Are you in love with the ocean? Do you love the gentle giants like manta rays and whale sharks?
Well I do. I love them so much that I went for a certification as PADI divemaster, so I could dive with them everyday eventually.
In June 2017, I joined an amazing company called Salesforce. Salesforce has vision of profitability and philanthropy as core pillars of the company’s DNA and co-founded the Pledge 1% organisation. That took shape as the 1-1-1 model, which dedicates 1% of the company’s equity, 1% of its product, and 1% of employees’ time back to the community. The 1% of employee time translates to 56 hours (7 days) of Volunteer Time Off (VTO) which can be used for any causes or NGO's that align with the employee's interests.
Naturally I organised a team of Salesforce volunteers from offices of Australia, Brazil, France, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, UK and USA to work with the marine biologist and ocean conservationist from an organisation called Manta Trust in the Maldives in August 2018.

Drone shot of manta rays over the Maldives

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Not only we get to dive everyday while taking photos of manta ray's belly for identification, we get to explore areas that are under-funded and collect valuable data for research.
The photos we captured was then matched in the Maldivian manta rays database, so the marine biologists are able to track manta rays feeding and mating behaviours.
We know so little about these animals that one of the oceanic manta rays seminars we attended has less than 10 slides in it! We don't know how do they sleep, where do they go at night, we've never witnessed a manta ray give birth in the wild and we're running out of time. Manta rays and mobula rays are listed as endangered and under CITES Appendix II. It means that we don't do anything now, they'll be threatened to extinction.
One of the reasons why manta rays are being illegally poached is the demand of their gill racks for traditional Chinese medicine that has risen in the past 10 years, even though they were not historically used for any purpose. These “gill plates” or “gill rakers” are feathery filaments of cartilage that the rays use to filter plankton from seawater as they swim.

"Toxicology tests by WildAid have also revealed that many of the gills sold at the Qingping market contain dangerous levels of heavy metals and carcinogens, including arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead, toxic substances that accumulate as the mantas filter plankton through their gills."

Read more in the New York Times.

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We have to fully understand the economy of illegal trade of manta rays gills and the migration pattern of manta rays in order to preserve these majestic animals. Fishermen get paid USD$60-100 for each manta ray gill while each manta ray can generate USD$1M over its life time by tourism. Our Salesforce VTO Expedition was to ensure we contribute to Manta Trust's on-going research, so we can petition to governments for more marine protect areas and the hope of increase in tourism economy.

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Another key pillar of Manta Trust's work was education. Through interactive workshops and snorkelling lessons with local students and teachers, beach and mangroves clean ups, we were able to inspire and educate them about the beauty of these animals and preserve the environment they live in, so they don't have to live with plastic.
Sounds too good to be true? Check us out in action and the impact we’ve made with the 9-day expedition:

<h3>Ready to help?</h3>
You can find more information at https://www.mantatrust.org - they welcome volunteers in 3 key streams:
Expedition: Not only you can contribute to adding data to their database (we found 9 new manta rays in our expedition!), you're also helping the manta matching process that contribute to the research. They have expeditions in Maldives, Indonesia, Thailand and Mexico all year round.
IDtheManta: As long as you have photos of manta rays' belly, feel free to upload to the portal. You can also check out the guide on how to get the perfect manta ID.
Adopt a manta: The digital adoption packs make the perfect gift - an opportunity to learn about these gentle giants, whilst supporting global efforts to research and protect them.

Our mission is to raise awareness and provide education on manta ray conservation through eco-minded thematic trips. Manta Expeditions offers both liveaboard and land-based dive and snorkel trips that focus specifically on getting our guests in close proximity to manta rays, whale sharks and other ‘wish list’ marine species, while imparting expert knowledge and skills.

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The natural world is full of parasites, and large animals like manta rays offer the perfect micro-habitat for tiny animals to live on.

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Are you in love with the ocean? Do you love the gentle giants like manta rays and whale sharks? 

Well I do. I love them so much that I went for a certification as PADI divemaster, so I could dive with them everyday eventually.

![maldives-rainbow-story-manta.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dail4fbms/image/upload/v1638419522/maldives_rainbow_story_manta_df287b9da3.jpg)

Just over a year ago, I joined an amazing company called Salesforce. Salesforce is known for giving back with its 1-1-1 model. One of the 1% empowers employees 56 hours each year to volunteer with their NGO of choice and causes they care about.

Naturally I organised a team of Salesforce volunteers from offices of Australia, Brazil, France, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, UK and USA to work with the marine biologist and ocean conservationist from an organisation called Manta Trust in the Maldives in August 2018. 

Not only we get to dive everyday while taking photos of manta ray's belly for identification, we get to explore areas that are under-funded and collect valuable data for research.

![maldives-rainbow-story-people.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dail4fbms/image/upload/v1638419591/maldives_rainbow_story_people_bba93b8cf9.jpg)

The photos we captured was then matched in the Maldivian manta rays database, so the marine biologists are able to track manta rays' feeding and mating behaviours.

We know so little about these animals that one of the oceanic manta rays seminars we got has less than 10 slides in it! We don't know how do they sleep, where do they go at night, we've never witness a manta ray birth in the wild and we're running out of time. Manta rays and mobula rays are listed as endangered and under CITES Appendix II. It means that we don't do anything now, they'll be threatened to extinction.

One of the reasons why manta rays are being illegally poached is the demand of their gill racks for traditional Chinese medicine that has risen in the past 10 years, even though they were not historically used for any purpose. These “gill plates” or “gill rakers” are feathery filaments of cartilage that the rays use to filter plankton from seawater as they swim.

