Please support Isla de Tierra Bomba!

Yassandra Marcela Castro Barrios is a 19 year old native Afro Colombian woman. She is the only person from her island, Tierra Bomba, to study Marine Biology and is using her knowledge to pioneer the protection of the reef surrounding her home.

Director duo Joya and Lucy (The Right To Roam Films ) feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to tell Yassandra’s story by making a short documentary to share her story with the rest of the world. Dive Tierra Bomba Dive is a film about Yassandra's dreams of uniting her community to lead the conservation of the reef.

Isla de Tierra Bomba is an island1km off the coast of Cartagena, inhabited by an Afro- Caribbean community who survive mainly from fishing off the reef that surrounds the island. Completely neglected by the Colombian government, they have limited access to healthcare, proper waste disposal & education.

In recent years, the islands precious reef has become increasingly vulnerable to pollution, dredging and climate change. A passage for huge Cargo ships runs just a few hundred metres off their shores. All day, every day, we witnessed ginormous ships passing back and forth, releasing toxins and polluting the ocean. With money as the motive, driven by the capitalist city just 1km away, the industry continues to destroy the reef by dredging to build wider canals and structures that interfere with the eco system. With large parts of the coral reef dead, the fish numbers are depleting dramatically. Fishermen from Bocachica are struggling to catch enough for the survival of their families and have turned to dynamite fishing, adding another great threat to the coral.

The diving organisation Paraiso Dive, began a programme teaching young islanders to dive in order to empower them to appreciate and protect the reef. Through this course, Yassandra is achieving her PADI qualifications. Learning to dive has opened up a new world for Yassandra, a world that most other islanders have never experienced. She is a first hand witness of the coral reef that feed her community,and how rapidly it is being destroyed. Yassandra has set out to conserve the reef by uniting the generations of islanders, to come together and stand up against the threats,a treatthat could eventually end in forced climate migration from their home land. 

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Yassandra was not able to return to university and she must prioritise other personal commitments to the island. 

The motivation of this fundraiser is to help give the people of Bocachica the resources they need to protect the reef and we must ensure that the money is used in the most impactful way to do so.

The money from this fundraiser will go towards Paraiso Dive's latest project on the island, Project Sinergia - https://en.sinergia.live
The organisation are integral to the support of the Bocachican people and protection of the Varadero reef. Throughout the last few months, they have been building a space on the island to bring the community together, using science, art and diving, to educate and inspire a conservation movement.

In their latest updates, they had been teaching the first lessons in the hub, to the thriving youth group who are progressing through their open water diving certification.

We believe that by donating to their project, we continue to use the money to support the  people of Tierra Bomba, young and old,  including Yassandra. Creating opportunities for all to learn how to dive, strengthen community and have more access to vital resources, education and infrastructures.

Projecto Sinergia will also be carrying out direct conservation and scientific exploration of the reef.
 In a world were coral is becoming increasingly extinct, it is crucial we protect this ecological site of ‘hope’

We hope that you feel content with your donation being redirected in this way. For any queries or issues, please contact Lucy and Joya at [email redacted]

We are so grateful for a small donation to this fundraiser. Please be a part of this movement, help ing empower young global environmental leaders and contributing to the survival of Tierra Bomba. 

Watch the full film live at https://www.redbull.com/int-en/episodes/dive-tierra-bomba-dive