Paddle for future

Paddle for Future is an initiative by Bay of Life Foundation to create a sustainable movement to protect inland water bodies through sport and awareness.

Spearheaded by Kumaran Mahalingam, a known name in the standup paddleboarding scene in India, the first phase of the campaign will ensure the protection of 8 hand-picked lakes in the district of Kanchipuram.

Using paddleboarding as a flagship sport the project actively involves the local community to participate in training and in conserving the lakes. Indian cities have been blessed with numerous lakes and ponds, wetlands but with rapid urbanization and poor waste management, changing lifestyle these water bodies are declining and getting reduced into garbage dump yards. These water body ecosystems are very critical for remaining flora, fauna and aquifer recharge, water supply.

Aim:

Paddle for Change program strives to conserve these water bodies through research, education, and sports.

With a team of Environmentalists, Fitness experts, Engineers, Geologists, Herpetologists and Zoologists, Paddle for change program fights to conserve our waterbodies for our future generations by inspiring a personal connection to the environment and help develop the actions to sustain it.

Over the last 3 years, we have

  • Reached more than 2500 school kids on special focus for government-run schools through workshops, outdoor learning programs which asserts on the importance of being connected to nature.
  • Tons of trash through coordinated mass clean ups and daily clean up by employing locals on daily wages, providing employment opportunities and leaving behind cleaner water bodies.
  • Introduced and conducted numerous free discover paddleboarding sessions. These sessions engaged urban citizens in understanding water bodies and their relationship with it. Eye-opener session which encouraged more people to step outside their comfort zone and attempt an ‘adventure in their backyard’, mobilised young people engagement in civic issues via adventure and finally showcasing the immense accessibility of the SUP sport (the fastest growing water sports in the world!) as a means of creating additional Eco-tourism opportunities in India’s great outdoors.
  • Upcoming paddle for change program – Green cover initiative, a program to plant and maintenance of native tree species around water bodies using local residents.
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