Mares Foundation works with children on San Andrés Island to build a generation that grows up connected to the ocean and committed to protecting it. We believe the real threat isn’t pollution — it’s the normalization of it. What a child learns today defines the future of this ecosystem.
At Mares Foundation, we believe real change begins with understanding. That's why our educational programs don't just teach how the ocean works — they build a genuine emotional connection between children and the sea.
Through meaningful experiences, young people learn to recognize the impact of pollution in their surroundings and develop an environmental awareness that goes far beyond the classroom. The goal runs deep: for every child to see the ocean not as something distant, but as part of their own identity.
Knowledge only truly makes sense when you live it firsthand. At Mares Foundation, we take children to the heart of the problem — to the beaches, to the water's edge — where learning stops being theoretical and becomes real experience.
By observing, questioning, and interacting directly with their environment, young people develop something no book can provide: the certainty that their actions matter. Every beach cleanup is a lesson that connects knowledge with commitment.
What harms the ocean can become something beautiful. At Mares Foundation, children return from every action with more than memories — they bring back the materials collected and transform them into creative pieces that tell a story.
Through art, waste stops being trash and becomes expression, message, and purpose. This process teaches something powerful: that the transformation of the ocean begins with the ability to see potential where others only see damage.
Choose to sponsor one stage of the model — Education, Action, or Transformation — and become a direct part of an experience that changes the way a child sees the ocean.
Fund all three stages of the model for a group of children and witness the complete transformation: from understanding to action to art.
Join Mares Foundation throughout the entire year. Scale the impact, reach multiple communities, and receive brand visibility, impact reports, and exclusive content.
MARES is a nonprofit organization based in San Andrés Island, Colombia, dedicated to educating children, inspiring community action, and protecting marine ecosystems through environmental education and ocean conservation programs.
We believe that lasting environmental change begins with education. By empowering children to understand and care for their environment, we help build the next generation of ocean guardians.
Our methodology follows three stages: Education, Action, and Transformation. Children first learn about the ocean and environmental challenges, then participate in beach cleanups, and finally transform collected waste into creative projects that reinforce environmental awareness.
MARES currently works in San Andrés Island, part of the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, one of the most important marine protected areas in the Caribbean.
Our programs are designed primarily for children and youth from local communities, schools, and neighborhood organizations. We also welcome volunteers, partners, and sponsors.
MARES is supported through donations, sponsorships, grants, and partnerships with individuals, companies, and organizations committed to ocean conservation and environmental education.
You can support our work by making a donation, sponsoring a workshop or community program, volunteering, or partnering with us to expand our impact.
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