Surf Voluntourism Project in Peru

WAVES for Development (WAVES) is proud to announce the addition of a new team member to its surf voluntourism program.

WAVES for Development (WAVES) is proud to announce the addition of a new team member to its surf voluntourism program. Australian Naomi Godden joins WAVES as the Program Manager of the organization’s surf voluntourism program in Lobitos, Peru. In addition to an interest in surfing and volunteering, Naomi, a trained social worker, brings with her years of experience working in community development, research, and as a PADI Divemaster and Emergency First Response Instructor.

WAVES for Development, the first organization to offer voluntourism opportunities for travelers to surf and volunteer in Peru, began working in Lobitos, Peru in early 2008. Its surf voluntourism program offers volunteers from around the world the opportunity to enjoy great surfing while giving back to the community they visit. Volunteers teach and assist in educational programs for local youth that include surf lessons, life skills activities, environmental education, and English classes. Additionally, each volunteer carries out an individual community development project during their stay.

As the second member of WAVES surf voluntourism staff in Lobitos, Naomi joins local Peruvian Holggers Clavijo, WAVES’ Surf Instructor / Program Assistant. She has already worked to offer PADI First Aid Training for local community members and voluntourists and revise the program’s educational curriculum for youth. Local instructors are now offering Spanish and surf lessons to interested volunteers.

Over the next month, Naomi will be carrying out a participatory community consultation through visits to local families and organizations to get to know the community better and how WAVES can continue to help it meet its needs through sustainable development.

While living in Lobitos, Naomi will be enjoying some of the best surfing in Peru. Lobitos has over 5 surf breaks within walking distance (from perfect point breaks to great waves for beginners) that have attracted travelers from over 10 countries to surf and volunteer. Naomi, who grew up surfing in Margaret River on Australia’s west coast, says, “Lobitos is a perfect community for surf voluntourism. Volunteers have the opportunity to surf great waves every day, get to know a unique community and have a positive impact on the lives of community members. However, most say the experience has the biggest impact on their own lives.”

More information on how to surf and volunteer in Peru can be found at WAVES’s website: http://www.WAVESfordevelopment.org.

About WAVES: WAVES believes that travel should benefit the people and the communities where it happens. WAVES uses surfing to make the world a better place by combining Educational Surf programs that develop youth into healthy and empowered adults with Surf Voluntourism programs that engage travelers and transform their world views. Community-based educational programs promote:

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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