The Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Marine Accelerator Program (MAP) is a program to advance the capacity of emerging conservation leaders and influencers from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, or Vietnam to scale up or expand initiatives that improve regional cooperation and address maritime and inland waterway issues, such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; river or marine ecosystem degradation; or marine debris.

Successful applicants to the YSEALI MAP will attend one virtual workshop in April and one in May, and an intensive in-person workshop in the Philippines in June. Participants will also get a chance to receive up to $2,000 in project grants to scale up and sustain their initiatives. The YSEALI MAP is a project of Save Philippine Seas and the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines.

Examples of initiatives that could be submitted are, but not limited to:

• Prototypes of alternatives to unnecessary single-use plastics.
• Prototypes of alternatives to storage containers for small-scale fisher folk to maintain freshness of catch.
• Community-based waste collection or recycling programs.
• Low-cost wastewater treatment tools.
• Campaigns to improve transparency and traceability in seafood.
• Monitoring or reporting platform for coral bleaching.
• Incentive programs for community-based small-scale fisher folk.
• Monitoring or reporting tool for IUU fishing.

Benefits

• Grow your Ecosystem: Connect with like-minded citizens, innovators, and experts from Southeast Asia and the United States.
• Project Funding: Ten initiatives will receive up to $2,000 to scale up and support upcoming activities.
• Continue Learning: Attend virtual workshops and an intensive in-person workshop to advance leadership skills
• Create ripples of impact: Improve your initiatives to serve your communities better

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be:

• between 18-35 years old;
• citizens and residents of Brunei,  Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, or Vietnam.; and
• A YSEALI member. If you are not yet a member, register for free via given webisite. Complete the form at the upper right side of the website that says "Connect with YSEALI."

Applicants may:

• apply as individuals or a team of up to three members; and
• Represent private entities (including startups and social enterprises), civil society organizations, or academic institutions.

Initiatives may be an online and/or offline campaign, a digital platform (web- or mobile-based), a for-profit enterprise, or a community-based project. Initiatives must:

• address marine and inland waterway issues in the region;
• be at least six months old and a maximum of five years old; and
• Exhibit innovation, early social/scientific impact, and the potential to scale.

For more information, visit YSEALI.