PROJECT: PAPAU NEW GUINEA CLEAN WATER & SANITATION Partner Organization: Walu International Location: Papau New Guinea Goal: To help Walu International with their fund raising goal of $15,000 Synopsis: These funds will go to support Walu operations staff in the field, which includes a director and 15 local villagers. They are in charge of educating the village about proper hygiene and sanitation practices because simply providing them with the materials does not solve the problem.
PROJECT: CLEAN WATER FOR ROBERTSPORT Partner Organization: Robertsport Community Works Location: Robertsport, Liberia Goal: To develop and a implement a plan to make safe water readily available within Robertsport. Synopsis: Robertsport does not enough wells and the ones that exist break too often and are not cared for properly. There are also no designated toilets so the locals go to the bathroom wherever they please, often near the source for drinking water.
PROJECT: WATER SAFETY Partner Organization: Robertsport Community Works Location: Robertsport, Liberia Goal: To teach the locals basic water safety skills and to acquire a few floatation devices to be used for emergency situations; eventually the beach will be patrolled by lifeguards. Synopsis: Robertsport is a developing surf town and it is important the locals and tourists alike are all safe.
PROJECT: COMMUNITY PHOTO BOOK Partner Organization: Robertsport Community Works & Waves 4 Development Location: Robertsport, Liberia & Peru Goal: To create a photography book and photography series of Liberia images to be sold to raise money for sustainable projects within Robertsport; this model will be replicated to use in the community of Lobitos, Peru. Synopsis: This project is meant to teach the locals about photography, the importance of documenting their lives, and the value of spreading awareness through imagery. Many locals will be given the chance to take photographs and a select few will be mentored further to pursue photo journalism and/or surf photography.
PROJECT: VITAL SIGNS MONITOR - COMPLETED Partner Organization: Trinity Dental Clinic Location: Monrovia, Liberia Goal: Raise $2,500 for a new vital signs monitor Synopsis: Trinity Dental Clinic is one of six dental clinics in all of Liberia and they perform life saving surgeries nearly every week; they need a new vital signs monitor to make the surgeries much safer and lower risk for their patients.
PROJECT: FIRST LIBERIAN SURFBOARD – COMPLETED Partner Organization: Strong Heart House Location: Robertsport, Liberia Goal: To teach locals of Robertsport that they can make surfboards out of locally available tools and materials Synopsis: We taught a clinic to the local surfers on how to construct alaia surfboards (using the Korduroy.TV’s “Tom Wegener’s Creation Plantation” instructional DVD) with tools and materials that were purchased right there in Liberia. Our week long clinic had local surfers and carpenters showing up to hop in and learn the trade. By the end we had created the first Liberian made surfboard, a few templates, and a plethora of hand planes.
PROJECT: GIFT OF SIGHT – LIBERIA – COMPLETED Partner Organization: Gift of Sight Location: Robertsport, Liberia Goal: To develop a model for the distribution of reading glasses to those in need in developing nations and to distribute 300 pairs of glasses in Robertsport, Liberia Synopsis: We worked on finding key distribution points in the community and developing a screening process for necessity and strength. The need is high for glasses in Liberia and a small nominal fee should be attached to the glasses so it weeds out those people just looking for hand outs and does not fuel an inflated sense of entitlement.
PROJECT: NEW SCHOOL LUNCH ROOM - COMPLETED Partner Organization: Surfing Nosara Foundation Location: Nosara, Costa Rica Goal: Raise $2,000 to build a much needed lunch room for the students Synopsis: The Nosara Foundation has been operating in Costa Rica for the last ten years and their mission is to improve the lives of residents in Nosara and surrounding areas by effecting change in our public schools and the community, one project at a time. Currently, Serapio Lopez Elementary in Nosara is badly in need of a lunch room for the students, so they can be safe and properly nourished.
PROJECT: LEARNING CIRCLES - COMPLETED Partner Organization: Strong Heart House Location: Robertsport, Liberia Goal: To teach a select group of locals the “Business of Surf” and basic entrepreneurial skills Synopsis: The Strongheart Fellowship Program is a groundbreaking healing and learning guidance program designed to help bright, resilient young people from extremely challenging circumstances around the globe develop into compassionate, innovative problem-solvers and leaders that can affect significant social change.
PROJECT: LIBERIAN SURF CONTEST - COMPLETED Partner Organization: Robertsport Community Works Location: Robertsport, Liberia Goal: To get the community of Robertsport involved in the 2nd annual Liberian Surf Contest and to raise some attention to the surfing in the region. Synopsis: Holding a contest proves to be a great way to bring the community together and it reinforces the importance that surfing has in the small fishing village.
