Canary Islands : Youth Set Sail

In March and April, a group of around ten young people from Brussels had the opportunity to spend time at sea. Aged between 16 and 21, they discovered the joys of sailing, explored a whole new world, and experienced the meaning of community life.
All together on a sailboat for nine days, often without knowing each other before, these young people went through a journey full of learning and personal growth.

Testimony from Roumaïssa, 17 years old :

“When I was contacted to take part in this experience, I was really happy. I already knew Maïté, the youth worker, outside of Dynamo, and she was the one who invited me to join the adventure. She asked if I’d be interested, and I immediately said yes, out of curiosity to learn new things, to connect with new people, and also because it was a great opportunity to change my environment. And honestly, who could say no to something like that ?

I have to say, the trip went really well. We learned a lot from each other, but also about all the maneuvers involved. I especially want to thank Ben for taking the time to explain everything to us and for calmly showing us how to do things. I’d say this was truly an unforgettable experience. It was enriching and motivating, it made me want to try new things and become even more interested in sailing and the marine world.

I also discovered a completely different universe and realized how important teamwork is — everyone has a key role to play. I learned that we’re all capable of overcoming our fears and phobias, especially when we’re surrounded by kind, encouraging people we’ve only just met. We also learned how to live together with people we didn’t necessarily know beforehand. And we learned to be independent — whether in the kitchen or with small daily tasks.

I’m coming away from this trip with knowledge I didn’t have before, and probably wouldn’t have been interested in on my own. I also take with me so many memories and landscapes that will stay with me forever — along with the desire to do something like this again, with another group. I fully recommend this kind of experience to everyone — not just young people. On my own, I would now take the initiative to look into joining a group involved in some activity.

Also, it’s through this experience that I discovered Dynamo, and it has been one of the best experiences I’ve had so far. I truly hope it won’t be my last with Dynamo. In any case, you come out of it with so many positive things in your mind — and you grow from it too.”