How the joy of play can save the environment | Vanessa Gabrielle del Rosario | TEDxRizal Avenue

Описание: This talk explores an unexpected yet powerful approach to ocean conservation through children’s play. Vanessa Gabrielle Del Rosario shares her personal journey of leaving city life to live by the beach for rest, only to develop a deeper responsibility toward protecting the ocean. As a surfer and sports enthusiast, she began teaching children from fishing communities how to surf and play beach soccer, exchanging lessons for simple acts of caring for the shoreline, like picking up trash. What started as play became a pathway to awareness, stewardship, and community-driven environmental action. The talk shows how meaningful change, especially in protecting the ocean, can begin by engaging children through joy, movement, and play, making sustainability an idea worth spreading. Gabi is the co-founder of Alon and Araw Club, a coastal NGO based in Zambales that builds communities of Ocean Defenders through education, sports, and creative grassroots solutions to protect the ocean from marine plastic pollution. A Communication graduate from Ateneo de Manila University, Gabi has carried her spirit of service beyond campus, working closely with 50 fisherfolk families who have diverted over 28,000 kilos of plastic from the sea through regular community clean-ups, plastic collections, and recycling efforts. By rallying the community through fun and engaging activities and meaningful rewards, she turned environmental action into a shared, joyful movement.

Fueled by her love for the sea and gift for uniting people, Gabi empowers coastal youth to protect our oceans and lead local change. Championing SDG 14: Life Below Water, she has transformed Alon and Araw from a humble surf project into a powerful movement for marine conservation and community resilience. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx