Page 6 - MidWeek - Nov 2, 2022

6 MIDWEEK NOVEMBER 2, 2022
In Hawai‘i, there is a greater understanding of our cultural connection to Moananuiākea and kulea- na (responsibility) to the land that provides for us. After a successful career as a profes- sional surfer, Duane DeSoto was inspired by his Mākaha community and founded Nā Kama Kai, meaning “children of the sea.”
tivities and seven out of their 12 monthly ocean clinics and served more than 519 keiki, including 56 alaka‘i mentors as of September. Nā Kama Kai has also expanded to pro- vide daily programming for youth on the Leeward side of O‘ahu at our headquarters in Pōka‘i Bay, with plans to enroll 20 youth in a new after school program and scale up staffing as well as volunteer support.
just wrapped our 11th annual Pa‘akai awards titled Chil- drenoftheSeaonOct.1to honor Fred Hemmings, Haley Kailiehu and No‘eau Peralto, individuals who demonstrate outstanding stewardship of ‘āina and cultural-based work. We also garnered in- credible support from our presenting sponsors Hawai- ian Electric and HEI that helped raise essential funds to expand our programming and reach.
Challenging Keiki To Be Stewards Of The ‘Āina, Kai
By Matt Kauwe, COO of Nā Kama Kai
Nā Kama Kai Alaka‘i, youth mentors, paddle off the coast of O‘ahu. PHOTO COURTESY MIKE ITO
Since its inception in 2008, Nā Kama Kai has worked to empower children by con- necting our keiki (children) to the kai (sea) and ʻāina (land) to nurture a deeper sense of aloha and kuleana for the nat- ural environment and them- selves. As stewards of the
kai and ʻāina, keiki from all ethnic origins and econom- ic backgrounds will learn to embrace their kuleana as caretakers of marine ecosys-
tems that must be nurtured for future generations.
the state of Hawai‘i through ocean clinics and their ala- ka‘i mentorship program. In 2022, Nā Kama Kai pivoted to bring back in-person ac-
At Nā Kama Kai, we up- hold the notion that if we connect keiki to the ocean, it will not only save lives, but also create a bond between the next generation and the ocean to ensure its care. We
To view the program and support Nā Kama Kai via donations, please visit naka- makai.org. Contact the orga- nization at 808-772-4194 or email info@nakamakai.org.
In previous years, Nā Kama Kai served about 1,000 keiki annually across
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