Senegal’s Surf Academy Lures Girls Back to School. Dakar, Senegal — A unique initiative in Senegal is offering a wave of opportunity to young girls by combining the thrill of surfing with the pursuit of education.
The Surf Academy, established in the fishing community of Xataxely in Dakar, is encouraging girls to return to school by providing surfing lessons as an incentive.
The four — month program, organized by the US-based organization Black Girls Surf, targets girls who have previously dropped out of school.
The first — ever Dakar academy saw 23 girls, aged seven to 17, participate, with 17 having never attended or were no longer in the formal education system.
The program, which includes activities like fitness, meditation, and surfing during the day, is complemented by night school for students who have fallen out of the education system.
Khadjou Sambe, Senegal’s first female professional surfer and vice president of the Dakar chapter of Black Girls Surf, is at the forefront of this initiative. Officials commented on the matter.
According to UNESCO’s International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, Senegal’s primary school completion rate was 60 percent for girls and 55 percent for boys in 2022.
The Surf Academy aims to address this gap by offering a novel approach to education that resonates with the girls’cultural heritage and passion for the ocean. Seynabou Tall, a 14-year-old participant, had quit school nearly four years ago. “I had never surfed before this program, “she told AFP. “.
Now, I have good support, and I can continue with surfing, maybe it will open doors.”
The Surf Academy is not just about surfing; it’s a holistic development program that aims to nurture the girls’potential in various aspects of life.
The program’s founder and director, American Rhonda Harper, said “It’s not just about catching waves; it’s about catching knowledge.”.
As Senegal prepares to host the Youth Summer Olympic Games later this year, the Surf Academy’s success could serve as a model for other educational initiatives in the country.
However, the program’s sustainability remains to be seen as it continues to evolve. Further details are expected as the Surf Academy progresses through its school component, which is set to last until July.
Source: [A surf academy is enticing Senegalese girls back to school — africanews. Com]( Africanews.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
