Volunteer World had the opportunity to interview Neil Christiansen who has left everything behind to start up his own social project and with it a purposeful life in Panama!
Give & Surf is a locally embedded 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation of volunteers providing sustainable empowerment to indigenous communities in Bocas del Toro, Panama, through education and community development. Give & Surf aims to develop long lasting relationships with indigenous communities of Bocas del Toro rooted in educational growth for all community members.
I was working with orthopedic surgeons in a multi-national company and my responsibility was help them install in people’s bodies several medical devices. Early into adulthood I felt uncomfortable in the conventional direction my career in medical devices was going and knew there would be a turning point, but it took a number of years to reach this point.
I wanted to live a more purposeful life and had the idea to start a non-profit in which I could have creative control from start to finish.
The inspiration to start Give & Surf developed in a series of decisions. My initial plans were to simply quit my job and give back to areas of the world by supporting the work of other non-profits. So one day, I decided to take courage, quit my job and travel around the world. I also wanted to have a purposeful travel experience so I started to do some research.
From this moment on I was hooked on the idea and started the process of developing Give & Surf.The roller coaster ride had begun and whatever was thrown at me I found a way to deal with it.
I realise now that being naive to the challenges and potential roadblocks that lay ahead was a huge benefit to the journey's success. In the face of adversity my perseverance and resiliency prevailed where a more experienced individual would likely be discouraged and give up.
I fell in line with Give & Surf's mission of supporting the communities through education after learning about the education being provided to the children of Bahia Honda, the first community I worked in. Not by design, but by desire we started to offer education programs to this community one by one. The first program was a preschool/kindergarten started with great friends and partners from La Loma Jungle Lodge. Once this program was up and running we became increasingly more ambitious and developed more programs: after-school program, summer school, baseball team, Adult ESl Program, Elementary School ESL program, music program, surf outreach program, and more. It was a natural evolution where as more resources came in more support was provided.
As we developed we added a summer school, an elementary school and then we started to teach Adult English classes and then a music program and really as we developed we also thought we needed to improve for better education facilities.That’s why we started to build an elementary school, we built a library, a garden, a cafeteria and a bathroom.
As we operate, as we see that there is a need, we try to provide that need and add some resources and support grow.
We also try to encourage the grow of the community.
N: At the beginning my girlfriend was with me and then things didn’t work out there. After a short period we came into that wasn’t for her so I continued alone.
N: I knew that there were communities deserving support in Panama and my best friend’s family had built a house here so I knew that I count with that support to start my project. But one of most important reasons is, because here I have found the most beautiful spot in this world!
N: Give & Surf aims to provide substantive, hands-on, real world assistance and programs to a hundred and thirty children ages three to sixteen. Give & Surf has constructed and developed two schools in Bahia Honda and Bahia Roja that provide:
We thank Neil Christiansen for an in-depth and fascinating interview and you guys for reading this blog.
You are interested and you want to apply for the Give & Surf volunteer program? Then click here and join up! You don't need to give up everything to live a purposeful life, but there's so much good to be done in the world and volunteering will widen your horizon immensely.
