PADI announced this week it has officially welcomed Sodwana Bay, South Africa-based Nature, Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers as one of the newest PADI Members.
With the announcement comes the crossover of 10 newly certified PADI Instructors and the establishment of a new PADI training facility, the dive training agency said.
NEWF is an initiative supporting a new generation of African nature filmmakers, scientists and storytellers who are committed to bringing critical ocean stories to life. Through this partnership, NEWF will offer dive training in its programs, equipping leaders in local African communities with the skills needed to work safely and effectively underwater.
Over the next 12 months, PADI and NEWF anticipate training 25 new PADI Pros and hundreds of newly certified divers.
PADI Global Brand and Membership Officer Kristin Valette Wirth explained:
“These are more than ratings and certifications. They represent a growing movement of African-led voices shaping the future of the dive industry, ocean conservation, and storytelling that will inspire the next generation to seek adventure and save the ocean.”
NEWF Co-Founder, Executive Director and National Geographic Explorer Noel Kok said:
“Partnering with PADI allows us to turn access into a pathway. For many, the barrier has never been around passion or talent, but rather structured, affordable routes into world-class dive training. By aligning PADI’s global standards with NEWF’s African-led network, we’re creating a pipeline where storytellers, scientists, and conservation leaders can gain the skills, safety training, and confidence they need to work in the water, not just dream about it.”
Kok added:
“PADI brings decades of expertise in training and certification; NEWF brings a fast-growing community of aspiring African divers who are ready to lead in ocean storytelling and conservation. Together, we can create repeatable pathways into real jobs, local businesses, and long-term careers in and around the ocean.”
