Roedean School (SA) proudly confirms its ongoing collaboration with Barnato Park High School to empower children from under-resourced communities with essential swimming skills. Through the Learn-To-Swim (LTS) Programme, these children will continue to receive instruction in water safety principles, fostering both competitive swimming abilities and talent identification.
Marcel Lamont, Roedean’s Head of Sport, emphasises the critical importance of addressing water-related risks hence giving the LTS Programme the priority that it deserves: “We recognise the prevalence of water-related dangers in South Africa and believe in implementing tangible solutions.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), drowning ranks among the top ten causes of death for individuals aged 1-24 worldwide, with over 2.5 million preventable deaths in the past decade alone. This issue is particularly acute in South Africa, where drowning ranks among the top five causes of accidental death.
“We consider swimming a fundamental life skill,” says -Lamont. “Too many lives, especially children’s lives, are lost due to inadequate swimming abilities. By partnering with schools like Barnato Park High School, we aim to mitigate unintentional drowning incidents.”
Roedean’s collaboration extends beyond individual initiatives. The school actively participates in the Water Polo Prestige Cup, sponsored by Old Mutual, where top ten Gauteng First Team Water Polo Teams go head-to head for the honour of winning the Prestige Cup. Additionally, the schools that participate are encouraged to partner with an under resourced school and make their swimming facilities available for the Learn-To-Swim programme.
The primary aim of the competition is not so much rooted in sporting success but aims to drive community development and partnerships. Our other long-term goal is to ensure that the tournament is positioned as one of the best water polo tournaments hosted in Gauteng and has a proven sustainable impact on both sports’ transformation and water safety”.
“We are committed to fostering a culture of water safety to prevent tragic drowning incidents,” affirms Ms. Annabel Roberts, Head of Senior School at Roedean. “Our goal is to realise the WHO slogan: ‘Anyone can drown, no one should.’”
Through these efforts, Roedean endeavours to equip children with life-saving skills and inspire a new generation of swimmers, reinforcing the belief that every drowning is preventable, and every life is worth saving.
