NANCY THE COAST WOMAN

 

NANCY THE COAST WOMAN

For decades, man has been associated with water masses like the oceans, lakes, and rivers, navigating and going for expeditions.

When talking about Scuba diving, the first picture that comes into one’s mind is of a man in Scuba Diving gear.

However, this century is taking a turn round to include the women who could only be seen in these areas fetching water probably for domestic use at home.

Nancy Kadzo, born in Mombasa and raised in Kilifi County, had a burning desire to see what was under the Deep Blue Ocean.

Kadzo who hails from Tezo jumped into a field that has for centuries been viewed as high risk and male-dominated.

She started by volunteering at Kenya Rescue Divers and life savers in Mombasa, joining a group of men who had a passion to rescue.They included fishermen, swimmers, and community elders who were networking and had vast knowledge of the Indian Ocean along the Kenya Coast.

Today, she is among the few Women in East Africa certified to Manouvour a Mini yacht. She wishes she had Female mentors at an earlier age.

She is a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), currently based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Due to the Religion restrictions, Female students prefer to be trained by Female Instructors. Her clientele is both but she caters for the female a lot. She  Teaches PADI programs and Evaluates Open Water Skills. She is also on standby for Search, Rescue & Recovery as a Volunteer.

Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is the world’s largest and most respected Scuba Diving training Organization. The PADI The system of diver education is the most instructional solid system in Scuba diving. PADI courses are certified as compliant with ISO standards for Recreational Diving Services by an independent auditor, the European Underwater Federation and the Austrian Standards Institute.

During an interview with the Coast reporter Shani Fakii, she  explained the advantages of working as a Boat Skipper and PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor “My licenses are International, I can work anywhere in the world. Am unique because am multi-skilled so it makes me marketable. The majority of men are surprised and enquire how my journey started and it makes me happy as I motivate and inspire many daily. My profession is my hobby and I earn from it. I share my knowledge with all Nationalities, save lives, meet new people and see new underwater environments daily and it’s a learning experience.”

Kadzo says when in Kenya as a volunteer with Kenya Rescue Divers, during holidays she conducted beach patrols rescuing girls who were nearly drowned and raped by men who took advantage of their inability to swim. The result of such behavior is the spreading of HIV and unwanted pregnancies.

“Severally, we found bodies of drowned victims floating and had to alert police. We towed the bodies to a nearby jetty for the police to collect. The biggest challenge was when we had a search and recovery of a 4^th form school leaver who had drowned at Fort Jesus. It was not a rescue mission anymore because it was over 6 hours. Crowds of people and family members waiting. We recovered the body the next day but in a horrible state,” Kadzo said.

“A tradition for seafarers is if one dies at sea they are buried at sea. I was on the boat during recovery and it was difficult to eat fish for a long time after realizing that the marine life feast on us too. RIP young man! The team did search and rescuing of near-drowning victims at Likoni Ferry (suicidal victims), towing boats with faulty engines from Open sea, recovering cars and engines lost at sea, Hull cleaning, basic commercial work,” she added.

“I can free dive, float for several hours, Swim in the Open sea and am comfortable in any depth of water. I have swum with the boys/Men from Tudor sports club to Fort Jesus being the only female, I collaborated with the Kilifi County to recruit Swimmers who were to be trained to become Life guards and swimming coaches to patrol the beaches to act as a Rescue Team for the Kilifi County,’’ Kadzo said.

 As a volunteer Beach Operator in Mombasa – she participated in workshops on the importance of the coral and yearly Ocean observation, beach soil erosion, beach clean-ups and turtle watch organized by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) 

To become a PADI Scuba Instructor is very expensive due to the specialized equipment, cost of Fun Dives, and risks involved. A field mostly dominated by Wazungu's ie Airline Pilots, Engineers, Managers, Doctors, Business owners etc For them Scuba Diving is a Hobby just like Golf and they Teach only when they are off Duty.  “ I set my eyes and mind to work, save, train and become a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor so that I can motivate, train, youth and the community on Marine Conservation, free diving, Floating, Sea Survival (Drowning prevention), Scuba Diving, Rescue, Project TAKE ACTION, and beach clean-ups,” she said.

Today Kadzo is a PADI Professional, a Free diver, and also holds IYT Bareboat Skipper Licence & RYA Powerboat level 2 Licence with STCW (Basic safety training for seafarers)

“As a PADI Scuba Instructor, I open hearts and minds to the hidden beauty of nature’s creation and our obligation to protect it. I have an opportunity to see fear changed into courage. I motivate and help all to learn Scuba diving. I am an Emergency First Response Instructor. I am Project AWARE Instructor. I am a Peak Performance Buoyancy Instructor. I have trained and completed the STCW 2010 Basic safety training for seafarers,” she said. 

