The Bojka Scuba Diving Collective based in Poznań is an initiative established to conquer the chauvinism of the extreme sports world, scuba diving included, and overcome the ban which well-nigh exists with regard to such sports when it comes to women and persons with disabilities. The diagnosis of the problem is self-explanatory: extreme sports are largely reserved for fully-able men, whereas women aspiring to the field encounter assorted barriers and obstacles: there is a shortage of female mentors and coaches, of money to buy equipment, and of options to begin training – whereas truth be told, scuba diving is magnificent and has many advantages, therapeutic properties included: it reduces stress, prevents depression, and augments physiotherapy.

The Bojka Collective has already delivered scuba diving/ yoga workshops for a group of women with different degrees of physical ability. Scuba diving and yoga classes apart, the experience served to create joint space for women: a feminine circle allowing conversation, experience sharing, and mutual support. The girls wish to continue the project – improve their skills, attend training courses, and develop the initiative’s profile as such – by expanding it to include environment-related themes, and empowerment of women and girls with different degrees of physical ability, but also girls at correctional institutions. Bojka members have written, “We want to prove that girls’ lives can be full of power, adventure, and agency in encounters with the outside world”.

The Fund’s grant will allow the Collective to improve their own skills and expand the community of professional scuba diving staff, and to organise further women’s and girls’ workshop editions: yoga-based, empowering, and offering relaxation.

Grant amount: PLN 8 800,00