Teaching special-needs children to surf
WESLEY Smith has given a new lease on life to children with special needs by teaching them to surf.
A month ago the 34-yearold industrial commercial broker of eManzimtoti and his surfer buddies started taking a group of young pupils from the Open Air School to Addington Beach to learn to surf.
And according to him, the children are loving it.
Smith is now hoping to start a special surf academy and then train children with special needs in Durban and other provinces to surf competitively. He said it was rewarding to see the kids get into the ocean and have fun. So how did it all start? “My son has arthrogryposis and attends the Open Air School. One of his classmates, Mohamed Essack, who is blind, had a birthday party in February and we attended,” said Smith.
“While speaking to his dad, I learnt that Mohamed enjoyed playing in the water and I suggested taking him to the beach to teach him to surf. A few months had passed until we finally got down to going in April.”
Smith has since taken Mohamed and other pupils from the school on two surfing expeditions.
“My surfing friends volunteer their time and we head for Addington Beach where we help the kids get on to the boards and guide them through the surf. At first the children were scared, but they soon got over their fears because they knew we were with them every step of the way and they began to laugh and have fun.”
He said that as 10-year-old Mohamed got older and grew in confidence, he would be able to surf with a “spotter” to direct him.
Mohamed’s dad, Thayir Essack, said: “I went with my son on his first surfing expedition and he was excited to experience new things. I was excited too because opportunities like this don’t come about every day. When we went out the second time, he was elated.”
Smith is arranging another surf session for the children at the weekend but young Mohamed will not be able to attend as he will be fasting during the holy month of Ramadaan.
“But I will go back after the fast because surfing is fun and I get to ride the waves,” said Mohamed.