Waves for Change Competitors

The Surfrider Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s ocean, waves and beaches. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains a grassroots network of over 50,000 members and 90 chapters worldwide.

Outward Bound, founded in 1941 by educator Kurt Hahn, is a non-profit educational organization that serves people of all ages and backgrounds through challenging learning expeditions that focus on character development, leadership and service. As the pioneer and leading provider of experiential and outdoor education in the U.S., Outward Bound offers over 1,000 courses throughout the year, across the U.S. and internationally. Outward Bound helps individuals and teams discover strength of character and an aptitude for leadership needed to serve others in their community and care for the world around them. Outward Bound serves 70,000 students annually, many of whom receive scholarship support, and has a nationwide community of more than 1 million people.

SurfAid’s mission is to improve the lives of women and children in remote areas connected to us through surfing. SurfAid specialises in working in very isolated villages where the maternal and child mortality rates are some of the highest in the world. Our geographical focus on the heartlands of surfing where few visitors but surfers go, make our work unique. We know that simple solutions like hand washing prior to delivering a baby, practising exclusive breastfeeding, and improving nutrition can have an enormously positive impact on the health of women and their families. We work with each individual community to affect long term behaviour change. We believe, and our results show, that working with communities to develop their own solutions is the most effective form of aid - a hand up, not a hand out approach.