The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation has committed itself to providing swimming lessons to disadvantaged children as an important step in curbing the high rate of drowning deaths in South Africa.
“The Foundation’s mission is to assist in increasing access, education and participation opportunities for all South Africans so that they understand, appreciate and acknowledge the dangers that surround them when it comes to rivers, dams, pools and oceans,” said Dominique Donner Rodd, project manager at the Foundation.
“We have been teaching the children from Summerhill House in Etete how to swim since May, with 30 children being taught the life skill of swimming at Umhlali Preparatory School and the Princess Charlene indoor pool in Ballito,” which Donner Rodd said used to be the Lockeroom Gym swimming pool before the Foundation officially took over the facility on June 1.
The programme offers lessons to children every week from Monday to Thursday and will continue throughout the year, with water awareness talks also given at schools all around the North Coast region, which Donner Rodd hopes will reach 10 000 underprivileged children before the summer starts.
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