In a groundbreaking initiative, the Roedean School Water Polo Prestige Cup is partnering with under-resourced schools across Johannesburg, combining competitive sports with vital water safety education to address South Africa's drowning crisis. Picture: Supplied.
Amid the ongoing drowning crisis, the Roedean School Water Polo Prestige Cup is leading the charge, collaborating with under-resourced schools to teach vital water safety principles and prevent future tragedies.
The Learn-to-Swim initiative is an accredited project that helps children build confidence and skills in the water.
Founded 20 years ago by Roedean to ensure children from underdeveloped communities are water-safe, it has impacted 10,000 students and currently serves around 1,000 pupils.
Through the Learn-To-Swim (LTS) Programme, learners gain essential instruction in water safety, physical health and fitness, while also accessing career and sports opportunities, as well as community empowerment.
In a statement, the Roedean School Water Polo Prestige Cup announced its partnership with the following schools:
“We are proud to announce that all schools participating in the Roedean School Prestige Cup have partnered with under-resourced schools to teach the basic principles of water safety and drowning prevention, while also contributing to: physical health and fitness; building confidence and self-esteem; cognitive development; social inclusion and teamwork; personal and life skills; access to career and sports opportunities and community empowerment.”
Marcel Lamont, Head of Sport at Roedean School, stated that by integrating competitive water polo with the Learn-to-Swim program, they are fostering athletic talent while also contributing to life-saving efforts.
“The Prestige Cup is about creating lasting change in our communities. By combining competitive water polo with our Learn-to-Swim initiative, we're developing athletes and ultimately saving lives. Every child who learns to swim represents a family that’s safer around water.”
Lamont emphasised that the uniqueness of this initiative lies in the collaboration between schools.
“Each participating school has fully embraced its responsibilities, sharing resources, expertise, and facilities. This collective effort is creating real change across Johannesburg, one swimming lesson at a time,” she said.
She added that their mission is to make drownings a thing of the past through the initiative.
Zamokhule Brown, a Learn-to-Swim graduate who has been part of the Gauteng provincial water polo team for four years, explained that the initiative not only taught her to swim but also empowered her to believe that, with the right support, she can accomplish anything.
“When I first started, I couldn’t imagine being part of a provincial team, the programme didn’t just teach me to swim – it showed me that with the right support, I can achieve anything. Now, I want to inspire others from my community to embrace water sports.
The Star
masabata.mkwananzi@inl.co.za