Vanderful / Seeds of Hope ODV
2019 - 2024
Week 1 – Vanderful Angola
After 3 weeks of solid driving, we finally arrived in Cabo Ledo, Angola. The Surf Craftsmanship workshop began right away and we held a mini workshop/demonstration over the weekend… not to forget our colloboration for Expressive Arts is also confirmed!
Vanderful Angola
We arrived at our host’s resort ‘Carpe Diem’ and were warmly welcomed by our collaborator Bizuka from ‘Angola Waves’.
Cabo Ledo; a beautiful stretch of beach, cliff tops strewn with various cacti and continuous spectacular waves rolling in from the left.
We were introduced to Paulo Sergio and Daniel, then shown around the stunning location they call home! But before discussing plans for the coming weeks; Frankie and Gibbo couldn’t wait any longer to jump into the ocean after our very long and tiring 3 weeks of travel!
Vanderful Surf Craftsmanship
After a day of approaching members of the community and chatting to some of Paulo’s staff; we arranged to station the workshop at Graiciano’s.
Graiciano is a local boat builder and a very talented craftsman. He agreed to have the Surf Craftsmanship workshop alongside his boats and was very eager to observe the surf board shaping process too.
Mingo, Manuel and Eduardo were all enthusiastic about making their very own wooden Alaia surfboard. On the day we arrived, Mingo had a quick go on Frankie’s Alaia… from then on he was hooked!
Throughout the next couple of days, the boys cut their board’s shape, measured the rails and began the shaping process using the handplanes.
Vanderful was able bring over some coconut wood from Mozambique for this first workshop, however Frankie began enquiring right away about local wood that could be sourced for the next boards.
Paulo suggested we look at ‘Bimba’. This is a timber that is used for canoes and small boats in Angola. In the next couple of weeks, Frankie and Gibbo will begin experimenting with this local wood that is light but spongy.
The following weekend is a public holiday, so Cabo Ledo was expecting to be full. Therefore the boys prepared a large batch of organic surf wax to sell at the beach.
Vanderful was invited to do a ‘mini workshop’ to raise awareness about the project and the sustainable methods and approach we use.
Below is a picture of Reginho making more surf wax over the weekend, as we managed to sell 9 bars of wax. The profit made by these sales will go towards buying more locally sourced ingredients such as beeswax.
Vanderful Expressive Arts
Carpe Diem is next to a fishing village, so after we had settled in, we approached the only little school based at; Centro Apoio Pesca Artesanal Cabo Ledo.
We were welcomed by one of their teachers Francisco who seemed very eager to collaborate. We made a call to the director in Luanda; Paulino, who was as equally keen!
On Friday, we had our introduction workshop with the children and Professor Francisco which was a resounding success. Approximately 45 children attended and it seemed many more were interested as they watched from over the playground walls!
We met with the director Paulino and organised our collaboration to be incoorportated into their school curriculum. The school has only 2 classrooms and operates in the morning and the afternoon, but sadly with only 4 teachers they never have enough time for physical and creative education.
We are very excited about the positive impact our project is going to have on the participants but also on this little school’s future approach to alternative teaching methods.
‘We believe in the contribution Drama can make to quality of life; in school and beyond’.
Give children the chance to play.

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Seeds of Hope ODV is an Italian registered
Volunteer Organisation / Organizzazione di Volontariato (C.F 94148280301)
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IT94 S087 1512 3000 0000 0727 402