Welcome to Turtle Up

There Is No “Plan B”

We all have a responsibility to protect our environment, its natural resources and, where  possible, to repair damage and reverse trends. Sea turtle conservation is an important part of environmental protection because of the key role they play in maintaining healthy ecosystems  on land and in the ocean.

Turtle Up is about conservation, education, and community transformation. Our work is focused  on conserving and protecting sea turtles in Ghana. When under-resourced Ghanaian community  members do not have enough to eat because there are fewer fish to catch due to pollution, or  farmers do not reap what they used to because of global warming, community members are  forced to find other ways to survive, e.g., poaching turtles or their eggs.

At the heart of our mission, vision, and daily work are the 3Ps: Planet, people, and profit (in this  case excess income because we are a non-profit organization (501©3). We are committed to re-invest our excess income to sea turtle conservation and the local coastal communities. We  believe that when people are educated about humankind’s impact on the environment and they  are given steady jobs and incomes, they will thrive, thus breaking the cycle of material poverty.

The framework for our work is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)  (https://sdgs.un.org/goals). Our signature pedagogy is fair trade learning which includes  collaboration at all stages of our work and a community approach to conservation, as well as  responsible travel and consumerism. At Turtle Up, we value: 1) transparency, 2) respect for self,  others, the environment, and the knowledge of the communities with whom we partner; 3)  collaboration; 4) integrity; 5) sustainability; and 6) equity & inclusion.

Turtle Up’s work positively impacts all the SDGs directly or indirectly.

Our Story

I grew up in Normandy, France spending time in trees and in rivers observing and enjoying the fauna and flora. My house was full of dogs and cats, and at one-point, there were many other large animals on the property. When I was two-years-old, my mom was looking for me, only to find me eating Jojo’s (the family’s German shepherd) food. Many other times, I could be found curled up with a cat in a bale of hay. It was not uncommon to find new born lambs in our kitchen, and I would always volunteer to give them their bottles. Basically, wherever there was an animal, I could be found. Since 12-years-old, I have been fascinated by sea turtles. Who would not be? They have been around for over 130 million years and play a key role in providing a healthy environment on land and in the ocean. They represent wisdom, patience, persistence, and resilience. They are elegant and graceful. Unfortunately, all seven species are threatened by extinction.

In 2017, I was fortunate to go to Rwanda to see the silver back gorillas, an unforgettable experience. In Rwanda, the people who used to kill the gorillas to make a living became the tour guides. These former poachers now run the cultural village and welcome thousands of tourists each year. I reflected on the model and knew that an idea such as Turtle Up would come to existence one day. My family lives in New Ningo Prampram, Ghana, home of the largest sea turtle hatchery in the country. Turtle Up is my passion project because it combines helping the sea turtles and their habitat, while also working with the locals and generating income for the community.

At Turtle Up, we aim to:

• Preserve and protect Ghana’s sea turtles.
• Offer unique hands-on immersive eco trips for students and professionals that embrace
  fair trade learning principle.

As a byproduct outcome Turtle Up will help the economic development of New Ningo Prampram and the neighboring communities. Turtle Up  is committed to donate all its excess income to sea turtle conservation efforts.

By Corinne Brion