover more of the history of the City of Inhambane in a 3 hour walking tour
SUP Rio Mutamba trip – SUP down the Rio Mutamba river to spot monkeys, eagles, flamingos and much more!
PADI dive qualifications – we’re partnered with a PADI 5 * Centre and you can increase you dive qualifications over the weekend
Birding trip – explore the forests of Mozambique for game and spectacular birds!

We stay on the stunning beach in Jangamo, on the side of the Indian Ocean. Our accommodation is rustic and rooms will hold a maximum of 4 people. Running water, hot water and electricity is available at all times… with the exception of a few power cuts! Mosquito nets are provided.

Your program is fully catered, however you may want to bring money for internet, drinks and treats. Bring a network unlocked mobile phone with you in order to buy a local sim for internet as there is no wifi available. The local shop is a short walk away and holds a few western treasures.

For more information, enquire below, email info@lovetheoceans.org or check out our FAQs page.

After I’ve been on a program, what other opportunities are there for me with Love The Oceans?

After you join us on one of our programs, there are plenty of on-going opportunities to stay involved in the organisation and utilise our connections to get a leg up in your career.

You’ll have the opportunity to apply for our Internship which involves coming out to Mozambique with your in-country expenses covered. Our internship is only open to past volunteers and you can do this while still at university.

Once you have graduated you can apply for a seasonal staff role with us. We look kindly on applications from past program participants because we have got to know you as a field assistant in Mozambique and you’ll know how things run. You will start off in a seasonal role and this could move into something more long-term in Mozambique or the UK.

On completion of your program you’ll also be added to our alumni job network. That means you’ll have access to our connections, events, and other internships we know other NGOs are offering. You’ll be able to utilise our extensive network within the industry. If you’ve volunteered with us in the past and we think you’d fit a role, we’ll happily put you forward.

During your time on program you will also receive a performance review. This will form the basis for your job reference, which we will be happy to provide a future employer with on request, if you wish.