Kite For Kenya

Five women completed a 600-kilometer Kenyan coastline journey while kite surfing, a sport that not only provides an adrenaline rush but also fun relaxing, for the first time ever.

Along Kenya's coastline, there are a ton of incredible conservation initiatives. But awareness is woefully insufficient. They did this to inform communities about the challenges to the ocean's biodiversity. Overfishing is one of the issues they want to address. The concept was at first unwelcome in villages where fishing is a major source of income. The five were also cautioned about the dangers of such an endeavor, such as unexpectedly high tides, wind gusts and powerful waves.

• On the first day, the five surfed the Malindi-Watamu, stretch, covering 78 kilometres in slightly less than five hours in an ecosystem that has dolphins and turtles.
• On the second day of their excursion, they surfed for 39 kilometres between Watamu and Kilifi.
• On the third day they doubled the distance to 70 kilometres between Kilifi and Mtwapa in six hours.
• On day four, they had raised more than Sh600,000 when they surfed between Mombasa and Galu in Daini, covering 67 kilometres.
• On day five, the team ended the mission in Shimoni from Galu.

The five women have partnered with REEFolution, a local charity organisation based in Shimoni, Kwale County. The charity promotes restoration and rehabilitation of coral reefs.  Through this partnership, the team raised Sh1 million in January for their work. In weeks, their work gained attention from other individuals and entities who also wanted to participate.  

For these women, coral reefs, an important resource can be conserved through one kitesurf at a time. With collective efforts of coastal communities, saving the ecosystem is possible.

Pepea KiteSurf supports this great cause and we would love to join the brave ladies again next year if they do it all over again.

Photo credit:: @kiteforkenya
Article:: These kite surfers are riding waves to save coral reefs | Nation Africa