Waves for everyone - how a small village in Peru is living a big idea

How an idea was born

In the early 2000s, Lobitos was barely on the map. A handful of surfersfound their way here, drawn by word of long, untouched waves far from thetourist trail. Among them was Sylvain Gaeng, a surfer from western Switzerland,who quickly recognised enormous potential — not just in the waves, but in theplace itself.

What he observed in Lobitos stayed with him: there was almost no connection between visiting surfers and the local community. The water was almost exclusively occupied by tourists. On land, both worlds barely crossedpaths — children who looked down when strangers passed; a quiet coexistence that felt like a missed opportunity.

Together with other surfers Sylvain and a small group began developing an idea. What started as informal conversations gradually took shape. In 2008, that idea became WAVES for Development (Water, Adventure, Voluntourism,Education, Sustainability), with a clear purpose: to create educational and sporting opportunities for the children and young people of Lobitos.

Over more than a decade, the NGO and its programmes grew steadily. Surf,skate, environmental education, English, art — and above all: a place where children are welcome and seen.

In 2021, a pivotal shift happened. The founding generation handed over the reins to the young adults who had grown up inside the programme. WAVES for Development in Lobitos became WAVES Lobitos — a locally led, locally rooted organisation. Today, Henry Espinoza and Luis Tinoco lead the project: both bornand raised in Lobitos, former programme participants, and talented surfers.

Growing up in Lobitos — not always carefree

To visitors, Lobitos often looks idyllic. Surf vibes, good food, the ocean right there. But behind that backdrop, daily life for many families is shaped by uncertainty and hardship.

Fishing is the main source of income for many — and it's unpredictable.There are days when fishermen come home not knowing whether there'll be enough to eat. The town sits in the desert; water is scarce and expensive. Infrastructure is generally poor and government social programmes are largely absent.

Children grow up in this environment. They help their parents, carry responsibility, keep things going. Real free time — the kind that involves playing, exploring, dreaming — is not something many can take for granted. School is hard to prioritise when energy is low, and the prospects afterwards seem dim: university costs money most families simply don't have. The challenges facing children and young people in Lobitos are far removed from what most people in Switzerland would recognise.

What WAVES Lobitos does — and why it works

WAVES Lobitos offers a safe place. A place where children can just bechildren — without expectations, without pressure, without having to beresponsible for others.

The programme is built on the Take 5 methodology, an internationally recognised approach developed in South Africa, which uses sport as a tool for psychosocial wellbeing: a safe space, a supportive adult, engaging activities, learning moments — and a connection to new possibilities.

In practice, that means surf and skate coaching, jiu-jitsu, art andenvironmental workshops, and English classes — all within a framework that goeswell beyond the technical. Around 60 children and young people participate regularly, both girls and boys. The programmes run throughout the year — not as one-off interventions, but as consistent, ongoing support.

What sets WAVES Lobitos apart from many other projects is that it doesn't stop at itself. Over the years, entirely new initiatives have grown out of what started here — NGOs, collaborative projects, ideas carried forward by former participants or volunteers who found their purpose in Lobitos. WAVESLobitos isn't just a programme. It's an ecosystem.

Once a year, organisations from across Latin America come together at the Regenerative Surf Congress, co-founded by WAVES Lobitos. In 2025, the fourth edition was held in Huanchaco — with over 20 organisations sharing thesame goal: bringing surf and community together.

The swiss connection

The connection between WAVES Lobitos and Switzerland runs deep — andremains very much alive. Co-founder Sylvain played a key role in building theproject and giving it international reach. To this day WAVES Switzerland continues to support the project strategically and financially. Over the past few years, the Fédération Vaudoise de Coopération (Fedevaco) has also consistently provided strong financial support for the project.

The connection to Peru is also growing within the surf community: in December 2025, the Swiss Surfing Juniors travelled to Peru to compete in the ISA Youth Games.

This article is the first in a four-part series in which we'll go deeper into the world of WAVES Lobitos over the coming months — with portraits, behind-the-scenes looks at the programmes, and stories from everyday life in Lobitos.

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