By Noura Al-Naimi

DAMMAM — Saudi neurosurgeon Aisha Al-Hajjaj was able to gather and train dozens of female divers under her environmental initiative called "Aisha’s Oceans" to pick up plastic and other rubbish from the bottom of the ocean as well as the beaches on the east coast of Saudi Arabia.

Although Hajjaj has studied and practiced the complex field of neurology, she says her passion always lied in diving and being near the sea.

Hajjaj turned her diving hobby into a lifestyle, and created a group of volunteer women whom she trained in diving, and sought out to better the marine environment in the Gulf.

On their last trip, the rubbish and plastic that the women collected were recycled.

“The Gulf countries that at the center of oil and gas industries now were once characterized by fishing, diving especially in search of pearls and the desert lifestyle. These characteristics attracted me to learn how to swim and dive,” Hajjaj told Al-Arabiya.

"I started Aisha’s Oceans, which is the first group of women divers in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia, and I was able to train 30 young women who went through intense diving and sailing trainings,” Hajjaj added.

She said the women were also trained on how to use the various diving equipment.

Hajjaj says her team of volunteers aims to create a difference by removing garbage and saving marine life. This especially means removing fishing nets from the bottom of the ocean where they find several marine life that are stuck in them, she added.

Although measures to protect nature allow offenses to be met with confidence, concerns remain as the number of seabed wastes grows, said Hajjaj. — Al-Arabiya English