20 years after the Boxing Day tsunami, these Sri Lankan women are moving from fear to freedom through surfing

It’s yet another scorching afternoon in the Sri Lankan surf town of Weligama, and my tattered bamboo fan is proving futile against the kind of humidity that makes your insides stick together—but no-one seems to have noticed. Instead, the excitement is palpable. Season seven has officially kicked off at SeaSisters, and over a hundred local girls and women are ready to conquer waves, both literal and otherwise, in the months ahead.

Co-founded in 2018 by Martina Burtscher and Amanda Prifti after a chance encounter on Sri Lanka’s east coast, the non-profit organization was established on a core belief that’s yet to permeate the rest of this island nation: The ocean is for everyone.

Drawing from their backgrounds in international development, Martina and Amanda believe swimming and surfing can empower women from underprivileged communities on multiple levels—personal, collective, and even societal. To do this, free lessons are offered by a team of international volunteers in a safe and playful all-female environment.

We’re currently at The Surfer, one of seemingly countless surf camps around town—Weligama is famed for its beginner-friendly beach breaks. In the mix today are students, homemakers, and mother-daughter duos from nearby coastal towns like Mirissa and Midigama. Everyone’s welcome, whether you’re aged 11 or 55. With the aid of foam noodles, kickboards, and beach balls, participants are put at ease as they acquaint themselves with aquatic play in a 45-foot-long pool before taking the plunge, so to speak. Many will soon step foot in the ocean for the very first time. And it won’t be long until they, like SeaSisters’ director of programming, Kalpa Gandhari, declare it their happy place.

“I was born in the neighboring beach town of Unawatuna and, all through my childhood, was never given the opportunity to learn how to swim,” Kalpa says. “I spent years observing foreigners enjoying the ocean at my doorstep, but never really engaged with water sports of any kind.”

“I still remember the first time I went out into the ocean. I was 25. I felt so free. Life can get overwhelming, but something about the ocean makes you return to yourself. The ocean is a safe space, free of judgment.”

- Kalpa Gandhari, director of programming, SeaSisters

As fate would have it, the search for an English-Sinhala translator at SeaSisters altered the course of her life. “That’s how I became the very first employee. I’ve studied law, but choose not to practice. I love what I do here.”

Kalpa is a prime example of how participants carry their newfound confidence back onto land, even reshaping their futures. “Kalpa was recently recognized as one of Sri Lanka’s top 50 female changemakers,” says Martina, beaming. “Her journey is a powerful testament to what’s possible when women embrace their voices.”

The movement hasn’t been without its challenges. For starters, securing a pool for practice sessions wasn’t easy in a place that centers around western tourists. Nearby, the mellow and foamy waves of Weligama are speckled with surfers, dwarfed by the ocean’s immensity yet echoing the overwhelming whiteness of tourism along the coast. As a Pakistani woman who learned how to swim in the comfort of a residential community pool and still doubts her ability, I can’t help but be in awe of Kalpa’s bravery.

“I still remember the first time I went out into the ocean,” says Kalpa, visibly nostalgic. “I was 25. I felt so free. Life can get overwhelming, but something about the ocean makes you return to yourself. The ocean is a safe space, free of judgment.”

Her sentiments are a far cry from what is considered the norm in Sri Lanka, where the coastline exceeds 800 miles (1,300 kilometers), yet the ocean is feared and out of reach for many women. Both public swimming pools and female swim instructors are nearly unheard of in rural villages and, on average, one woman drowns every day. It’s also the leading cause of death among children aged one to 14, according to a 2020 report by Sri Lanka Life Saving.

Additionally, many remain traumatized by memories of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, further fueling their aquaphobia. Caused by an undersea 9.3 megathrust earthquake northwest of Sumatra on December 26, it struck the coasts of Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and even the distant country of Somalia. Here in Sri Lanka—more than 1,000 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter—entire villages were flattened and over 36,000 people lost their lives.

Tangible reminders of this devastation are few and far between; all I’ve spotted is a culvert reconstructed by the government of Japan. But it’s the conversations that I have with locals along the coast, like the man whose sister boarded the ill-fated Matara Express train and perished as towering waves flooded its densely packed carriages, that echo the indescribable impact two decades on.

Kalpa is no stranger to such anecdotes. “I was 10 years old when the tsunami struck. We weren’t as affected as Galle, but I do remember the rapidly rising water levels and people screaming, ‘The sea is coming out!’ she tells me. “Back then, we couldn’t understand what was happening. We still have people who hate the ocean… Imagine living in front of this thing that took away those closest to you.”

“The goal is for Sri Lankan women to develop these skills, take on skilled roles as swim and surf instructors, and eventually pass these skills to the next generation.”

- Martina Burtscher, SeaSisters co-founder

Safety is therefore one of the main ways in which SeaSisters is driving change, restoring the ocean as an enjoyable space. “Even Kalpa’s mother, who was initially curious about her role in our lessons, was inspired to join,” reveals Martina. “With a little encouragement, she discovered the pure, unadulterated joy of being in the water at the age of 52.” Fostering such a connection with nature, they say, has to be paired with promoting environmental awareness.

“Most Sri Lankans don’t even know which ocean we belong to,” remarks Udani Hewamadduma, the organization’s ocean educator and program and community manager. “That’s why our education and advocacy sessions are just as important,” she says. Spanning school visits, beach clean-ups, and community events, these events address the issues of plastic pollution and sustainable consumption.

Udani also personifies a momentous time at SeaSisters, as does her younger sister Himaya. The two are undergoing advanced training as part of a tailored program for eight local women who dream of becoming the country’s first female swim and surf instructors.

“The goal is for Sri Lankan women to develop these skills, take on skilled roles as swim and surf instructors, and eventually pass these skills to the next generation,” explains Martina. “Udani and Himaya are proof that, with the right support, women can break barriers and rewrite the narrative.”

Indeed, a Sri Lankan woman on a surfboard is a silent act of resistance. In rural areas, gender norms typically dictate that a young woman’s place is in the home, where she’s expected to help with household chores, eventually marry and rear children.

Sri Lanka may have a thriving surf tourism industry, but for now, women are visibly excluded from its economic opportunities—all it takes is a walk along the shoreline, bustling with surf schools run by so-called ‘beach boys’ to understand the current scene. But with every woman who ventures cautiously toward the ocean, a more inclusive surf culture is in the making.

Societal expectations aside, the island is still reeling from the instability of recent years. The Easter attacks of 2019 were swiftly followed by the pandemic, when most visitors returned home, leaving SeaSisters without volunteer instructors. Tourism continued to suffer as anti-government protests and a crippling economic crisis took over the nation, but still the team persisted.

“With the economic crisis intensifying hardships for Sri Lankan women and their families, our programs are a place of hope and joy for many,” says Martina. “They get the chance to reconnect with their carefree side—something many haven’t experienced since childhood.”

Today, as the giggles across the pool intensify, almost setting the soundtrack for Martina’s words, it’s easy to imagine the positive ripple effect within families and communities as each SeaSister returns to herself and the waters she calls home.

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You can support the SeaSisters movement via GoFundMe.

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