Tom Hewitt is the founder of the non-profit organisation, Surfers Not Street Children, a surf team consisting of former street children, committed to a global popular movement around the plight of street children.
The NPO runs various programmes aimed at empowering children in impoverished or dangerous situations. Tabloid Newspapers recently sat down with Hewitt to chat about how he has been making waves over the last few years and how it all began.
Tabloid Newspapers (TN): How long have you lived in Durban and when did you start surfing?
Tom Hewitt (TH): I moved to Durban in 1998. I lived in the Eastern Cape before that. I came from the UK in 1990, went back and forth a bit but was living in SA by 1992.
TN: Who was on your bedroom wall when you were a kid?
TH: I surfed as a kid so my entire bedroom wall was surf pics. In those days the hero was pro surfer Tom Curren.
TN: Did you admire any pro surfers, musicians or celebs and why?
TH: I admire Kelly Slater, not only because he supports Surfers Not Street Children but because he thinks about things and has a social and environmental conscience. I believe the eco-warrior and humanitarian are entwined.
TN: When did you start Surfers Not Street Children and what inspired you?
TH: I started an organisation called Durban Street Team in 1998 and this went on to become Surfers Not Street Children in 2012.
TN: Tell us a bit about your Girls Surf Too programme. Do you think surfing is a male dominated sport in Durban?
TH: The programme is designed to provide support and empowerment to girls living in extremely dangerous situations. Surfing is the hook to this work which fuses mentorship and psychosocial care.
TN: What is your ultimate goal with Surfers Not Street Children?
TH: The goal is to empower as many children as possible. Also to change the way that society perceives and treat street children.
TN: We know the initiative is more than surf-deep- what are some of the life lessons/ skills that street children learn through the initiative?
TH: We hope to enable street children and children at risk of street connectedness to transform their lives towards becoming independent and self-supportive in life. Lessons include learning the nuances of being a successful adult. Things that we are taught by our parents or caregivers which we take for-granted but that they may have never learned. These things are crucial to learn to be successful in the future.
TN: Tell us about the time you met with Prince Harry- how was he involved in your initiative?
TH: Prince Harry came to visit us in December, 2015. We had an awesome time with him and he is very supportive. More recently I was in the UK with one of the success stories from our work, Ntando Msibi and the Prince invited us to go and spend time with him at Kensington Palace. We love Prince Harry. He’s so down to earth and has lots of compassion.
TN: Some of your surfers have travelled abroad as part of the programme- do they compete internationally?
TH: Yes, Ntando has competed for South Africa at the World Junior Games in both Ecuador and California. He also lived in the UK for a few months and in California. He is a paid free surfer and also works at the Surf HQ Surf-shop in Brickhill Road, Durban.
TN: How can the community get involved or support you in this cause?
TH: We value all support. Locals have been super supportive. One way that people can support right now is by giving house furniture for our Surfhouse. This is our HQ and has an emergency shelter for girls in distress. Obviously financial support helps us so much too.
TN: Why should they?
TH: Its so rad to see kids lives transformed and we think that local people will really enjoy to journey with us in this.
TN: What role does your family play in this cause?
TH: My wife is super supportive of the work and as a South African. With her own experiences as a child she is a great resource for our programmes. My boys actually know the kids we work with and consider them friends. They all surf together.
TN: Did you find that becoming a father changed the way you saw street children?
TH: It definitely makes you even more compassionate as you imagine your own child in that situation.
TN: Do you have a day job on the side or do your work full time for Surfers Not Street Children?
TH: This is my full-time job!
Please complete the sentence
My superpower would be… that I don’t give up!
When there is loadshedding I… surf
One thing I cant live without is… good coffee
Choose one
Coffee or tea? Coffee
Winter or summer? Summer all the way. But winter for surf…
Camping or hotel? Used to be camping but its probably hotel with at least a comfortable bed. I am not 20 anymore!
