In Morocco, Maryam El Gardoum Is Nurturing A New Generation Of Women Surfers

In the windswept, sun-bleached village of Taghazout on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, a quiet revolution is unfolding—not in parliament or tech hubs, but in the turquoise shallows where teenage girls in hijabs and rash guards paddle out side-by-side. At the center stands Maryam El Gardoum: 32-year-old certified ISA Level 2 surf instructor, founder of Surf Sisters Morocco, and the first Moroccan woman to earn the ISA’s Gender Equity Leadership Certificate (2022). Since launching her nonprofit in 2018, she has trained 417 girls aged 9–24 across six coastal provinces—including 212 from low-income families receiving full scholarships—and helped 37 earn nationally recognized surf instructor certifications. Her work bridges cultural norms, economic barriers, and infrastructure gaps—proving that surf culture in Morocco isn’t just imported; it’s being indigenized, led by women, and reshaping opportunity.

A Coastal Awakening in Taghazout

Taghazout, a former fishing hamlet 18 kilometers north of Agadir, transformed into Morocco’s surf capital after the 2000s when international surf camps like Surf Maroc and Taghazout Bay began leasing land near Anza Beach. But early growth excluded local women: only 12% of registered surf students in 2015 were female, per the Moroccan Ministry of Youth and Sports’ annual tourism report. Cultural expectations, lack of female instructors, scarce modest swimwear options, and transportation costs kept most girls onshore—literally and figuratively.

Maryam El Gardoum grew up in nearby Imsouane, where her father repaired fishing nets and her mother ran a small textile stall. She learned to bodyboard at age 11 using a discarded foam board from a French surf camp’s trash pile. By 16, she was guiding beginner tourists—unofficially—for 50 MAD ($5) per session. Her breakthrough came in 2014, when she earned her ISA Level 1 certification through a scholarship program run by the Association of Surfing Professionals Morocco (ASPM), then secured a paid apprenticeship at Surf Berbere.

That experience exposed systemic gaps: no changing tents for women, no menstrual product dispensers at beach facilities, and zero Arabic-language safety signage. In 2017, Maryam co-authored ASPM’s first ‘Gender-Inclusive Surf Infrastructure Guidelines’, which mandated dual-gender changing areas, shaded rest zones, and bilingual (Arabic/French) emergency protocols—all adopted by 14 surf schools by 2020.

Surf Sisters Morocco: From Classroom to Coastline

Launched officially in January 2018 with seed funding from the UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality ($24,500), Surf Sisters Morocco operates year-round programs across four pillars: Learn, Lead, Live, and Launch. Each pillar targets measurable outcomes aligned with Morocco’s National Strategy for Youth (2021–2030).

Learn: Breaking Barriers Through Access

The ‘Learn’ program delivers free weekly surf lessons to girls aged 9–16, prioritizing those from households earning under 3,000 MAD/month (roughly $300 USD). Participants receive full kits: Patagonia Houdini jackets (size-adjustable), Billabong modest rash guards (UPF 50+), and custom-curved foam boards built by local artisans in Agadir’s Eco-Board Co-op—each measuring 7’2” x 21.5” x 2.75”, optimized for smaller statures and beginner stability.

Transportation remains a critical hurdle. To address this, Surf Sisters partnered with local NGO Al Amal in 2021 to deploy two electric tuk-tuks—donated by Renault’s North Africa Mobility Initiative—capable of carrying eight girls plus gear. Each vehicle logs an average of 1,280 km monthly, reducing individual transport costs by 92% compared to shared grand taxis.

Lead: Training Instructors, Not Just Students

‘Lead’ trains girls aged 17–24 to become certified instructors. The curriculum spans 12 weeks and includes ISA standards, trauma-informed coaching techniques, CPR/AED certification (through the Moroccan Red Crescent), and business literacy modules developed with INJAZ Al-Maghrib. Graduates receive ISA Level 1 certification and guaranteed 3-month internships at partner schools including Surf School Morocco (Taghazout) and Ocean Vagabond (Essaouira).

Since 2019, 37 graduates have completed the program. Of these, 29 now teach regularly—earning between 4,200–6,800 MAD/month ($420–$680), well above Morocco’s national minimum wage of 3,000 MAD. Four launched independent ventures: Lina Benali opened ‘Dune & Sea’ in Safi, offering bilingual surf + ceramics workshops; Samira Ziani co-founded ‘Blue Horizon’, a mobile surf clinic serving rural villages along the Souss-Massa coastline.

