Insights and Inspiration from Foga Agbetossou's Journey

Written by Vanessa Vu (Diverseas Volunteer & Creative Writer) | Edited by Kira Jensen (Ocean Literacy Projects Intern) | Interviewed by Brigitta Gunawan (Founder of Diverseas)

Developing leaders, cultivating ideas, and accelerating solutions. These are the goals of Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA), an organisation that cultivates a global network of leaders, mentors, advocates, and entrepreneurs with one goal in mind:to restore the health of the ocean in our lifetime. The SOA has supported young people in leading ocean conservation projects and initiatives since 2014, and the team at Diverseas was given the wonderful opportunity to speak with Foga Agbetossou, one of SOA’s Hub leaders. 

As of March this year, Foga took on the role of Hub leader for Togo, a small country in West Africa. As a new Hub leader, Foga is working on initiating two main projects: a sensitisation project to help increase people’s awareness about the ocean, and a beach clean-up project. When asked about what he found most rewarding as a Hub leader, Foga described  that it was feeling a communal sense of passion and enthusiasm to restore the health of the ocean that matches his own.  Throughout the conversation, it was impossible to overlook Foga’s infectious passion for the ocean, yet his journey towards working in the ocean conservation space was not as linear as one might assume.

As a high school senior, Foga studied and specialised in Arts. At that time, it was difficult to imagine that he would end up pursuing studies in science and oceanography, though he soon learned that sometimes you luckily  encounter rare and wonderful people who change the direction of your life. Upon entering university, he was advised by a mentor to study geography,  and so he did. According to him, this turned out to be the best choice he had ever made in his academic career. For the first two years of his studies, he felt unsure and uncomfortable. Though by the time of his third year  studying geography, Foga met a professor whose lectures instilled into him the passion for oceanography. In Foga’s own words, hearing him teach was “like a fire burning in my heart.” He then went on to pursue a Master’s in oceanography and limnology, and is continuing to make strides in ocean conservation efforts in Togo.

Foga’s story is not only inspiring, but also encouraging for students and young people who are unsure of whether they can contribute to or have a career in ocean conservation. His advice for young people is that regardless of your educational background, the key ingredient is passion; he describes that “...you don’t need any specific, technical skill,” but the “ability to transfer what you are thinking about marine conservation into people’s hearts [...] I would definitely encourage [young people] to venture into ocean or marine conservation.”

Notably, Foga  emphasized that a career in marine conservation can be extremely rewarding, as you are not only “safeguarding the environment” and sharing knowledge with the general public, but also pursuing a fruitful professional career that can help you make it in life. He also  describes that in Togo, there are many channels and areas in oceanography waiting for motivated people to make a difference. Foga’s story is equal parts inspiring and encouraging, and we hope that it can embolden young people to engage in ocean conservation wherever and whoever they are.