In 2006, funded by the BP Conservation Leadership Programme, C3 initiated the Junior Ecoguards project in Moheli.  The Junior Ecoguards were established in July 2006 to stop sea turtle egg poaching among youth. After a particularly bad incident when nine nests were raided for eggs, the young poachers were gathered together by concerned community elders to discuss solutions. They decided to form a group of young leaders, comprised mainly of the ex-poachers, who could use their own experiences to educate their peers. This concept has now evolved into activities which engage entire communities in awareness-raising about endangered turtle conservation.

In 2008, supported by the Captain Planet Foundation, we organized a summer camp at Mitsamiouli, Grande Comore to train young Comorians to be environmental leaders in their communities.  The program taught students about the environment but also actively engaged them in activities that reduce environmental threats in their country. Subsequent camps have trained more groups of Junior Ecoguards throughout the Comoros and groups are now being established in Madagascar.

The Junior Ecoguards have received international acclaim from the Volvo Adventure Awards (3rd Prize Winners 2008, Finalists 2011) and ReefCheck / International Year of the Reef.