OceanFolx
ANNOUNCING: Spring 2024 Programming
Learn more about our volunteer-led, swimming, surfing, sailing, and conservation program created in partnership with local Lombok women*.
*all those who identify.
Itinerary
Involving local womxn in the development of our programs and guiding its’ direction has been a key principle of OceanFolx's development.
We've designed a program in partnership with Buffalo Pond, that includes 10 swimming lessons following the Australian Swimming Curriculum. Once completed, these lessons will be followed by ocean swimming and surfing lessons. We will guide each participant at their own pace.
At the end of every April, we lead a ten-day intensive retreat. We start each day with a yoga and mindful movement session, followed by a swimming, surfing, sailing, or a sustainability activity. Finally, we conclude with a team-building and empowerment workshop at the end of each day.
Upon completion of the program, each participant will receive a certificate and a stipend to cover any work lost, childcare expenses, etc., during the program.
We provide this program at no cost to local women, and actually compensate them for their time to offset any missed wages from work. Through our program, we prevent drowning, encourage leadership and female empowerment, as well as environmental stewardship in a place where this has historically not been done.
Drowning is a serious public health threat which is responsible for over 370,000 people’s deaths worldwide with over 90% of these deaths coming from low-middle income countries. Drowning is also the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide and the majority of Indonesian women, who also are the primary caregivers to their children, do not know how to swim. The death toll from drowning is almost two thirds that of malnutrition and over half that of malaria, but no broad prevention programs in Indonesia exist to prevent this threat.
FAQs
Where: Kuta, Lombok, Indonesia.
When: Year-round foundational programming with an intensive program every April.
Who: Our programs are for women* from Lombok.
Price: Our programs are provided at cost, meaning we do not profit from them, and they are funded solely by donations. In fact, we actually give our local program participants a stipend to participate in our programs to offset any costs from missed work and transport.
If you are in alignment with our vision and want to help support our organization, look to our partnership options below.
*all those who identify.
“Not only are our programs providing life-saving swimming skills, we are also fostering a sense of environmental stewardship. When local women spend more time in and around the ocean, they develop a more positive relationship with their local environment, and promote land and ocean stewardship in their local communities. ”
“I can promise you that women working together – linked, informed and educated – can bring peace and prosperity to this forsaken planet. ”
— Isabelle Allende
Become a Sponsor
OceanFolx is a volunteer-led program and is provided at no cost to local participants.
We are currently working with sponsors who align with our values of environmental and ocean conservation and/or empowering local women and community, want to support our work, and are excited about reaching a growing audience and showing their commitment to community initiatives.
If you think your organization might be in alignment, we would love to hear from you.
Currently, we are accepting partnerships through three different streams outlined below.
Product Sponsorship
Fiscal Sponsorship
Social Media Sponsorship
Our Partners
Meet the Team
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Maddy Bolt (she/her)
FOUNDER
Maddy is a sailor, surfer, photographer, and lover of all things ocean. She studied Marine Biology at the University of British Columbia, spent time as an outdoor educator in the Caribbean and on Vancouver Island, and absolutely fell in love with the southern hemisphere when she was a conservation researcher in Australia.
After sailing across the Pacific in 2023, she felt it was time for her to start a new exciting project of her own. OceanFolx is the culmination of all of Maddys’ greatest passions. She is excited to keep learning with and from the local Lombok community on how best to empower local womxn to engage with their local oceanic environment in the most meaningful way possible.
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Culinjunge Michelle Starjunge (she/her)
LOCAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Michelle brings a wealth of inspiration and local experience to the team. She will be in charge of running our goal-setting and empowerment workshops with program participants.
Drawing from her own story, she will work with our program participants to help them visualize, set and realize their own goals and dreams.
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Andie McDowell (she/her)
SWIM SAFETY PROGRAM LEAD
Andie represents Buffalo Pond Swim School and the delivery of their water safety programs within the OceanFolx program. She is driven by a desire for community connection, social enterprises, and a love for water safety. She is a qualified swimming instructor with close to a decade of experience teaching all ages and levels.
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Coral Littlejohn (she/her)
VIDEOGRAPHER / PHOTOGRAPHER
Coral is from Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Snuneymuxw territory - Vancouver Island. Coral is the OceanFolx videographer and photographer.
Her goal is to capture the smiles and the moments in the water that won’t be forgotten by the ocean, but could be forgotten by the busy world if we don’t pay attention.
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Laura Andriani (she/her)
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Laura is a lover of all things ocean. As a diver, surfer and snorkeller, she was a natural choice to bring onboard the OceanFolx team.
Her translation and communication skills have allowed OceanFolx to increase its’ impact and reach many more local womxn. Engaging in a cultural exchange is an important part of the OceanFolx program and she is integral in supporting language exchange between volunteers and program participants, so everyone can improve their skills in bahasa Inggris or bahasa Indonesian!
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Skylar Mcbain (she/her)
MEDIA AND RELATIONS COORDINATOR
Skylar began her work in the non-profit sector in 2017, though her passion for serving others has been lifelong. She has worked in children’s rehabilitation centres, volunteered with large scale forest protection initiatives, and developed funding initiatives for national and regional programming within major organizations.
Being an avid traveller, a call to exploration has brought Skylar to reside in multiple countries across the globe. Her deep rooted respect for and admiration of cultural diversity has lead her to join our team.
