Imagine if the process of change began with a blank piece of paper and a crayon. That’s child’s play, you think, but for the Small-Scale Fisheries Academy in Senegal, this playful approach provides the creative framework for meaningful action in small-scale fishing communities. An approach first piloted in 2018, the Academy engages fishers in workshops that begin with inviting participants to draw their visions for a happy life. Images call forth access to water and electricity, health services, and food as the basis for happiness. Activities such as fishing, schooling, and cooking also play a role in the community’s well-being.