Sunwave Wellbeing™

Problem

Many children in the region grow up without a safe relationship with the ocean or a consistent, trusted adult in their lives. Project Sunwave's founder has spoken of rescuing a boy who'd been thrown into the water by his peers and couldn't swim, a moment that revealed just how common that lack of safety, and lack of a caring adult nearby, really is.

Solution

Sunwave Wellbeing uses ocean therapy, structured, evidence-informed surf and water-based activities, to build psychological wellbeing, reduce trauma symptoms, and strengthen emotional regulation. The same coaches show up week after week, turning the ocean into a safe, supportive space and building trust and resilience over time rather than through one-off interventions.

Includes

• Ocean Therapy

• VONK: year-long surf therapy programme ("Spark" in Afrikaans) using water-based activities to promote mental health and resilience

• Surfistas: girls-only programme building confidence and wellbeing through surf therapy, leadership and wellness education

• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)