Data-Driven Impact: Measuring Change Beyond Waves

Surf Sisters Morocco tracks progress using three core metrics: participation rates, certification attainment, and post-program socioeconomic indicators. Their 2023 impact report—audited by the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Development—reveals compelling trends:

• Female enrollment in Taghazout-area surf schools rose from 12% in 2015 to 48% in 2023
• 87% of program alumni remain active in sports or outdoor education roles after 2 years
• 73% reported increased household decision-making authority (measured via WHO’s Gender Equity Scale)
• Zero dropout rate among participants aged 14–16 over the past 4 years

These figures contrast sharply with national averages: only 31% of Moroccan girls aged 15–19 participate in organized physical activity (UNICEF Morocco, 2022), and just 19% pursue vocational training beyond secondary school (World Bank, 2023).

Modesty, Mobility, and Material Innovation

Cultural responsiveness isn’t performative—it’s engineered into every element. When Maryam noticed girls skipping sessions during Ramadan or menstruation, she redesigned programming around lunar cycles and introduced ‘Wellness Wednesdays’ featuring yoga, nutrition talks, and discreet menstrual product distribution via sealed, reusable cloth pouches branded with Surf Sisters’ logo.

The swimwear solution emerged from collaboration with Moroccan textile engineers at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Métiers (ENSAM) Casablanca. After testing 17 fabric blends, they finalized a proprietary blend: 82% recycled polyester (from ocean plastics collected by local fishermen in Tan-Tan) + 18% spandex, certified OEKO-TEX Standard 100. Each suit features internal shelf bra support, flatlock seams to prevent chafing, and a hidden drawcord waistband—tested rigorously in 2-meter swells at Anchor Point.

Surf Sisters also tackled equipment scarcity. Traditional longboards (often 9’+) proved unwieldy for beginners. Partnering with Agadir-based startup WaveCraft, they co-developed the ‘Zahra Board’: a 6’8” hybrid shortboard with extra volume (39L), wide nose rocker, and reinforced rail tape—priced at 1,450 MAD ($145), less than half the cost of imported equivalents. Over 320 Zahra Boards have been distributed since 2020.

Living the Values: Housing, Health, and Holistic Support

‘Live’ addresses structural inequities beyond the beach. In 2021, Surf Sisters opened the ‘Al Marjana House’ in Taghazout—a repurposed riad offering subsidized lodging for rural participants attending multi-day camps. It accommodates 12 girls per session, with solar-powered showers, filtered water stations, and a rooftop study terrace. Nightly rates: 120 MAD ($12), versus market average of 450–700 MAD.

Health integration is non-negotiable. Every participant receives annual screenings through partnerships with the Agadir Medical University Clinic. In 2022, 63% of attendees received vision correction (free glasses provided by Essilor Morocco); 41% accessed gynecological consultations; and 100% received HPV vaccination—administered on-site during summer camps, eliminating travel barriers to clinics.

National Advocacy and Policy Shifts

Maryam’s influence extends far beyond Taghazout. In 2022, she was appointed to Morocco’s National Council for Youth and Sports—a 21-member advisory body reporting directly to the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication. There, she spearheaded inclusion clauses in Decree No. 2.22.587, mandating that all publicly funded sports infrastructure projects allocate minimum 30% of budget to gender-equitable design elements.

She also co-drafted the ‘National Surf Development Framework 2024–2030’, adopted unanimously by the Royal Moroccan Federation of Surfing (FRMS) in March 2024. Key provisions include: mandatory female representation (minimum 40%) on all FRMS committees; standardized stipends for female instructors teaching in underserved regions; and integration of surf literacy into national physical education curricula for grades 7–9—piloted this fall in 17 public schools across Essaouira, Safi, and Laayoune.

This policy work is backed by hard data. A 2023 FRMS-commissioned study found that surf schools with ≥30% female staff saw 3.2x higher retention of girl students aged 12–15, and generated 27% more local employment per facility than male-dominated counterparts.

