Volunteer Testimonials
I have been an avid canoe paddler all my life, some 30 plus years and during this period I have seen the Ala Wai Canal go through different stages of composition. Five or six years ago, the Ala Wai became a place where no one wanted to be near or in. Lokahi Canoe Club at the end of the Ala Wai near the Kapahulu Library went from a club with many paddlers and a very popular club to a club of very few members due to the bacteria and smell. It was a place that was known for its flesh-eating disease and where if you had a cut, it could result in a staph infection. The only fish that was seen as Tilapia which would be at the surface gulping for air. Brown foam bubbles all over with a smell that was very nasty. Then came the Genki Ball Project to the rescue. I heard of this group throwing their baseball size balls into the canal from a news cast. There was also the Ala Wai dredging project which helped but this alone would not have been responsible for eliminating the smell. It cleaned the waters and bottom of debris but not the smell and bacteria. This is why I say Genki Ball to the rescue. Starting around 2 years ago, the foul smell of the Ala Wai has gone down. Today I saw many turtles, and a lot more fishing since there are more fish. The water around Magic Island doesn’t stink anymore. The fisherman catches Papio, Barracuda, Moi and all kinds of fish. Before it was only hammerhead sharks. The monk seals are beaching themselves at the lagoon at the top of Magic Island and dolphins are swimming and jumping just off Magic Island. I am no longer afraid of touching the water and I thank the magic of Genki Ball which eats the bacteria in the water and canal bottom. What a blessing and I am hoping that the state gets involved with funding to help keep this project continuing and grow.
— Greg
“A few months ago, while biking along the Ala Wai Canal, I spotted what looked like giant dark clouds drifting through the water. They were everywhere—and enormous! I started counting them as I rode past and got to 15 before curiosity got the better of me. I pulled over and asked a fisherman, “Do you know what those dark clouds are in the water?” With a big grin, he answered, “Tilapia!” Sure enough, the canal was teeming with massive schools of fish. I’ve been exercising along the Ala Wai for more than 50 years, and I had never seen anything like it. A total surprise—and a pretty magical sight.”
— Patti
“I first heard about the project through the article in MidWeek last summer. I wanted to help work towards the goal for improving the water quality in the Ala Wai Canal and the results that the group was getting sounded very promising. Overall, working with this group of volunteers has been great! Everyone is so positive and work very well together. The community involvement has been impressive. A healthy ecosystem in the future is within reach. We are already hearing that there are more animals seen and less odor noticed, and pollutant measurements are dropping.”
— Anne
“For each of the past three years, we have spent a few months in the Waikiki area. We intend to continue doing so indefinitely, and now have an apartment two blocks from the Ala Wai canal. My first, casual impression of the canal was of a “dead zone”. But in 2022, I read an article in the Star-Advertiser about the Genki ball project’s work to improve the viability of the canal by distributing mud balls that are inoculated with beneficial bacteria. I walk along the canal at least five days a week, so I thought that volunteering to help the Genki ball project would be a good use of my time. I find it gratifying that the conditions in the canal have improved to the point where fish are feeding and spawning, and that predators are finding it worth their time to feed on them and other aquatic prey. I believe that the Genki ball project has contributed significantly to the canal’s improved health, and I look forward to helping the canal’s residents to thrive in its waters.”
— Gary
“First learned about the project after seeing coverage on tv and reading about it in the MidWeek newspaper. After retiring in 2022, I wanted to find a suitable project to devote my energy and contribute to a healthier environment. Genki Ala Wai was my choice because it uses a bioremediation process to help remove pollutants from the environment. This process is also known to help farmers to neutralize odor/pests naturally in their environment. My overall experience: It’s fun to make and throw, mostly it’s rewarding to see sea life returning. This team spirit of generosity fosters empathy, compassion, and a sense of responsibility among community members. I work best in a group of like-minded people working together for a common cause. My vision for the future of the Ala Wai: I remember as a kid, my parents would take us on rented boat rides on the Ala Wai. As a parent, I was hesitant to allow my son to paddle a kayak in the Ala Wai during a high school event, worried about a possible infection. I would like to see the Ala Wai return with vitality without that worry. I love nature and want to see it thrive. I would participate in the future to go upstream with Genki Ala Wai.”
— Ranie
“My friend invited me as a volunteer to one of the private events. I believe in the project vision, it's a fun educational activity I can do with my daughters, and of course...it's fun to make and toss genki balls! I prepared and cleaned up materials, including taking care of the genki balls after they “grew". I also got to teach people from all generations how to make them.”
— Tomomi