Catch Waves, Help A Surf Community. It's That Simple

Originally posted on SURFER | By August Howell | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 7:21 PM ET

It's a helluva offer. Surf every day for 30 days, get crew to back you, and you’ll help communities that steward some of the best waves in the world, yet struggle to get basic services. That’s the gist of SurfAid’s Make A Wave Challenge, which is about to kick off its fifth annual fundraiser next month. Since its inception in 2021, Make A Wave has raised $2.6 million from surfers in 28 countries. That’s translated to aid for tens of thousands of people in remote surf communities like Nias, Sumbawa, Rote and the Mentawai Islands.

You can ride solo or make it a team effort. There are prizes for top individual and teams, including sessions at URBNSURF in Melbourne, a $500 voucher from Rip Curl and a Firewire surfboard of your choice (I recommend the Dominator Pro ). This year, SurfAid is again partnering with Rip Curl, which is bringing in a-listers like Stephanie Gilmore, Erin Brooks and Owen Wright to join in. It won’t be their first time.

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“Participating in the Make A Wave challenge was an incredible experience,” Owen said. “Knowing that each wave I caught helped families gain access to the things we take for granted, like clean water, made every session even more meaningful. I can’t wait to do it again this September.”

Every bit helps. According to SurfAid, a few hundred dollars can have a major benefit. Just $110 can set up a latrine and hand-washing facilities. And $500 can help a family get clean water for a year, while $1,000 installs a well.

Another addition to this year's challenge is a matching donation by Freely Travel Insurance. Participants in Australia and the United States who fundraise more than $100 in their local currency will have their fundraising matched up to $250 by Freely’s partner, the Z Zurich Foundation. Freely will also reward these surfers with an exclusive Make A Wave x Freely rashie featuring artwork by Australian artist Brentos.

In case you needed another excuse to surf every day, consider Make a Wave. Click here to learn more and sign up for the fundraiser.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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