KAREN RUTTER
It’s Saturday morning on Monwabisi beach, just opposite Khayelitsha, and nearly 300 kids are feeling the stoke. “Ready, steady, go!” shouts Apish Tshetsha, and a gaggle of boys in wetsuits, helped by four pro surfers, grab a set of surfboards and rush into the water. The first kid catches a wave – a tiny foamy – and the rest of the crowd clap enthusiastically from the sand. The pro surfers are cheering them on, then racing back up the beach to help the next line of kids get a chance. The sky is blue, the waves are small and cheery, the vibe is glorious.
Today is a special one for the team from Waves For Change (W4C), the award-winning surf therapy programme that originated in Cape Town and is now spreading up the coast to Port Elizabeth and East London, and even further north to Liberia. Founded in 2009 by UK surfer Tim Conibear with Tshetsha and Bongani Ndlovu from Masiphumele township, the organisation works in communities affected by violence, poverty and conflict, where mental health services are often stigmatised and under-resourced.
W4C works in partnership with local community members, training mentors to service the youth of their own communities. It’s a well-organised, expanding programme that links in social services, development experts and education specialists, and which won the 2017 Sport for Good category at the international Laureus Awards. Importantly, the uptake of young girls is on the increase, with W4C aiming for a 50% spread in the future.
Trust, confidence and belonging
There’s a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes – the programme functions every day, some weekends as well – and in South Africa operations are spread from Lavender Hill, Muizenberg, Monwabisi and Masiphumelele to Port Elizabeth and East London. Liberia has started its own branch in Harper.
But its ethos is simple – surfing can improve feelings of trust, confidence and belonging. And today, on Monwabisi beach, we’re watching this spirit in action.
The four pro surfers in the water with the W4C kids are having a great time. But they’re also here for a specific reason. Three of them – the blonde-haired, perpetually grinning Gudauskas brothers from San Clemente – are founders of a group called Positive Vibe Warriors, and they’re behind a massive board drive to get surfboards to the W4C kids. Together with W4C ambassador and South African surf legend Mikey February (pictured below), they managed to get close on 700 boards donated to South Africa, which will be used in surf therapy programmes along the coast. They’re here in Cape Town to “launch” some of the boards in Monwabisi – and share the stoke.
“This is just amazing – this why we came, to see this. It’s just incredible,” says Tanner Gudauskas (pictured left), watching the 300-strong group of children doing warm-up exercises and dances at the picnic site field at Monwabisi before heading to the beach. He and his brothers Pat and Dane say they were on a trip to South Africa last year and were inspired by Mikey February and his commitment to giving back to the community. They rustled up support from the local surf community in and around San Clemente, and the response was incredible.
“We really feel passionate about helping out these kids,” said Dane Gudauskas about the board drive, in an interview with the Orange County Register. “We felt really stoked to kind of connect with the communities and reach out — surfing is such a great thing to share. We just feel really grateful for the opportunity we’ve had in surfing and meeting so many people from around the world. Seeing all the different cultures — it’s really taught us that we’re really more similar than different. To be able to help out people who want to share the same love for the ocean as we do, it’s something we find close to our hearts.”
Having fun with the kids
Mikey February (pictured right), who hails from Kommetjie, is equally happy to be out here today. “I’m just going to have fun with the kids,” he grins, pulling on his wetsuit.
And fun is what goes down, all morning. While some of the kids are taking turns with the new boards, others are having races in the sand, or paddling in the sea. It’s no small thing to be able to manage 300 kids in an open space, but the Monwabisi team are in absolute control. The kids listen to them – and they’re enjoying themselves.
Managing on a small budget, W4C has found innovative ways to operate. At Monwabisi, a series of containers have been erected forming a space for wetsuits and boards to be stored, food to be made and conversations to be held. Funky surf murals decorate the outside walls, while inside in one of the containers, equipment has been made available for the repairing of boards – a useful and employable skill to learn. At Muizenberg beach a similar container is housed near ablution facilities – simple and effective.
From such humble beginnings, the organisation has gained major traction. The World Surf League (WSL) is a keen supporter – last year, a group of W4C beginners met with ace surfers such as Mick Fanning and Ace Buchan at Jeffrey’s Bay. South African longboard champ Alfonso Peters is a W4C ambassador. WSL commentator Rosy Hodge is a fan.
Surfing is a unique sport – you’re in nature, you’re at the mercy of a huge body of water. You’re on your own. But you can also learn to soar. Plus it makes you stronger. And you’re never really alone – you’re part of a global family of like-minded people who understand the stoke. It makes complete sense that an activity like surfing, which inspires respect and joy in equal measure, is making such a change to the lives of children who’ve experienced violence, poverty and insecurity.
- To be stoked: Is to be completely and intensely enthusiastic, exhilarated, or excited.
Visit: Waves for Change
See: The Fabulous Gudauskas Brothers
WS
