Nzalakanda-Noble Dabri Loïc is a young social entrepreneur from the Republic of the Congo and Co-Founder of AquaPlay, an innovative platform using technology and gamification to transform environmental education and inspire action for ocean conservation. Driven by the belief that technology can do more than entertain, Loïc is working to make learning about marine ecosystems engaging, accessible and action-oriented, particularly for young people. Through AquaPlay, he is demonstrating how locally developed digital solutions can help build a new generation of environmentally conscious citizens.
Background and Work
Loïc’s work sits at the intersection of technology, youth engagement and environmental conservation. Growing up in the Republic of the Congo, a country rich in natural resources and home to coastal communities whose livelihoods are closely connected to the ocean, he became increasingly concerned about the limited understanding of marine biodiversity and environmental protection among many young people. At the same time, he observed how deeply technology, mobile devices and digital platforms were becoming embedded in the everyday lives of young people. Rather than seeing this growing digital engagement simply as a form of entertainment, Loïc began thinking about how technology could become a tool for education and social action. That thinking ultimately led to AquaPlay. AquaPlay transforms environmental education into an interactive experience. The platform combines learning with gamification to help users understand marine ecosystems while encouraging them to participate actively in protecting them. Through interactive challenges, marine species recognition activities, citizen reporting tools and a community platform, users can learn about biodiversity, identify environmental issues and become part of a wider community taking action for the ocean. At the centre of AquaPlay is a simple idea: environmental education becomes more powerful when people are not only told about a problem but are given practical and engaging ways to become part of the solution.
How It Started
The idea for AquaPlay grew from a question Loïc kept returning to:What if technology could be used not just to entertain young people, but to educate them and inspire environmental action? For Loïc, the disconnect between young people and environmental issues presented both a challenge and an opportunity. Although conversations around climate change, pollution and biodiversity are becoming increasingly visible globally, environmental information can sometimes feel distant from the everyday experiences of young people. Traditional approaches to environmental education may also struggle to compete with the interactive digital platforms that increasingly shape how young people communicate, learn and spend their time. Loïc wanted to bridge this gap. Together with his co-founder, he began developing AquaPlay as a platform where environmental learning could become interactive, practical and enjoyable. Instead of positioning young people merely as recipients of environmental information, AquaPlay encourages them to become learners, observers, reporters and active participants in protecting marine ecosystems.
Successes So Far
AquaPlay’s journey has already gained recognition within both the innovation and environmental communities. The project won second place at the Ocean Hackathon in Pointe-Noire, an innovation event bringing together participants to develop solutions to challenges facing the ocean. For Loïc and the AquaPlay team, the recognition provided important validation that a technology-driven approach to marine education and conservation could offer a meaningful response to environmental challenges. AquaPlay reached another major milestone when it was selected among the 12 global finalists of the Opportunity Desk Impact Challenge 2025. Being recognised on a global platform strengthened Loïc’s conviction that solutions developed by young African innovators can respond to local challenges while carrying relevance far beyond their immediate communities. But for Loïc, awards are not the ultimate measure of success. What matters most is AquaPlay’s potential to help young people see themselves differently: not simply as people inheriting environmental problems, but as individuals capable of contributing to their solutions. Each young person who learns about a marine species, reports an environmental concern, participates in a challenge or becomes more conscious of their relationship with nature represents another step towards the future AquaPlay is working to create.
Challenges and How They Were Faced
Building AquaPlay has not been without challenges. Like many young African innovators and social entrepreneurs, Loïc and his team have had to navigate limited funding opportunities, technical constraints and access to resources while attempting to develop an ambitious technology-based solution. There have been periods when progress has been slower than anticipated and when limited resources have required the team to rethink how they develop and grow the platform. Rather than allowing these constraints to stop the project, Loïc has tried to approach them as part of the innovation process. The experience has taught him the importance of persistence, adaptability and continuing to build even when ideal conditions do not exist. Each challenge has pushed the AquaPlay team to think differently about what is possible with the resources available to them. For Loïc, being a young innovator in Africa means learning to create within constraints while refusing to allow those constraints to define the scale of one’s ambition.
Plans for the Future
Loïc’s vision extends far beyond building a digital platform. His dream is to contribute to a generation of young Africans who understand the importance of biodiversity, recognise their responsibility towards the environment and have the knowledge and tools to develop solutions of their own. Through AquaPlay, he hopes to expand access to engaging environmental education while strengthening the connection between technology, citizen participation and conservation. The long-term ambition is to build a platform capable of reaching more young people and communities, deepening understanding of marine ecosystems and encouraging everyday environmental action. Loïc also sees enormous potential in placing young Africans at the centre of environmental innovation. Across the continent, young people are increasingly using technology to respond to challenges in education, healthcare, agriculture, finance and civic participation. He believes environmental protection should be part of that same innovation movement. Ultimately, AquaPlay is working towards a future where learning about the environment does not stop with awareness, but leads to participation and action. For Loïc, the journey is one learner, one community and one action at a time.
Words of Advice for Young Changemakers
Loïc’s journey is a reminder to young changemakers that meaningful ideas often begin with paying close attention to the problems around them. Do not assume that solutions must come from somewhere else. Look at the challenges within your own community and ask what you can contribute with the skills, technology and resources available to you. Challenges will come, particularly when building something new with limited resources.
