Our vision stretches beyond the realm of tourism with the project “SUEÑOS DE ARENA” financed by our company DITO SAND XSPORTS.
The mission is to empower youths and improve their quality of life by way of sandboarding. All the beneficiaries are children of poorer communities in Ica, Peru. Many of them are in situations of social vulnerability, such as the children of the INABIF organization (youth refuge in Ica).
The project is run by the SNOWBOARD & SANDBOARD XSPORTS CLUB PERU, a nonprofit organization. Their objective is to promote and develop the discipline of sandboard and snowboard in Peru.
“DREAMS OF SAND” give 20 kids access to a free sport program organizing the following activities:
- Sandboard lessons twice a week in the sand dunes of Huacachina.
- Physical and mental conditioning.
- Motivational speeches destined to boost self-esteem and foster improvement.
- Workshop focused on developing values.
- Involvement of the child’s close friends and family.
- Picking up trash in the desert.
- Nutritional supplements to the children’s diets.
All of the students can count on the monitoring of our trainers as well as on a child psychologist to ensure a positive emotional response. They also benefit from our sandboarding school premises, the use of the appropriate equipment (board, boots, bindings, helmet, back protection, wax, etc.). We use the sport to teach them to surpass themselves and cultivate the importance of discipline, respect, perseverance, teamwork and much more.
Since we do not have snowboarding here in Peru, Sand is the closest thing. It can serve as a stepping stone to eventually make it into the world of pro snowboard.
Thanks to the cooperation of local and international entities, it was able to give the chance for four of the sandboard students to try the snow, where they were able to Snowboard and benefit from professional training in a different environment. Examples of these amazing opportunities include the Olympic Solidarity Program – Training camp in Italy in 2016 as well as The Dream Program in South Korea in 2017. Currently, these same students continue to train professionally with our instructors here in Huacachina (some of them also form part of our technical support team).
Dito Victor Chavez, our Founder Director (4 times Sandboard World Champion, the first peruvian ever qualified to a Snowboard World Championships – Park City 2019, USA, and an olympic scholarshop holder to Beijing 2022), actually used to be a resident of INABIF himself (youth refuge in Ica) during his childhood. Dito is also the head coach of the SNOWBOARD & SANDBOARD XSPORTS CLUB PERU and therefore of «SUEÑOS DE ARENA», being the director responsible for the project to be running since 2015.
Sharing our passion with them isn’t only about opening the doors of professional sports to them, as of course not all of them will ultimately end up making it a career. Through Dito’s vision and experience, we enable them to gain confidence in themselves as well as a more positive outlook on life in general.
Dito Sand Xsports finance this project, however in light of the coronavirus pandemic that essentially interrupted international and domestic tourism, our only source of income was severed. Subsequently, we find ourselves without the sufficient resources to maintain the “Dreams of Sand” social project moving forward.
We understand that times are difficult for everyone all around the world, and would greatly appreciate any contribution you are able to provide. Your solidarity is admirable, and in the event that you cannot afford to help, thank you for showing interest in the project and in what we do out here in the Peruvian desert. Feel free to share the message with other open minded individuals out there!
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT “SUEÑOS DE ARENA”. IT WOULD BE OUR PLEASURE TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS AND FIND THE BEST WAY THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT!
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