Hermann Vivier might look like an ordinary surfer. But when he paddles out, he does so with purpose. Shortly after relocating to Mossel Bay, South Africa, Vivier began to notice scores of marginalised youth aimlessly wandering the streets. With no direction and a lack of extracurricular activities, many stumbled into trouble. “I wasn’t sure what I could do,” Vivier says. “The only thing I had was surfing.” So, he picked up his board and started teaching kids the value of the sport. Soon enough, they were making waves in their community.
Having experienced the benefits of surfing as a child, Vivier founded a non-profit, The Surfer Kids. He began offering free surf lessons to children from the neighbouring community of Joe Slovo Village to guide them on the right path. While keeping students off the streets, Vivier uses surfing to instil them with the qualities to lead prosperous lives. “I want to teach the kids to feel a sense of commitment and accomplishment,” he says. Vivier also started to share his passion with a few adults from the same settlement, upskilling them to become full-time instructors at the centre.
Today, Vivier’s humble after-school programme has flourished into a community of 31 aspiring surfers. Training them five times a week, he has witnessed a significant improvement in their lives. Now more focused and determined, his students are not only excelling in school but in the water as well. After years of hard work and dedication, the team took home medals at the annual South African Grommet Games in 2017 and 2019. “The feeling of watching these kids accomplish things, it’s like watching my own child grow up,” Vivier says. Uncovering strength and purpose in the waves, these surfers are set for success.
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