Water-safety awareness and knowing how to swim can often mean the difference between life and death.
So say the owners of a swimming school in Gordon’s Bay, who have known this only too well since its opening five years ago, and especially when it struck close to home just two months ago.
A family member of just three years old drowned on 21 December in Bellville, and it happened in a flash.
Buoyed by this traumatic occurrence, coupled with recent incidents of drowning at both Strand and Gordon’s Bay beaches, the swimming school is determined to pursue its vision, to reach as many people as possible and save lives.
“As our name says, it’s easy to swim,” says Tim Stiff, who co-owns the Easy to Swim School with Zandri van Jaarsveld.
This year the pair opened an addition to their facility – a home-school learning centre that caters for children from Grade RR to Grade 7 level, who receive lessons related to swimming and water safety.
Stiff says: “We have also built relationships with overseas donors, who sponsor swimming lessons for children from Temperance Town and other communities that are underprivileged and just don’t have access to such lesson. We are building on this project and want to reach as many people as possible, no matter their age.”
The school already has an intake from age three months, when lessons are mostly focused on water familiarity and splashing around with the parents.
From the age of two the lessons move on to an intermediate phase, where children learn how to control their movements and get used to the feeling of their face under the water, before they learn the rest.
“It’s never too late to learn,” Stiff says. “We had a 40-year-old lady who didn’t know how to swim, but came to us because she wanted to participate in an ironman event. She learnt to swim and within months entered the event and even completed it. It was really rewarding to be able to help someone reach that goal, just like that all our lessons are rewarding because we know we’re saving lives”.
Van Jaarsveld adds the school also has dedicated one-on-one lessons at reduced rates for those with learning disabilities or specific needs, and internationally qualified swimming instructors are ready to assist.
“Accidents occur very quickly and unexpectedly, and the opportunity to help others is really our ultimate goal.”
. To get in touch with Easy2Swim, or to learn more about its programme in underprivileged areas, visit easy2swim.co.za.
