Babacar Thiaw’s Mission to Protect Senegal’s Coastline

Babacar Thiaw, the visionary President of the Senegal Surfrider Foundation, is a pioneering force in the movement to protect Senegal’s environment and coastline. A surfer, entrepreneur, and environmental activist, Babacar has transformed his lifelong passion for the ocean into a national call to action. Born and raised in Dakar, his love affair with surfing began at the age of six, inspired by the grace of his father on the waves. That early connection to the sea laid the foundation for a life dedicated to ocean stewardship.

To finance his education, Babacar offered surf lessons, demonstrating early on his belief in the transformative power of education and community empowerment. After graduating from university, he revitalized his father’s beachfront establishment, turning it into Copacabana Surf Village—Senegal’s first zero-waste restaurant and a sustainability-driven surf school. The Copacabana project soon became a hub for youth education, beach clean-ups, and environmental advocacy.

Recognizing the need to scale his impact, Babacar founded the Senegal chapter of the Surfrider Foundation in 2020. Under his leadership, the Foundation has fostered a growing movement promoting zero-waste practices, conservation education, and community-led climate action. He provides free surf lessons to local children, nurturing not only their athletic potential but also their environmental awareness, creating a new generation of ocean advocates.

His efforts have inspired more than 65 restaurants across Senegal to adopt sustainable business models and reduce single-use plastics. Babacar’s story is featured in the acclaimed documentary The Human Side of Plastic directed by Andrew Lynch, Ben Ayers, and Rush Sturges illustrates how one person's commitment can spark a nationwide movement toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Credit: Andrew Lynch, Ben Ayers and Rush Sturges

Babacar's legacy is not just about reducing waste - through his story, we witness how one person’s commitment can ignite widespread change, offering a hopeful message for a world in need of solutions. Babacar’s legacy is a call to action, reminding us all that safeguarding the future begins with the choices we make today.

The Human Side Of Plastic: Babacar Thiaw (Excerpt) is a finalist for the Sylvia Earle Award sponsored by MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation's One World One Ocean Campaign at the MY HERO Film Festival.

Watch here: myhero.com/the-human-side-of-plastic