This weekend the 2018 Waves for Change program officially kicked off with the Stokeorama event at Monwabisi beach just out in front of Khayelitsha in Cape Town. What was described by all those involved as a truly humbling experience, the day included tag team surf competitions, beach games and flag races. In the background to boost the already pumping atmosphere was a DJ who gave everyone at the beach a little more incentive to bust a move not only on the beach but out on the waves.
Joining over 300 frothing groms down at the beach for some surf therapy were the Positive Vibe Warriors, Tanner, Patrick and Dane Gudauskas, Donald Brink, the Vans crew, Monwabisi Lifesaving Club, Tim Conibear and the man who made it all possible Michael February. MFeb, following inspiration from a board drive that took place in Jamaica, set out on a quest to pull as many boards from as many places as he could. In the end over 700 boards were collected and made their way to South Africa to be distributed to all the waves for change sites Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Liberia and some were even sent up to Mogadishu in Somalia. Also benefiting was an initiative called Surfers Not Street Children.
January saw all the coaches involved in Waves for Change come together for a clinic as well as set out visiting hospitals and schools to sign kids up for surf therapy. Waves For Change and Surfers Not Street Children in South Africa provide safe spaces, caring mentors and a provision of weekly surf therapy sessions to give vulnerable children the skills to cope with stress, build healing relationships and make positive life choices whilst reaching their full potential.
“To sum it up the event was just full of stoke, it’s really great to see how far Waves for Change has come. At the end of the day, everyone left the beach with a full heart and soul, was better than anyone could have expected. I couldn’t be more thankful for how it all turned out as well as to be apart of such a great program” said Mikey.
From everyone here at the Zag we would like to send out a MASSIVE shout out to everyone involved to make a no doubt memorable day for everyone on the beach.
