The Ocean Ambassador for Manta Trust, 14-year-old Hanisisevae Vai-Stierman is a teen on a mission. She will be taking up a scientific initiative to find out how she can help reduce waste at home.

This was part of an inspiring community engagement hosted by Conservation International Samoa. It was a citizen science workshop last Thursday, focusing on household waste management audits. 

Hanisisevae shared her enthusiasm for the initiative.

“Today I learnt that a citizen scientist is a non-professional that collects data, makes observations, and analyses, under the guidance of an expert,” said Hanisese. 

“As part of the Conservation International Citizen Scientist Waste Management Audit, my family is going to collect, weigh, and categorize our household rubbish. 

"I am looking forward to finding out which category of waste my family contributes the most and finding out from experts how we can reduce our waste.”

The workshop was designed to address a growing interest among Samoans to participate in environmental conservation efforts. 

“Many people want to get involved in protecting our environment, but they don’t always know where to start or how to contribute”, said Le’ausalilo Leilani Duffy–Iosefa, Oceans Director at Conservation International Samoa. 

“Waste management is something everyone can do, and it provides data that can inform larger environmental strategies,” she said.

The event aligns with Samoa’s Ocean Strategy, which emphasises sustainable management of ocean resources and reduction of land-based pollution. It featured presentations on the principles of citizen science and practical steps for conducting household waste audits.

Participants were part of a live demonstration on waste auditing techniques and received tools such as scales, trash bags and sanitisers, to conduct their audits at home and submit their data.

The event also marked a unique approach for Conservation International Samoa, as it was the first time the programme sought participation purely online. 

It was opened to the public through an online invitation on Facebook allowing anyone with an interest to join. The response highlighted a strong interest in citizen science and environmental stewardship among Samoans.

Conservation International Samoa plans to share the data collected by participants with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, to inform future waste reduction strategies and community initiatives. Conservation International acknowledged the support of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in making the event possible.