Waves Lobitos and Iniciativas Regenerativas
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Our origins: Lobitos as a starting point
On the northern coast of Peru, in Lobitos, the waves have attracted surfers from around the world for years. Yet the children and young people from the local community were being left on the margins of this natural space.
From this reality that Waves for Development was born.
Driven by international travelers and surfers, the initiative sought to open access to the ocean by offering surf lessons to children from the community. Little by little, other dimensions were added: English, art, and environmental conservation. More than just a set of activities, it was from the beginning a way of building bridges between people, the territory, and new possibilities for the future.
The transition to Waves Lobitos: From Lobitos, for Lobitos
Over time, the first children who participated in the project grew into young adults, ready to get involved and take on responsibilities. In 2021, following the departure of the original founders, a leadership transition took place and the organization became known as Waves Lobitos.
This name change was not simply an administrative step. It represented a clear decision: to become an organization driven from within the territory and led by the local community itself.
It was during this stage that the practices developed over the years became more structured, leading to the implementation of the Toma 5 methodology. Through surfing, skateboarding, and jiu-jitsu, movement became established as a central tool for supporting well-being, confidence, and social connections.
The Regenerative Surf Congress: Sharing, learning, regenerating
Over time, one question began to grow stronger: how can we leave a place better than we found it?
To reflect collectively on this question, the Regenerative Surf Congress was created. Between 2022 and 2025, this gathering space brought together organizations and individuals in Lobitos and other territories, united by the desire to regenerate the relationships between communities, the natural environment, and sports practices.
But it soon became clear that the energy of an event, no matter how powerful, was not enough. The exchanges needed continuity, the learnings needed to circulate, and the connections needed to be strengthened over time.
Iniciativas Regenerativas today: A collaborative learning network
This is how Iniciativas Regenerativas was born, with the support of Fedevaco. The project continues this story by moving from a one-time event to an ongoing dynamic: a space for learning, exchange, and collaboration between initiatives that, through sport, education, and community action, seek to regenerate territories and human relationships.
Today, Iniciativas Regenerativas is above all a living movement, nourished by grassroots work, shared experiences, and the collective desire to build practices that are more just, conscious, and deeply rooted in local realities.
How we work: Research, gatherings, and action
Iniciativas Regenerativas unfolds through concrete actions aimed at connecting, learning, and putting knowledge into practice:
Collaborative research
We support and document regenerative experiences across different territories, highlighting the learnings that emerge from work in the field.
Webinars and spaces for exchange
We organize online gatherings where organizations and individuals share practices, challenges, and reflections, fostering mutual learning beyond borders.
A collaborative website
The project includes a digital platform where interviews, articles, and audiovisual content are published, with the goal of giving visibility to local experiences and facilitating access to shared learnings.
Learning together
Above all, Iniciativas Regenerativas is a space for collective learning. It is not only about observing or analyzing, but also about understanding, questioning, and enriching existing practices.
Putting learning into practice
The knowledge generated does not remain at the stage of reflection. It is translated into concrete actions adapted to each territory, strengthening local initiatives and nurturing an ongoing process of improvement and transformation.