Let’s create an adult population that can swim – NSRI

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) built a Survival Swimming Centre at Duduzile Secondary School on Kwazulu-Natal’s South Coast.

“Lessons taught focus on how to control your breathing, how to orientate yourself in the water, how to float, and how to move at least 5m in the water,” stated the NSRI’s drowning prevention manager, Andrew Ingram.

Principal Smangele Msomi-Madlala was thrilled for the third such a centre to be placed at her school to serve the community.

The school serves Oshabeni, a poor community about 30 minutes inland of Port Shepstone.

“Some of our learners use bridges that have rivers that tend to overflow when it rains. Having these skills of knowing how to get to safety when in difficulty in water is truly incredible,” she said.

Ingram added that teamwork allowed them to build the centre in record time and deliver to a school with 948 learners.

“Were it not for the support from local businessmen, getting it off the delivery truck would have been impossible, much less filling it with water along with the other challenges that come with a project of this nature.

“All the hard work was quickly forgotten when the first children got into the water, which was a toasty 30°, and started their first lesson.

“We were also thrilled that two teachers were among the first in the pool, leading the way to bring swimming as a life skill to the Oshabeni community,” said Ingram.

Msomi-Madlala stated that this will not only benefit the learners and teachers but the community as well.

“We hope to create a swimming culture among the children and teachers who have started this journey. The skills the teachers will gain will allow them to teach upcoming students how to survive in water,” concluded Ingram.

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