MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Marchall Nortje (17) a senior participant in The Surfer Kids Program, became the first member of the to qualify as a lifeguard in December 2015.
He spent the recent holiday season patrolling the beaches around Great Brak Rivier, drawing inspiration from the legendary Hawaiian Eddie Aikau, who was the first lifeguard stationed at the infamous Waimea Bay. During his first season as a qualified lifeguard, Marchall made several rescues, some from his own community.
Marchall joined The Surfer Kids in November 2010, at age 12. His school marks then were not great and his father, Benjamin Joubert was worried that his son might walk the same road he once did which involved a struggle with alcohol and drugs.
Fortunately, Marchall and his father were introduced to surfing and the ocean through The Surfer Kids Non-Profit.
Benjamin always smiles when explaining how the ocean salvaged his relationship with his son and his family.
Marchall now lives with his father, mother Stepney and his younger brother Stephan, in Friemersheim, a rural community at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains. Few people from Friemersheim ever learn to swim and even fewer know anything about surfing.
Prior to recently qualifying as a lifeguard, Marchall represented the Eden / Southern Cape Team at the South African Longboard Surfing Championships in April 2015. He now plans on using the money he earned working as a lifeguard to buy school uniforms for himself and his younger brother. His father said: "Marchall is becoming a good man. He's walking a better path than I ever did. I am so happy that I don't have to worry about him anymore."
The Surfer Kids have become a regular sight at Diaz Beach where their Core Surf Program has been based for the past five years, operating every weekend with free surf lessons for children from marginalized communities around Mossel Bay.
With the help of Surf's Up Surf School and Andries Matthysen, The Surfer Kids recently secured a small storage space for equipment at Diaz Beach, making it possible to expand its programme. The Surfer Kids launched its Core Surf Program in KwaNonqaba in September 2015 and in addition to Friemersheim.
The Surfer Kids is also pursuing the further expansion of their premises at Diaz Beach, which will make the programme accessible for many more children from Mossel Bay's communities.
Click her for relevant articles:
- KwaNonqaba Surf Programme launched
- Surfing brings voluntourists to Mossel Bay
- Billabong supports The Surfer Kids
Marchall Nortje is a senior participant in The Surfer Kids Program.
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