![maldives-rainbow-story-droneshot.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/dail4fbms/image/upload/v1638419633/maldives_rainbow_story_droneshot_41dc3cd7ff.png)

Toxicology tests by WildAid have also revealed that many of the gills sold at the Qingping market contain dangerous levels of heavy metals and carcinogens, including arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead, toxic substances that accumulate as the mantas filter plankton through their gills.

We have to fully understand the economy of illegal trade of manta rays gills and the migration pattern of manta rays in order to preserve these majestic animals. Fishermen get paid USD$60-100 for each manta ray gill while each manta ray can generate USD$1M over its life time by tourism. Our Salesforce VTO Expedition was to ensure we contribute to Manta Trust's on-going research, so we can petition to governments for more marine protect areas and the hope of increase in tourism economy.

![maldives-rainbow-story.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/dail4fbms/image/upload/v1638419249/maldives_rainbow_story_ee362f1d7e.jpg)

Another key pillar of Manta Trust's work was education. Through interactive workshops and snorkelling lessons with local students and teachers, beach and mangroves clean ups, we were able to inspire and educate them about the beauty of these animals and preserve the environment they live in, so they don't have to live with plastic.

Sounds too good to be true? Check us out in action and the impact we’ve made with the 9-day expedition:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1vZB6LpC8s

Ready to help? You can find more information on https://www.mantatrust.org/ and they welcome volunteers in 3 key streams:

Expedition: Not only you can contribute to adding data to their database (we found 9 new manta rays in our expedition!), you're also helping the manta matching process that contribute to the research. They have expeditions in Maldives, Indonesia, Thailand and Mexico all year round.
IDtheManta: As long as you have photos of manta rays' belly, feel free to upload to the portal. You can also check out the guide on how to get the perfect manta ID.
Adopt a manta: The digital adoption packs make the perfect gift - an opportunity to learn about these gentle giants, whilst supporting global efforts to research and protect them.
If you're a Salesforce employee, please reach out to me at rainbow.cheung@salesforce.com for details or look more info on chatter group. I can't wait for you to join us next year! 



Are you in love with the ocean? Do you love the gentle giants like manta rays and whale sharks?

Asia Tourism: Discover the best travel information and experiences in Asia with WhereNext Experiences.


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2022: Destination Asia Tourism - WhereNext?

Maldives Tourism: A volunteer story about Manta Ray research and conservation in the Maldives with Rainbow Cheung from Salesforce.


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2022: Destination Maldives - Diving with Manta Rays - WhereNext?

Dive to make a difference with Manta Trust

This volunteer experience assists Womb Stomp Wildlife who focus on rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing wombats and kangaroos around the Windellama area in NSW.


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The young wombat on the left was born on Halloween, so her name is Boo, and her mother is called Poppy.

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A volunteer (VTO) experience to help protect wombats in NSW

Protecting Wombats in Australia

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In 2019 the Salesforce UK channel and alliances arranged a trip up Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise funds for WorldReader, a fantastic charity dedicated to helping children through reading, technology and programming. 

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

The kids staying at Asha Nepal during a celebration lunch

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Scenic shot of the valley outside of Asha Nepal with the snow capped mountains in the distance.


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A group shot of the volunteers before heading back to our home countries.

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A volunteer (VTO) experience where a group of Salesforce staff and friends travel to Nepal to help disadvantaged people live a better life

The Badi Project in Nepal

A baby pufferfish travels through a wondrous, microworld full of fantastical creatures as he searches for a home on the Great Barrier Reef.


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Puff, the sharp-nosed Pufferfish, is shown to be beginning his life in the Great Barrier Reef. Here, a world exists that’s smaller than our thumb. We see the intricate workings of nature.

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A baby pufferfish travels through a wondrous, microworld full of fantastical creatures as he searches for a home on the Great Barrier Reef.

Puff: Wonders of the Reef by Netflix

A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON GLOBAL REFORESTATION


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Planting 23 MILLION Trees 

Baby panda cubs in the nursery at the Bifengxia Panda Centre!

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In China's Sichuan province a round of hot pot that simultaneously burns and numbs the tongue.

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A group shot of the volunteers for the week

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A volunteer experience working on Panda conservation in rural China. This trip was part of a Volunteer Time Off (VTO) project with Salesforce. 

Volunteering with Pandas in rural China

Orphan getting treatment at the The Orangutan Project facilities 

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Views of the sunset from a canoe ride down the river

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Orphaned orangutan baby at Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) centre

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A group of us from work have just spent a week in the jungles of Borneo, immersed in the world of orangutan and forest conservation.

The Orangutans of Borneo

WhereNext Experiences

Natural Cleaning

Dive to make a difference with Manta Trust

Natural Cleaning

Dive to make a difference with Manta Trust

Natural Cleaning

Dive to make a difference with Manta Trust

Rainbow Cheung
Marketing Cloud, Public Sector

Mar tech sales by day, sustainability advisor by night and weekends. Part of a very exciting women collective to drive systemic change and sustainability led startup.

Recommended Reading

Join us on our journey.
Experience more.

Let’s stay in touch! Let’s begin the adventure.

For business

Our charities

For business

Our charities

Our partners

WhereNext Experiences

Dive to make a difference with Manta Trust

Dive to make a difference with Manta Trust

Rainbow CheungMarketing Cloud, Public Sector

Mar tech sales by day, sustainability advisor by night and weekends. Part of a very exciting women collective to drive systemic change and sustainability led startup.

Recommended Reading

Join us on our journey. Experience more.

Let’s stay in touch! Let’s begin the adventure.

For business

Our charities

For business

Our charities

Our partners

Rainbow Cheung
Marketing Cloud, Public Sector

Join us on our journey.
Experience more.