2025/2026 YES Intern Program in partnership with wild Impact| eKhaya Storytelling and Dive Centre, Sodwana Bay
As our first large-scale intern program draws to a close, we turn the spotlight toward the voices, journeys and quiet breakthroughs of our interns — young professionals who stepped into the program with curiosity, courage and, in some cases, no clear expectation of what lay ahead. From arriving uncertain about where they fit, to navigating new disciplines like diving, logistics, science communication and field research, our interns have embraced opportunity with bravery.
Some confronted lifelong fears — of deep water, of sharks, of frogs shaped by cultural belief — and transformed them into pathways toward professional diving certifications, environmental research, and even postgraduate study. Others discovered talents they didn’t know they had, shifting roles and expanding their impact within the NEWF ecosystem.
It also aims to inspire other young people who may be standing where they once stood: unsure, hesitant, but capable. Through these stories, we see what becomes possible when opportunity meets willingness — and when support systems nurture potential into purpose, offering an alternative beginning for locals.
“This work is as much about nurturing the next generation of conservation storytellers as it is about strengthening the local economy and building lasting community capacity.”