My little brother was born with Down syndrome 24 years ago. At the time, people were not sure if those with Down syndrome would be able to swim one day. But we had a pool at home and it allowed my parents to show him how to swim. He actually swam before he could walk. Water is a powerful source of energy and healing that can do wonders for people.
We found an NGO called Superando. Its name derives for the combination of words: SUP (stand up paddle) and the gerund to “overcome” in spanish (superar). I met Sara, one of the founders, a woman who had nothing to do with the world of disability, and yet is so dedicated to it. Every single thing she told me about Superando, left me with goose bumps.
There are about 130 volunteers, among the families themselves and especially many young people. About 25 children each day who are constantly supported by two volunteers. In summary, a movement of love, support and trust. 60 minutes of mutual growth.
The children who attend have different profiles: autism, down syndrome, cerebral paralysis, among others. Many of their families carry heavy emotional loads on their backs, but as soon as they reach the beach and touch the water, they transform. Every moment, all you can hear is laughter, shouts of emotion and the sea. Everything is fused into the same feeling of freedom. Everything flows, like water....
In this project, these children are the protagonists. The T-shirt we produced reminds us of them. That's why we want to wear it: to give them a space in our lives, to speak out from our comfort zone, that we want to support them. They are important to us and we don’t forget them. The T-shirt also means that more surfing days will continue to be repeated, that more children and their families will benefit from the biggest and strongest thing on our planet: the Ocean.
