ABOUT
BEGINNINGS
On a solo surf trip to G-Land, Indonesia Lizzie Murray realised that in a decade of visiting Indonesia she had never seen Indonesian girls surfing or swimming. Further research showed; more women and children die in tsunamis; Indonesian students repeatedly rank amongst the bottom seven countries globally for numeracy, literacy and science. Yet Indonesia was experiencing rapid economic growth and development, to even remoter islands, as transport and communication links quickly improved.
On a subsequent surf trip to the Mentawai Islands, Indonesia, the villagers of Katiet asked Lizzie to help them gain skills they wanted and needed to be a part of surf tourism developments happening on their shores. Lizzie decided to try, recognising that the passion and enthusiasm locals had for surfing and surf tourism could be used as a foundation from which to do so much more. She sold up, moved to Katiet and together they created A Liquid Future, a meeting of ideas, skills, knowledge and passion.
“She sold up, moved to Katiet and together they created A Liquid Future, a meeting of ideas, skills, knowledge and passion.”
OUR APPROACH
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We work with communities, governments, the private sector, academia, the Surf Industry and NGOs.
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Bring together expertise, knowledge and approaches from Western and Indonesian perspectives to develop relatable and scalable models.
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Extensive networks in Indonesia and throughout Indian Ocean Rim Countries and the Pacific.
WHY SURFING?
Surfing unites people from very diverse backgrounds in an element more powerful than them.
A wave treats everyone the same.
Deep friendships develop across cultures and girls and women can forge a new identity.
Surfers are very protective of their local surf breaks. They are in tune with the ocean environment and weather patterns, and often the first to notice changes in marine and coastal ecosystems.
Surf breaks are renewable resources. If protected and managed well, surf breaks and surfing can provide healthy lifestyles and sustainable futures.
Surf tourists embody a pioneering and adventurous spirit and are often the first foreigners to visit remote coastal regions .
Surf tourism expenditure pre-COVID-19 was valued between $31.5 – $64.9 billion US dollars annually.
Surfing as a sport and a lifestyle is increasing in popularity worldwide. There are an estimated 35-45 million surfers globally.
