The Heart of Project Sunwave
Our Story
A Life-Changing Moment
In late 2024, our founder Chiara Vorster and her mother pulled a young boy from the ocean just in time after other children had thrown him in as a joke.
Realising the Real Problem
The boys who threw him in were high, and in that moment, a near-drowning looked like nothing more than a joke. It was a sign of something bigger: kids growing up with little guidance, few boundaries, and nowhere safe to put their energy. The need for real intervention was undeniable and urgent.
The Birth of Project Sunwave
Project Sunwave grew out of that moment, into a community-driven initiative built around water safety, swimming skills, and youth empowerment, in a town facing real hardship but full of natural beauty and untapped potential.
Who we are
How We Show Up
That day in the water is why Project Sunwave exists today. Local mentors and families work alongside kids in this coastal community, using ocean-therapy, education, and skills development to build something that holds season after season.
Our approach is rooted in Positive Youth Development: learning, wellbeing, safety, and opportunity, strengthened together instead of delivered as separate, disconnected programs. Every part of The Project Sunwave Model™ is designed to reach the whole child, not just one part of their day.
Our Impact
Our impact grows through ocean-therapy, education, and skills development to build stronger futures for the youth of Lambert's Bay.
Community Resilience
Lasting strength
Employability Pathways
Real livelihoods
Measurable Change
Alumni surveys, interviews, academic and employment data: our Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning framework tracks real outcomes for every child in our care.
Lasting Transformation
Flexible programming, diversified funding, and trauma-informed mentorship, combined, so children and Lambert's Bay as a whole aren't left rebuilding from zero every time something changes.
Learn. Grow. Lead. Give back.
We believe in the power of mentorship and the ocean to transform a young life. By learning new skills, showing up consistently, and building real relationships, our mentors help young people from Lambert's Bay shape a future of their own choosing.