Challenges That Persist

Progress isn’t linear. Maryam cites three persistent obstacles:

1. Water Quality Instability: Sewage overflow during heavy rains contaminates Taghazout Bay—detected in 62% of municipal water tests conducted between November 2022–April 2023 (Agadir Regional Health Authority). Surf Sisters now coordinates real-time water quality alerts via WhatsApp groups and shifts classes to cleaner spots like Tamri Beach (12 km south) when needed.
2. Funding Volatility: 78% of Surf Sisters’ budget comes from international donors (e.g., Swiss Development Cooperation, EU’s Erasmus+ Programme). Domestic corporate sponsorship remains minimal—only 3 Moroccan brands (Cosumar, BMCE Bank, and Afriquia) currently fund programs, contributing <5% of total revenue.
3. Transport Gaps Beyond Taghazout: While electric tuk-tuks serve the Agadir corridor, girls in Dakhla or Laayoune face 4+ hour bus rides. A planned 2025 expansion will deploy two solar-charged minibuses funded by the African Development Bank’s Youth Employment Initiative.

Maryam refuses to frame these as roadblocks—but as design challenges requiring coalition-building. “We don’t wait for permission to build,” she told Le Matin in May 2024. “When the sewage system fails, we map clean alternatives. When funds lag, we train mothers as ‘Beach Ambassadors’ who collect fees in kind—dates, olives, handmade soap—to sustain local operations.”

What the Future Rides On

By 2027, Surf Sisters aims to operate in all 12 Moroccan coastal provinces, train 1,200 female instructors, and establish five regional ‘Ocean Literacy Hubs’—community centers combining surf training, marine ecology education, and climate resilience workshops. These hubs will use locally sourced materials: walls built from compressed earth blocks (CSEB) made with sand from dredged ports; roofs lined with recycled fishing net insulation; floors tiled with broken ceramic fragments from artisan cooperatives in Safi.

International recognition is mounting. In June 2024, Maryam accepted the Laureus Sport for Good Award alongside Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai—citing Surf Sisters’ model as “proof that sport isn’t neutral infrastructure; it’s contested terrain where equity must be claimed, not granted.” Yet her proudest metric remains human-scale: last March, 14-year-old Khadija from Tiznit became the first girl from her village to pass the ISA Level 2 exam. Her board, hand-painted with henna motifs and the phrase “Al bahr maa3na” (“The sea is with us”), now hangs in Surf Sisters’ main office.

That board symbolizes something deeper than athletic achievement. It reflects how Maryam redefined what ‘access’ means—not just entry to the water, but ownership of the narrative, the equipment, the teaching authority, and the policy table. Her methodology rejects charity models in favor of co-design: parents help draft lesson plans; girls vote on board colors; fishermen advise on swell patterns. This isn’t surf instruction as service delivery. It’s surf instruction as sovereignty.

The numbers tell part of the story—but the lived reality resonates louder. On any given Tuesday at Sunset Beach, you’ll see Amina, 16, adjusting her hijab before paddling out, while her younger sister waits on shore holding a clipboard—recording wave counts and wind direction for their school’s ‘Coastal Science Club’. Nearby, Fatima, 22 and newly certified, demonstrates proper duck-diving technique to a group of giggling 10-year-olds, her voice steady over the crash of the Atlantic. No one claps. No one films. They’re simply doing what comes next.

This normalcy—girls surfing without spectacle—is Maryam’s ultimate metric of success. It signals that the revolution isn’t televised. It’s tidal. And it’s rising.

Surf Sisters Morocco doesn’t measure success by how many girls catch their first wave—but by how many return to teach the next generation. Maryam El Gardoum’s legacy isn’t carved in trophies or titles. It’s etched in saltwater on young shoulders, in the rhythm of paddling synchronized across generations, and in the quiet certainty that the sea belongs to everyone who dares to claim it—not as visitors, but as stewards, instructors, and leaders. Her work proves that equity in sport isn’t about lowering barriers. It’s about building new shores.

For travelers seeking authentic, ethical engagement, supporting this movement requires intentionality. Skip ‘voluntourism’ packages that displace local jobs. Instead, book lessons directly with Surf Sisters-certified instructors (rates start at 250 MAD/hour), purchase Zahra Boards or modest swimwear online via their verified Shopify store, or donate to their scholarship fund—where every 1,000 MAD sponsors one girl’s full season of training, gear, and transport.

Morocco’s surf future isn’t imported—it’s being shaped, stitch by stitch and wave by wave, by women who know the coastline not as scenery, but as sanctuary, classroom, and sovereign ground. Maryam El Gardoum didn’t just learn to ride the waves. She taught a generation how to steer them.

The Atlantic breeze off Taghazout carries more than salt. It carries possibility—measured in meters paddled, certifications earned, policies rewritten, and futures unbound.

And it’s only getting stronger.