Make A Wave This September With Rip Curl And SurfAid

SurfAid’s signature Make A Wave Challenge is back again in 2026, challenging surfers to paddle out every day in September to raise money for remote surf communities.  

Rip Curl is proud to have been a primary partner of the challenge since 2023 and a key supporter of SurfAid’s work over the past four years. 

Throughout the challenge, surfers of all ages and abilities commit to paddling out every day to raise funds that bring clean water, healthcare, and food security to families in remote surf communities. 

Rip Curl team rider and Olympic bronze medallist Owen Wright recently experienced SurfAid’s work firsthand during a visit to Rote, Indonesia. Venturing into remote villages, he saw the organisation’s clean water systems, health programs and nutrition initiatives in action.  

“It was mind-blowing to see the work that SurfAid is actually doing,” said Owen. “They are literally on the ground, in communities, changing real people's lives.” 

During the trip, the team visited a water well that was first dug more than a century ago, when families hauled water by pulley and bucket. Today, the well feeds one of SurfAid’s catchment systems, delivering clean water to around 80 families in the surrounding area. 

He also met Mama Margarita, a SurfAid micro-grant recipient who runs a chicken farm and nutrition garden, and visited a local Posyandu (community health post) supporting pregnant women and young children. 

SurfAid CEO Anna Bowden, who joined Owen on the trip, said the visit underscored the scale of impact behind the organisation's work. 

"In Rote, more than 1 in 5 children face stunted growth, which is a shocking statistic,” said Anna. “However, the good news is that we know how to fight stunting, and SurfAid’s combined approach to nutrition and clean water access is already changing outcomes for families and children here.” 

“Walking through the family nutrition gardens was one of the most inspiring moments of the trip. Seeing mothers and families, not only growing their own food, but proudly passing on that knowledge to others in the community is what SurfAid is all about.”  

You can sign up for Make A Wave now and commit to surfing every day in September, or simply get in the water as often as you can. Take on the challenge solo, team up with friends and family, or rally your local Boardriders club. 

Every wave counts, with funds raised supporting SurfAid’s programs in remote surf communities like Rote. 

Sign up now at makeawave.co.