Surfing for a Better Future

I had the most amazing time volunteering with Surfpop! I would do it again anytime! Everyone was so kind and welcoming from the start and it was great to see how passionate everyone on the team was about what they're doing. The accommodation is great, right next to the beach and Muizenberg is a lovely little surf town with the friendliest locals, you'll often find yourself having a quick chat with one of them in and out of the water. The surf lessons were fantastic. Thanks to the amazing and knowledgable surf instructors you're gonna improve a lot while having lots of fun. What I also highly enjoyed was that you can grab a board any time and go surfing on your own. So you can really make the most of your time and go surfing as much as you want and you don't have to worry about surfing on your own cause there are always locals in the water who are happy to help and cheer you on! Also working with the children was so much fun! They are so lovely and kind-hearted and so grateful that the volunteers spend time with them, helping them in the classroom and with surfing. The weeks are filled with endless smiles, laughter and hugs and you build a great connection with the children. Everyone on the team does an amazing job and it's great to see the positive impact Surfpop has on the children's lives and that you can be part of it and contribute to it by volunteering. I would highly recommend the programme to anyone who loves surfing or wants to learn to surf, who enjoyes working with children and wants to do all of this in a stunningly beautiful environment.

My experience in South Africa has been amazing. If I could fly back tomorrow, I would do it right away. Helping children from townships has been something I've wanted to do since I was young, and I finally got the chance to do it now. Combining that with surfing is just so much fun! You also have plenty of free time to enjoy and explore Cape Town, which I think is a great combination. Surfpop is well organized; you can always message someone if you need anything, and they are available 24/7, which I found very reassuring. The food during the week is also good, especially breakfast, which is delicious! The surf instructors are skilled and know how to teach, so you really improve. The accommodation is nice too. It's cleaned every week, and you share a room with many girls but that’s nice and you get better and better together! I had a wonderful time overall. Thank you so much for everything! Kind regards Sterre Lief van de Geer

I had an amazing time at Surfpop! From the very first moment, I felt welcome thanks to the wonderful people I met and the friendly, supportive team. Everything was well organized. Surfing was one of the highlights – thanks to the enthusiastic surf instructors, I learned a lot and improved my skills. Additionally, the organized tours were a fantastic way to explore the area and experience the beauty of the region. Working with the children in the afternoons was a special and valuable experience. The variety between helping in the classroom and activities like surfing and swimming made every day unique. I truly enjoyed spending time with the children and seeing the positive impact Surfpop has on their lives. Most of the volunteers were Dutch, which created a nice community, but it would be great to see more international volunteers joining as well! Surfpop does incredible work, and I’m grateful to have been a part of it. An experience I will never forget!