In the coastal community of Ketapang, West Kalimantan, M. Luqinul Mifdlol Assiddiqi spends his days bridging two seemingly distant worlds: digital technology and community-based marine conservation. As the Head of Information Systems Development at Yayasan WeBe Konservasi Ketapang in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan, 24-year old Luqinul develops tailored digital infrastructure to empower local fishers and island communities to monitor and protect their marine resources.
Yayasan WeBe is a recipient of the GEF/UNEP/UNOPS SCS SAP Project’s small grants facility’s SEA Grants. Across the region, the SEA Grants initiative, executed in partnership with the UNEP Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), youth are transforming environmental management from
the ground up. Luqinul created the Participatory Reporting Information System (SIPP), a digital platform that allows community members to document incidents and ecological findings directly from the field.
"Through SIPP, reports can be monitored and followed up, and the information can be accessed by decision-makers," Luqinul explains. "In this way, information from the community does not simply remain as a report but becomes an important consideration for resource and environmental management." Luqinul believes bringing digital tools to traditional coastal settings requires more than writing code. It demands sustained presence and empathy. To overcome the technology barrier, Luqinul spent three months living alongside local community members, guiding them until they could navigate the system independently.
Luqinul emphasizes:
“we cannot simply provide technology and expect people to use it. We need to understand their situation, listen to their needs, and support them until they truly feel that the technology is useful for them,”
Luqinul’s work captures the spirit of this year’s International Youth Day celebration and its theme, "Different Contexts, Common Aspirations."
The East Asian Seas region, home to one-third of the world’s coral reefs and mangroves, is one of the most biodiverse yet heavily pressured marine environments globally. Coastal communities face severe threats from climate change, habitat degradation, and overexploitation. Engaging young people in this region is essential for long-term ecological resilience. Youth bring digital literacy, creative problem-solving, fresh energy and innovative perspectives to traditional conservation frameworks. Furthermore, with coastal populations facing economic transitions, involving youth in sustainable marine management ensures that conservation efforts align with green job creation, social inclusion, and thriving local livelihoods.
Sreyleap Chin from Khmer Ocean Life exemplifies this commitment by waking up early to co-facilitate the Kampot Dolphins Ecotour which also involves dolphin surveillance monitoring. Together with fellow young KOL colleagues and volunteers, she teaches grade school students about marine habitats, plants mangroves, and organizes beach cleanup.
"When the ocean suffers, all life on Earth suffers," Leap emphasizes, calling on her peers to heal our seas and give back unconditionally to the marine life that sustains coastal communities.
In Tonghai Village in China, Lingshui Pioneer Community Development Center’s young volunteers bridge village storytelling, science, and community tourism. Meng (Simon) Sun focuses on turning fishing and eco-restoration experiences into community-based ecotourism that teaches visitors to "observe, don't harvest." Fellow volunteer Yiting (Ina) Chen works directly with local fishermen to share village stories, uniting young people and fishers to close conservation gaps together.
At 13, Chrezzel Jane F. Pateño, a seaweed farmer’s daughter in Palawan, Philippines, understands exactly what is at stake when coastal ecosystems degrade from plastic pollution and destructive habits. She volunteers with Seedcore Agri Industrial Corporation on her free time to learn sustainable seaweed farming and how to monitor water quality. Chrezzel advocates for simple daily actions, she demonstrates how grassroots youth vigilance can secure a better future for coastal communities.
In Malaysia, Muhaimin Hou, Assistant Programme Manager at Reef Check Malaysia, conducts underwater reef monitoring and survey work. Recognizing that islanders' lives are deeply intertwined with the ocean, Muhaimin reminds his peers that "everyone counts, and every little bit of help makes a difference" when taking responsibility for a better tomorrow.
Supphanat Ruptrong, a 20-year-old local tour guide on Ko Kut Island in Thailand, brings tourists diving while actively supporting local coral reef restoration and the development of the Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) framework. Having participated in project activities from launch to implementation, Supphanat sees firsthand how reef degradation threatens both biodiversity and local tourism, driving his mission to empower island youth to protect their marine ecosystems.
In Viet Nam, Dao Thanh Tam, Project Assistant for Women4Mangrove, highlights the deep socio-economic connections of marine stewardship. For Tam, mangrove reforestation is a holistic journey that unites communities, restores ecosystems, empowers women, and preserves local wisdom and cultural identity.
For tech-minded youth around the world, Luqinul offers a final piece of advice: "Do not think that our skills are only useful inside an office or in front of a computer. Try stepping outside and getting involved directly in the field. That way, we can see firsthand how the knowledge and technology we have can create real benefits for communities and the environment."
By equipping young people with financial resources, technical capacity, and platforms for governance participation and grassroot community engagement, East Asia's youth are demonstrating that building a resilient marine environment begins by empowering the young leaders who call these
coasts home.
