On 26–27 September 2025, the first Hifadhi Blu cohort gathered in Mombasa, Kenya for an intensive two-day sprint of peer learning, honest reflection, and practical planning to strengthen site-level marine management across the Western Indian Ocean.
From the opening round of introductions to the final “what we’re taking forward” recap, the workshop stayed true to its purpose: share real progress, pressure-test monitoring plans, and design concrete cross-site exchanges—while weaving gender equity, inclusion, and climate resilience into the work each team is already doing.
The two days were packed with activity and dialogue. On the first day, project teams from Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA), SANParks, and WILDTRUST shared updates from their sites, sparking guided discussions that surfaced both strengths and persistent challenges. The room quickly moved from presentations to collaboration as facilitators paired sites on shared issues and began shaping learning exchanges—ranging from informal “buddy calls” to potential on-site visits.
The second day took a deeper dive into project logic and monitoring. Each site presented its monitoring plan using a structured Monitoring Canvas, focusing feedback on outcomes, indicators, feasibility, and how learning, equity, and climate considerations are built into day-to-day management. The session helped grantees sharpen their indicators and identify what data will be most useful to track real progress.
The day closed with a hands-on segment on gender and climate integration, using the Secondary Goals Integration Worksheet developed under the Hifadhi Blu Gender Action Plan. Each team identified one or two concrete, measurable actions to strengthen equity and inclusion within their ongoing project activities—keeping gender goals embedded in delivery, not isolated in a separate workstream.
By the end of the workshop, teams walked away with refined monitoring frameworks, documented peer feedback, and a shortlist of exchange ideas grounded in shared needs and strengths. As one participant put it, “This wasn’t a showcase. It was a work session—teams left with tighter plans, clearer measures, and partners they can call next week.”
The energy in the room reflected what Hifadhi Blu is all about: collaboration, co-creation, and community. The cohort now shifts from planning to implementation, supported by WIOMSA and partners through upcoming reporting cycles, travel for site exchanges, and targeted follow-ups.
Across the WIO, the first Hifadhi Blu cohort is moving forward together—strengthening marine management not in isolation, but through a connected, learning network of practitioners driving change from the ground up.