As the autumn winds rolled in, Project Sunwave rode the waves of momentum built in March and pushed even further in April. Thanks to the dedication of our team, the energy of our youth, and the generosity of our community, April became one of our most active and impactful months yet.

Full Speed Ahead: School Holiday Sessions

Throughout the April school holidays, including the Easter weekend, we ran daily beach and ocean sessions, adding 15 extra sessions to our usual weekly program schedule. The consistent exposure to the ocean, structured activities, and supportive coaching made a visible difference in the confidence and skills of our young participants.

Our daily presence on the beach also created new opportunities for outreach, connection, and, most importantly, transformation.

Welcoming New Waves: 15 New Vonk Kids

One of our proudest moments this month was welcoming 15 new children into our Vonk program, specifically designed for younger participants. Their interest was immediately caught by our Nipper module, which blends their love for friendly competition with essential swim and water safety skills.

For children aged 9–12, whose natural energy and competitiveness often go untapped in traditional learning environments, this approach has been especially engaging. In a context where few structured social-emotional learning (SEL) opportunities exist, meeting kids where they are, and celebrating effort above all else, has proven vital.

At Project Sunwave, we are not a competitive sports club. We are an ocean therapy-based intervention, where effort, courage, and participation are celebrated at every turn. Every child’s achievement matters, no matter their skill level. Trying is winning.

By the Numbers: April at a Glance

• >35 new children participated across our various programs

• >15 open-to-all sessions held during the school holidays

• 5 donated wetsuits received, giving more kids the chance to stay warm and safe

• 1 donated surfboard added to our growing equipment pool

• Average session attendance: >20 children per session

• Session total for April: 30+ sessions (standard + holiday programming combined)

These numbers tell only part of the story: behind each one is a child discovering the ocean, building resilience, and finding joy.

Challenges on the Shore

With growth comes new challenges. Our biggest hurdle in April was transport. Many of the children we serve live more than 3 kilometers from the beach, and for safety reasons, they cannot walk there alone, especially our youngest participants, aged 7–10.

Currently, we manage transport by fetching and carrying children in a single SUV, with full parental permission. While effective, it’s a time-intensive process, often taking an hour to complete, which limits our available beach session time and caps the number of children we can include.

Access is at the heart of our mission, and a dedicated van or taxi bus remains one of our top priorities to ensure every child, regardless of age or location, can participate equally.

We also faced wetsuit shortages for smaller children, particularly as cooler temperatures set in. Our creative solution- rotating wetsuits during sessions- kept kids in the water, but also reduced productive time. More child-sized wetsuits would significantly expand the reach and efficiency of our programming.

Despite these challenges, the spirit of Project Sunwave remained undeterred: adaptive, positive, and committed to every child’s right to thrive.

Looking Forward: Plans for May

The energy of April propels us confidently into May, with exciting plans ahead:

• Securing funding for the creation of the Sunwave Clubhouse, a home base for our programs and a safe gathering space for our kids.

• Training our first cohort of youth coaches, providing leadership pathways, and building the next generation of mentors from within.

• Progressing the Vonk kids through the next stages of their Nipper module, developing their skills and water confidence.

We believe in the power of small ripples to create great waves of change. Every session, every child, and every moment of shared stoke moves us closer to a stronger, safer, more connected coastal community.

Let’s Keep Sharing the Stoke

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