Senegalese surfer uses the waves to give children hope

For Ibra Samb, surfing is more than a sport. It is a source of peace, freedom and opportunity – something he hopes to share with a new generation of children growing up in his fishing village of Ngor, on the outskirts of Senegal’s capital, Dakar.

As a young boy, Samb would sneak away with his friends to watch surfers heading to the beach. Unable to afford proper boards, they improvised, using pieces of plywood left behind from the colourful pirogue fishing boats.

Years later, on that same beach, Samb is helping local children discover the sport that changed his life.

Through his Anda surf school, he and local volunteers organise free weekly lessons for children aged between seven and 14. On a recent Sunday morning, boys and girls gathered on the sand, practising the pop-up movement – the quick transition from lying on a surfboard to standing upright – before heading into the water.

For Samb, the impact of surfing goes far beyond learning to ride a wave.

"Surfing, it brought me a lot of peace. I feel very happy when I am in the water. It brought me something really special. So I can see that it can help, even if you don't have a lot here, because here life is hard. So you can have something that can make you happy.”

Among his students is his 13-year-old niece, Katy Samb, who dreams of becoming a professional surfer.

For her, the experience of riding the waves offers a sense of confidence and freedom, away from everyday pressures and expectations.

“I feel free, I don’t need to shout or do anything like that; I’m simply confident. (Ibra) always tells me, don’t look at your board, only look in the direction you’re going. If I do it like this, I will succeed.”

Surfing remains largely inaccessible to many young people in West Africa, where equipment, training and travel costs present major barriers. Although Senegal boasts an extensive coastline and favourable waves, African surfers remain underrepresented at the highest levels of international competition.

Samb's school is trying to change that, one lesson at a time. But the challenges are considerable. There are more children interested in surfing than available boards, forcing students to share equipment. Many also lack suitable clothing and wetsuits.

Senegal's growing surfing scene is attracting international attention, with surf schools and camps emerging along the coast. The country's hosting of the Youth Olympic Games is also shining a spotlight on its surfing potential, as the first Olympic event ever held on African soil brings global attention to Senegal.

For Samb, however, the ultimate measure of success will not simply be the number of children learning to surf, but how far they can go.

“My dream today is that one day I’ll wake up and see that these kids, who have progressed alongside me, have qualified for the World Tour.”

Until then, he continues to teach them to look ahead, trust themselves and find their place on the waves – just as he once did with a piece of plywood and a dream.