“Irie” is “a feeling of peace,” the choice to embrace the present, to recognize and embody the positive in every moment. The project of the same name is part of this idea, traveling to Jamaica to meet women through Surf Therapy, which can help them find a second wind through surfing.
Details of the IRIE Project
The aim of the IRIE association is to set up a Surf Therapy program for Jamaican girls and women, who will benefit from the teachings of professional surfer and ocean therapist Imani Wilmot. The goal is to give them a taste for surfing and the keys to enable them to take up the sport whenever they feel the need. The main objective is to allow participants to discover the joys of surfing and connect with the ocean ! The program set up by Imani and her assistants on site will convey the values of surfing: pushing oneself beyond one’s limits, connecting with nature, sharing, self-confidence, and, in doing so, well-being.
In November 2025 in Bull Bay, Jamaica, we will bring together a group of women (10-15 people) who can benefit from the program, contacted through local support centres for vulnerable people such as the Women’s Centres of Jamaica Foundation, Woman Inc. and The Women Resources and Outreach Centre. The Surf Therapy support program consists of two 5-hour sessions spread over a weekend retreat
Why Jamaica?
The project takes place in Jamaica, a Caribbean country where surf culture is relatively underdeveloped and where women are heavily affected by various social factors that impact their mental health. Jamaica is a developing country which, despite its natural, cultural, human, and economic wealth, is burdened by high levels of inequality that affect individuals’ access to resources and opportunities.
As an example, in a post-COVID study of more than 1,000 Jamaican women over the age of 18, researchers highlighted a very high prevalence of depression among them : 92% of them suffer from moderate to very severe depression.
In recent years, several studies have also shown the proven beneficial effects of surf therapy on this illness. Combining these two findings and with the involvement of Imani Wilmot, Jamaican surfer, local figure, and Surf Therapy Facilitator, we want to introduce Jamaican women to surfing and to a nature-based practice that can change their daily lives.
Production of a Documentary
We believe that surfing, and nature more broadly, is a form of therapy that should be accessible to all, just as we believe in the power of documentary film as an impactful format for addressing major social issues such as mental health.
On site, we will make a short-length film documenting the project in order to spread its message. Through this film, we hope to raise awareness of the issues affecting Jamaican women today, meet the people who make up the island’s surfing culture, and highlight surf therapy as an alternative solution to mental health issues.
Support the Local Surf Community
Jamaica is a Caribbean island where surfing is still relatively undeveloped. There is a small surfing community and opportunities to surf, and this project will be an opportunity to introduce them to as many people as possible!
The island’s surfing spots range from Saint Andrew to Portland. The Jamaica Surfing Association organizes the local championship, whose winners represent the country internationally each year at the ISA World Surfing Games. Surf culture is most deeply rooted in Bull Bay, home to the Jamnesia surf camp run by the Wilmot family and the Surf Girls Ja women’s surf collective. The island thus has its share of talent and opportunities.
At Jamnesia, there are plenty of boards… in need of love. There’s no lack of enthusiasm there, but there’s a need to share skills to get them back in the water! With the help of Brett Prinz, who has been shaping boards in Florida for 25 years under the Crowd Control logo, we will be offering local enthusiasts a shaping workshop to teach them how to repair boards. More usable boards = more people in the water!
Support IRIE
To carry out this project, the non-profit needs your support. It is launching a fundraiser to finance these actions on site, and you have until early November to help them ! Here’s how you can contribute:
- Fundraiser to finance actions on site and the implementation of the project, the film, and the workshops on site!
- Proceeds from sales of the postcard designed by @eva_designfree will go towards funding the project.
