Overall Objectives of Coasts & Reefs Club of Pwani University: Integrated approach to management of coasts and reefs through partnership between Pwani University and key stakeholders

Specific Objectives:-
1) To increase awareness of the importance of marine and coastal resources to Pwani University students and the local community in Kilifi
2) To ensure conservation of coastal and marine resources in coastal Kenya.
3) To improve livelihoods of local communities in coastal Kenya.
4) To create awareness and education on marine survival and safety skills for Pwani University students.
5) To establish a platform for career development of Pwani University students.

The structure of the coasts and reefs club is as follows:
1) The club assembly; made up of all members of the club.
2) Five (5) club sub-committees; each sub-committee is aligned to one of the five club objectives, i.e. Education and awareness, conservation programmes, livelihoods programmes, marine survival and safety, and career development and corporate collaboration.
3) The Executive committee; made up of the president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and the five chairpersons of the sub-committees.
4) Advisory board; made up of the Faculty Advisor and three post-graduate students/Alumni

In order to achieve the first commitment towards marine debris free beaches, the Coasts and Reefs Club launched its monthly cleanup on the 4th August, 2018, inspired by the visit to the University by the President of SCOR, Dr. Marie-Alexandrine Sicre. During the Launch, a total of 549 kg of Plastics was collected from a 4 km stretch of the Bofa Beach coast. The initiative targets to clean the beaches monthly and ensure that the Bofa Mnarani coast can be trash free so that both students, local tourists and foreigners can all enjoy the serene sandy beaches of this coast. The removal of the Marine Debris will also ease the distress which fishers and other marine resource users have to undergo wading through the plastics and all sorts of trash to get to the fishing grounds and landing sites.

The cleanup will follow the International Coastal Clean up sampling protocols and all collected debris will be analysed monthly for types, sources, sizes and potential impacts on the marine environment. The club will also explore possible options for the recycling of the plastics, or innovative approaches to the same. Pwani University is committed to provide transport for these activities on monthly basis and on other important international cleanup events such as the World Ocean Day, the World Environment day and the International Coastal Cleanup among others.