Fiona’s Story

Fiona’s Story

Fiona grew up on L’Avenir Wine Estate in Stellenbosch. As a young girl, she dreamt of one day becoming a surfer, a dream that felt far out of reach. That all began to change when she joined the Pebbles Project After-School Club on L’Avenir at the age of 15.

The Pebbles Project School Enrichment Programme (SEP) supports children aged 6 to 18 with academic support, life skills, and access to extra-curricular activities that many would otherwise not have the opportunity to explore. One such activity is weekly surf lessons, made possible through Pebbles Project’s partnership with the non-profit organisation Surf4Life.

“I never had the opportunity to surf before I joined the Pebbles After-School Club on my farm,” Fiona shares. “I’ve been surfing for six years now, and I absolutely love it!”

Penny Stemmet, Director of Surf4Life, noticed Fiona’s passion and talent for surfing and approached her with the idea of coaching younger learners. Fiona was thrilled by the opportunity and quickly discovered a new dream: becoming a professional surf coach.

Fiona now finds joy in helping others learn and grow: “I love watching the children progress. Encouraging and teaching them makes me feel proud. Pebbles has impacted my life in a big way! If it wasn’t for Pebbles, I would never have discovered my passion for surfing or for coaching.”

Looking ahead, Fiona dreams of studying Sport Management at Boland College. With support from Pebbles Project and Surf4Life, she is working toward obtaining her SSA (Surfing South Africa) Coaching Certificate, a key step in making her dream a reality.

The Pebbles Project team is incredibly proud of Fiona and all she has achieved. Her story is a beautiful reminder of the power of opportunity, passion, and purpose; and we cannot wait to see where the waves take her next.

*This story captures a period in the beneficiary’s journey during their involvement with Pebbles Project and reflects their circumstances at the time it was written.