Roger Samba and J. Paul Getty Scholarship
Roger Samba and J. Paul Getty Scholarship for higher education in Marine Conservation.
The J. Paul Getty Award, described by US president Ronald Reagan as ‘the Nobel Prize for conservation' was established in 1974 and recognises outstanding leadership in conservation. The award recognises achievement in three annually rotating categories: political leadership, scientific leadership, and community leadership in conservation. 
Mr. Roger Samba, announced by WWF US as the winner of the 2008 award, was nominated by Blue Ventures and was selected in recognition of his outstanding community leadership in support of conservation in the remote coastal village of Andavadoaka, southwest Madagascar. The indigenous semi-nomadic Vezo people of Andavadoaka depend on artisanal fishing activities for their livelihoods, but recently these marine resources have faced increasing threats from coastal population expansion, unsustainable tourism, and an increase in international fishing fleets. Mr. Samba has spent the last six years working to protect the region's fragile marine biodiversity and habitats, and organised the world's first community-run no-take zone for octopus, a local species critical to the regions' economy. Seasonal closures of octopus fishing areas resulted in increased abundance and size, and the project's success has led to its use as a model for the implementation of similar projects across the country.
Mr. Samba with his family
The blueprint created by Mr. Samba for empowering local communities to engage in the management of coral reefs and related habitats has inspired the development of alternative livelihood and environmental education initiatives, influenced national fisheries legislation, and brought unprecedented attention to marine and coastal conservation issues.
Administered by WWF, the J. Paul Getty award carries a $200,000 prize fund, which Mr. Samba now uses to create a ‘Le Programme ROGER SAMBA pour l'Education Supérieur en Conservation Marin', a scholarship programme for promising Malagasy students of marine science. There are 10 scholarships offered by the programme, 5 for undergraduates and 5 for postgraduates. Applications are now open for 2010-11. Please find below the for information and application forms for each scholarship funds.
Interested candidates should contact
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with any enquiries regarding application procedures and deadlines. Applications should be made to the addresses stated in each individual call for applications.
Applications close on 30 November 2010.
See here for biographies of last year's scholars.
