about us

Mission statement

Hele Mua is dedicated to bridging the gap between Hawaii's tourism industry and local communities. Through interactive beach cleanups and cultural education, we promote environmental stewardship, preserve Native Hawaiian traditions, and educate both residents and visitors on sustainable practices, fostering a sense of kuleana (responsibility) for Hawaii's unique environment and cultural heritage.

Beach Clean ups

One of our primary educational outlets is through beach clean-ups! Having volunteers see the impact on Oahu’s shorelines first hand is the best way to get the community involved in pushing for sustainable lifestyles.

PERPETUATING Native Hawaiian CULTURE

Hele Mua is a Native Hawaiian-ran non-profit. We believe our events are a great opportunity to educate the participants about Hawaiian culture. During each event, we teach our participants the historical significance of the area, practice traditional Oli chanting, and play Ulu Maika, a native Hawaiian bowling game.

Educational partnerships

We proudly partner with various local educational institutions. From doing microplastic art to hosting a field trip for an entire grade, Hele Mua cares about educating about the effects of microplastic and ocean pollution to the young.

Tourism Industry

Through inviting both the tourists and residents to participate in our activities, we hope to not only educate our visitors about how to respect our land, but also to improve the residents’ sentiment regarding tourism. This is an unique opportunity for both tourists and residents to come together for a common goal.

  • Yes! Hele Mua is a 501(c)(3) recognized charitable organization.

  • We use donation money to cover event costs (such as van rental), equipment construction, event insurance, and partnership incentives.

  • Our focus is primarily on education and tourism. During the clean-ups, we put emphasis on learning traditional Hawaiian culture and the science behind microplastic. Outside of our clean-ups, we partner with the hospitality industry and educational institutes to ensure that our visitors and youth are educated about our land, our options to improve, and our future.

  • We host open beach clean ups that anyone could participate, but we also accept inquiries of private events. Please see the "Get Involved" section of our website to learn more.