What if your homeland was suddenly the target of foreign attacks ? What would you do? 

Ukrainian Kshisya Tachanskaya fled with her two children, a few belongings, reluctantly kissed her husband farewell, and drove for a familiar coast -- some 4000km away (2500 miles). 

Kshisya  is part of Ukraine’s tight knit surfing community who enjoy the couple of windswells that the Black Sea delivers each year. Before she found surfing, Kshisya was a water skier, and later opened Kyiv’s CitySwell Club, and worked as a wake surf instructor.

Shortly after her arrival in Portugal, Kshisya got to work doing what she could to contribute: hosting GOOD DAYS Surf Camps for refugee families, now without community, homes or support.  More than 12 million people have been displaced from their Ukrainian homes, forced out by Russian attacks. 

Kshisya has received hundreds of applications for her Good Days Surf Camp sessions, and is seeking financial support to help cover the costs of providing free access to the week-long camps that include surf and skate lessons, but also ocean safety and literacy, food, psychological counselling, as well as yoga and meditation classes.

Her mission: to share the ocean’s healing with as many as possible. 

Head here to learn more or to gift access to ocean play to Ukranian families seeking refuge.


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Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich

Sound Engineer: Tiffany Richmond

Soundtrack By: Shannon Sol Carroll

Additional music by Wave Brain  - Dave, Neal Purchase Jr. and Christian Barker 

Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast

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Photo Credit: Tata Lelitsa

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Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich

Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander

Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll

Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray + Ben J Alexander

Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast

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