With joy, honour and distinction we celebrate Women’s Day. Women from diverse backgrounds around the planet enable us to live with our oceans. The  trailer for an upcoming short film highlights the ongoing and usually unseen touches that women bring to our lives. This participatory film is presented through their very eyes. WAVES for Development recognizes, encourages and empowers local women to take pride and ownership of their lives.

Ongoing partnerships with Napa, Recreo and DocuPeru media associations in Peru, WAVES celebrates all the Lobitos woman working in conjunction with the Oceans and the organization. The theme for the workshop was “Mar Mujer” or “Ocean Women” to build on a previous workshop ‘desde el Mar’ (from the Sea). The workshop consisted of empowering local woman with media tools and experiences that will never be forgotten. “Ocean Women” takes a glimpse into all the local women of Lobitos do and their varied roles through their individual perspectives and own eyes.

The full version short documentary of “Ocean Woman” will incorporate examples of how local female leaders emerge organically and intrinsically linked to the Ocean and WAVES. Ongoing programing, fueled by surf tourism, has created options for a few beautiful examples of empowerment and leadership.

Community Survey

For example, the recently strengthened Micro Loan Fund, established in 2010, is now totally managed and operated by Irene a driven and dedicated woman of Lobitos. Funds (56US$ per surf volunteer a week) come directly from volunteer contributions. Ongoing community surveying listens to issues locals want to tackle directly – especially the local Environmental Health and Surf Tourism deficiencies WAVES  is poised to positively impact: household concrete flooring to reduce disease and parasite transmission, home gardens, and small business loans targeting the local surf tourism sector are some examples of cross community/ surf tourism participation.

WAVES Community Outreach Program, consists of 60 hours a week of youth education and awareness in the following form: English Language, Environmental Education, Community Surfing classes to over 280 local children that incorporate international surfing volunteers. Continued education to local youth within the education system is a core component of the overall project, we believe long term targeted education efforts will not only benefit local development, but also reduce risks of socio-environmental conflicts in the long term.

Over the past two years local teacher Sonia Machuca has led environmental education classes to kindergarten and primary schools.  This year programing has increased to 25 hours a week. Integrating international volunteers brings their skills and knowledge to local youth which, in turn, raises awareness of a variety of issues and creates a safe environment for cultural exchange. Some classes involve off site trips to visit other types of micro climates that Peru has to offer. English Classes are led by two international female staff: Kate Pavalich and Alicia Briscoe that also fully integrate environmental education aspects.

Karen-Periche-Chavez-by-Henry-Espinoza-Panta

Karen Periche Chavez, having learned to surf with a variety of past and current WAVES staff and visiting surfers from around the world has progressed. In 2012, she ranked in the top 5 of her age group in the Peruvian National Surf Circuit. She is a student turned local youth leader and inspiration for many. Karen now also is an assistant teacher to local WAVES youth surf classes every week. At age fifteen, she is already transferring her acquired knowledge to her peers. This is one local surfer to watch for many years into the future, stay tuned!

The WAVES for Development NGO was initiated in Lobitos, Peru back in 2008 by a core group of visionary people. With 5 years of continued operations in conjunction with the local community, the organization has built up several core pillars that ultimately interlink and compliment each other: Community Outreach, Environmental Health, Entrepreneurship Empowerment and the Micro Loan Fund & Administration.

There are a lot of people to thank here, but I am very sure you all know who you are, and take pride in your achievements and never forget, without you, we all would not be here.

´We believe surf travel should benefit the people and communities where it happens.´