Sirenitas de Popoyo 2021-2022

We are ready to launch the Sirenitas of Popoyo Program of 21-22! It's time to get the girls back into the water with a revamped program and for this we need your help!

Sirenitas de Popoyo was born in 2017 in Las Salinas, Nicaragua with the help of Isabelle Delfosse and Catalina Chacón. Bella, an experienced surf instructor, and Cata, a psychologist, decided it was time to get more local Nicaraguan girls in the water and surfing. It's no surprise that surfing has been historically a male-dominated sport but as of recent years, this has started to shift. The initial goal was to get girls into the water and enjoy the wonders of the ocean but it transformed into so much more. Sirenitas de Popoyo uses surfing as a tool to build confidence and self-empowerment, to provide a space for girls to overcome their fears and as a result to discover their own mighty strength. It has also been a space to demonstrate that with perseverance and passion, they can achieve whatever they want in life. But most importantly, it's about having fun and strengthening their bond with nature and beautiful oceans.

When the girls first started to surf, they were very scared of the ocean. They live so close to it, yet most of the girls did not know how to swim and had much less ever surfed. To become better at surfing, and certainly, for safety reasons, the girls first had to gain confidence and learn how to connect with the salty water.

Based on the girls' needs we began to provide much more than just surfing lessons, they now had access to:

Swimming lessons

English, computer, and Tae Kwando lessons

Environmental workshops

*This year we hope to create and provide a SexEd curriculum*

Through our fundraiser, we hope to hire someone locally to manage and develop our new program as well.

The Sirenitas have become a clear example of how much the world can change if you provide an environment for girls to grow fearless and empowered. We hope you'll help us continue providing this space for our girls!