Global Coralition Selected for UNESCO x Nestlé Youth Impact Grant to Boost Coastal Resilience in the Dominican Republic
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic — April 2025 — Global Coralition has been selected as a finalist for the YOUTH IMPACT – BECAUSE YOU MATTER initiative, a global grant scheme led by UNESCO and Nestlé through the Nestlé Youth Entrepreneurship Platform. The initiative supports innovative, youth-led projects addressing climate change and environmental sustainability.
Their project, Atabey’s Coastal Guardians, named after the Taíno goddess of water and fertility, reflects a powerful blend of ancestral wisdom and cutting-edge science to restore and protect critical ecosystems in Sosúa Bay and Cabarete Lagoon. Building on a successful pilot phase that saw the planting of over 300,000 mangroves and the launch of a coral micro-fragmentation lab, the initiative now aims to scale up ecosystem restoration, strengthen community resilience, and create sustainable livelihoods.
“We’re not just restoring reefs and mangroves,” says project lead Lia Hiraldo, Country and Stakeholder Engagement Manager for Global Coralition. “We’re equipping communities with the tools, training, and inspiration to become guardians of their coastal ecosystems.”
If selected among the top 100 youth-led projects worldwide, Global Coralition will receive a USD $8,500 grant, expert mentorship from Nestlé, and a six-month capacity-building program with UNESCO. These resources will support key initiatives, including:
Scaling coral restoration in Sosúa Bay using advanced micro-fragmentation techniques
Expanding mangrove reforestation in Cabarete Lagoon with native species
Training local environmental brigades in fire prevention and early-response using drones and solar-powered surveillance systems
Launching community education programs in schools and local groups
Developing sustainable livelihood alternatives like crab farming and scientific eco-tourism
The project directly benefits over 1,000 people, including youth, fisherfolk, local women’s groups, and environmental volunteers. Indirectly, the initiative will impact more than 10,000 residents and visitors in the region by improving biodiversity, reducing flooding risks, and strengthening climate resilience.
To ensure long-term sustainability, Global Coralition is also developing a plant-a-mangrove app for air travelers, as well as Adopt-a-Coral and Adopt-a-Mangrove sponsorship programs to fund ongoing restoration efforts.
“Atabey’s spirit reminds us of our sacred duty to care for the natural world,” says Lia. “This project is our way of honoring that duty while building a more resilient, regenerative future for the Dominican Republic.”
For more information, visitwww.globalcoralition.org or contact lia@globalcoralition.org.