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Rakai, Uganda | NEWS CORRESPONDENT | In Kifamba sub-county, Rakai district, drowning prevention is becoming part of everyday life.
This has been made possible through the Drowning Prevention Project funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and implemented by Reach A Hand Africa (formerly Reach A Hand Uganda), in partnership with other stakeholders across five lakeside districts, including Rakai. The project promotes water safety through survival swimming training and sustained community awareness initiatives, including school and community outreaches on drowning prevention.
Last week, during a school outreach at Rakai Primary School, parents and community leaders said that they are already seeing the impact of investing in survival swimming.
“We have seen a reduction in drowning, particularly among our learners, because of the survival swimming lessons acquired following the installation of a swimming pool by Reach A Hand Africa,” said Deputy Head Teacher, Madam Nakitende.
The students demonstrated a strong understanding of risks associated with water safety. They identified alcohol use among fishermen, overconfidence around water, and leisure swimming at beaches without basic swimming tactics as some of the leading causes of drowning in their communities.
They also shared practical safety measures they now practice, including staying together around water, supervising younger siblings, and seeking help immediately during emergencies.
Robert Nsamba, Chairperson of the Parent Teachers Association, said the project had helped families recognise swimming as an essential life skill rather than a recreational activity.
He committed to mobilising more parents to enrol their children in the programme and to continue raising awareness that drowning can happen not only in lakes and rivers but also around homes where children are left unsupervised near water.
The impact has extended beyond safety. According to school leaders, the swimming programme has attracted more learners to Rakai Primary School. Through the project, the school now has a community swimming pool where learners receive free survival swimming lessons, on-site water tanks that provide clean water, and sanitation facilities that allow learners to clean up before and after swimming sessions. These improvements have reduced the need for children to leave school to find water, thereby lowering their exposure to nearby water bodies.
As communities around the world commemorated World Drowning Prevention Day on 25th July, Reach A Hand Africa officials said Rakai proved that simple, evidence-based interventions can save lives. “Every child who learns survival swimming and every family that embraces water safety brings Uganda one step closer to reducing the estimated eight drowning deaths recorded every day.”
