Before moving to Ohio, Brion earned a PhD in Leadership Studies at the University of San Diego while also working for a large non-profit organization in Ghana. As a result of those experiences, Brion founded Turtle Up, (https://www.turtleup.org/), a non-profit organization with 501c3 status.
What is Turtle Up?
“Turtle Up is about education, conservation, and transformation,” Brion explains. “Both residents of Ghana’s coastal communities and the sea turtles who nest in Ghana are suffering from the current economic and environmental status quo. Today, Ghana ranks 138 out of 189 on the Human Development Index; a summary composite measure of a country’s average achievements in three basic aspects of human development: health, knowledge and standard of living.”
She says economic hardship in the Ghanaian coastal communities drives an extractive economy that is putting our ecosystem out of balance. “As fishermen catch fewer fish with no alternative economic opportunities, they turn to poaching sea turtles which are also a finite resource. As a result, six of the seven sea turtle species are threatened by extinction which in turn threatens the economic well-being of the community.”
Her goal is to demonstrate that by creating a biodiversity economy in New Ningo Prampram-Ghana, her organization can provide a future of sustainable and inclusive economic development. “Turtle Up aims to positively impact both the people and the planet by educating both locals and ecotourists on how to preserve and conserve sea turtles, supporting and adding capacity to the largest sea turtle hatchery in Ghana and sea turtle conservation and preservation efforts along the Ghanaian coast. She says she is also planning to offer regular credit-bearing eco trips to students that will provide an alternative to poaching and a new revenue stream for locals through the creation of steady jobs.
Eleanor Keelan, a University of Dayton senior is a graphic design major who is volunteering her time as an intern for the project. “I’ve always liked the idea of conservation,” she says. “I studied in Hawaii last fall and we saw sea turtles there. I thought they were really cool and a lot of local people were talking about how the turtles are endangered, not just in Hawaii but around the world.”
As an intern, Keelan and another UD student, Jenna Eggleston, have designed Instagram posts, a branding guide, a logo and thank you notes for Turtle Up donors. “It’s cool to work with Corinne because she’s so passionate about this project,” Keelan says.
Here is what Turtle Up can use:
- Head flashlights
- Binoculars
- Batteries
- Hand-held radios.
- Computers
- Printers
- Tablets
- Smart phones
- Scanners.
- First-aid kits
- A truck or any other 4x4 vehicles.
- Plane Tickets
Your donations can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at The Hub, 31 S. Main Street, Dayton. Please drop off donations at the reception desk. If you’d like to schedule ahead, contact Corinne Brion at admin@turtleup.org or at 541-531-3770.
For a full list of needed items visit Turtle Up at https://www.turtleup.org/
Other ways to help:
- Volunteers are needed to help with a variety of activities such as social media, friendraising, fundraising, content organization, legal advice and accounting. There are also opportunities for corporate, church, or civic groups to support the mission and go on the trips.
- You can also support Turtle Up at https://www.turtleup.org/donations/15549.
- Funds are being raised for turtle surveyors, part-time interns and research assistants. Students will be paid to design a Turtle Up bracelet turtle tracker and money is needed to purchase satellite trackers and satellite time. If you want to provide financial help, you can contribute to the Olive Ridley Tracker Kickstarter Campaign at http://kck.st/3NdlqID.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Meredith Moss writes about Dayton-area nonprofit organizations and their specific needs. If your group has a wish list it would like to share with our readers, contact Meredith: meredith.moss@coxinc.com.
Please include a daytime phone number and a photo that reflects your group’s mission.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
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