“Currently I have started my Freediving Instructor journey (diving that does not involve scuba or any other breathing apparatus). I can free dive to 20meters and my target is 40 meters. I am now aiming for the Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) Being an MSDT signifies that you've got the experience and certifications to offer all the training a diver needs to become a Master Scuba Diver - the ultimate recreational diver rating.

 Kadzo also Mentors Women through her current Profession, Project ‘AWARE, PADI Women’s day’, through Social media and mainstream media, encouraging all to sponsor youth to study PADI Programs. We need Ocean Ambassadors.

“A good example was Lamu – The County was training their youth to become car drivers. It is an island with no cars, a boat is the main means of transport. I encouraged them to train their youth to become Swimming Coaches, Lifeguards, PADI Scuba Divers, RYA Powerboat level 2 Boat drivers and STCW 2010 (Basic Training for seafarers). All these courses are in demand and enable youth to work worldwide,” she said.

I discovered that the girl child in Lamu loves outdoor sports, currently, I am proud to say we have one of the fastest Lady swimmers on the Island. I encourage sponsors to build a facility for them and we can also train several ladies from Lamu to Instructor level to train their community.

I encourage youth to complete STCW – White list - (assessed by the International Maritime Organization as properly implementing the STCW-95 convention.) which will allow them to work onboard Cruise ships, Ocean going vessels, and Yachts worldwide.

Do you feel satisfied after empowering the girls? Sure! Empowering a woman is feeding the Nation. Funny enough I also mentor males more. This field is male-dominated because of the nature of work as it is very physical.

As an Aquatic Environment Ambassador, she is a member of Project AWARE Foundation & Emirates Diving Association an NGO's that involves Divers and water enthusiasts in projects and activities to conserve underwater environments.

“My wish was to become a soldier in the Navy like my Dad, but back then Women were not allowed to serve in the Navy. I wanted to become a Commercial Diver later but was advised better keep it recreational due to the mentality, Male-dominated,” I believe I can mentor the Girl child to become Military and Commercial Divers in my lifetime, she added.

As the Blue Economy brings in foreign exchange which should benefit the community at large. The community in exchange should be natural Aquatic environments Ambassadors. Current local threats are overfishing, removal of fish for Aquarium trade, pollution i.e. petroleum products, plastic, overpopulation, and overdevelopment of coastal areas causing habitat degradation.

Kadzo’s future plan is to work with the Government, NGO’s, Company’s & County’s as a consultant on the Girl child, youth Empowerment and the Determined (born different) in regards to Marine Conservation, Conserve Natural Heritage, Drowning prevention and Scuba Diving Programs.

The goals are to protect and restore the biodiversity within the ecosystems of an area. 1. To conserve cultural heritage ie shipwrecks. 2. Sustainable Production ie After overfishing. 3. Fostering healthy marine ecosystems  ie To increase seafood production, 4. Support fisheries inside and outside of the area ie Create opportunities for education, research, and employment. 6. Provide potential for recreation and tourism to grow ie Scuba Diving programs & Fun Dives 7. Protect areas that have cultural significance so that they can be enjoyed by future generation ie Reserves

“Schools & Universities I will encourage them to start Scuba Diving Clubs and thereafter

train them on Marine Conservation and Natural Heritage, Freediving, Sea survival & floating skills(drowning prevention).

I encourage youth to form Marine Conservation and Natural Heritage conservation self-help groups with the community at heart and register so that they can benefit from International Donors.

These steps will save lives, Improve livelihood, reduce crime, unwanted pregnancies, Drug Abuse, Alcoholism, and idleness within the communities. Thus making our youth Responsible, Happy, Able, and Marketable worldwide.” Kadzo said.

Challenges at sea for us remain the high risk, lack of sea time, Sexism, lack of accommodation for females onboard ocean-going vessels in Africa. Internationally they accommodate females and encourage them.

During her free time, Kadzo loves Uploading educational Scuba diving videos on YouTube. Mentoring youth online, Reading about Scuba Diving, Learning something new, making Diving videos, Cruising at sea, Watersports, Underwater Research, Freediving, Snorkeling/Night/Exploration Dives, Reggae music, Dancing, Safari Rally, visualizing, camping and meditation. 

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