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Ciara, a SOMA surf girl

SOMA Surf Project for African Girls

Last week, we launched our #vanillasandjournals with Francisca Sequeira, a power woman who started a surf project for women, called SOMA, in São Tomé Island. This project aims to use surfing to develop girls’ self-esteem and resilience, and help them step out of their comfort zones. Connecting with the ocean through surf makes the girl’s more autonomous, confident and show’s them, that it is possible to do whatever they dream of.

this interview was made this year February from Francesca and edited by her and us.

February 2021, together with Francisca, we did an interview with one of the SOMA girl’s, Ciara. Now we want to share this interview with you here in our Journal, to give you a deeper look into the girl’s world’s and life’s on the island:

Ciara: “I live with my mom and my sister. That’s it. My father left São Tomé Island 6 years ago, and never came back.”


“Every time I saw the boys dropping a wave, I was imagining I was also part of the group. When I heard, that a female surf group was being created, I immediately said I wanted to go. ”

The first female surf group in São Tomé Island

Ciara speaking about her connection with the ocean:
“I feel that I am in charge of the wave …. My dream is to go to Portugal, stay there to improve my surf. Develop my skills even more, finish my studies…” 

Watch a snipped of the video here, or head over
to our Instagram channel @vanilla_sand to
watch the full video on our IGTV

->

THANK YOU CIARA!
THANK YOU FRANCISCA!


Instagram @somasurf_saotome
Video by @manelgeada & Francisca Sequeira

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