Despite a ruling by France’s highest administrative court last week that mayors do not have the right to ban burkinis on their town’s beaches, several mayors are enforcing the ban. Human rights organisations have pledged to take any mayor that attempts to keep the ban in place to court. In a world where over 372,000 Read More
The dedication of our volunteers (part 1)
For over nine years we have worked in Sudan. “Khawaijas” (the Arabic word for foreigner) always stand out, and always attract the watchful eye of the mysterious and powerful National Security. Thankfully, up until now, we’ve never had a problem. However, foreigners working in a South Sudanese refugee camp was a step too far. Our Read More
Locally driven by a local need
I’ve been in Sudan for about a week now, having meeting after meeting with various organisations that we are developing relationships with. This is the first time, that I’ve landed in Sudan with time scheduled for meetings before the training starts, and indeed after the training finishes. We made a decision that as the costs Read More
The Nile – a view from the air
During the many trips that I have taken into Sudan, I don’t remember spending much time looking out of the window. On this flight, the in-flight entertainment system was not working, and so after reading, I spent a lot of time looking out of the window, and thinking about the work we have to do in Read More
Aquatic Survial instructors called to village of Butri after drowning deaths
On the 28th of December, 15 Nile Swimmers’ instructors headed to a very beautiful and quiet village, located in the south of Khartoum city, at the request of the Butri Charity Association (BCA). The Association is composed of young people from the village, and works to serve the village, to improve the community services and Read More
World Conference on Drowning Prevention – Becky’s view
The Women of Drowning Prevention Before WCDP 2015, I had seen a photo taken at the World Conference in Potsdam two years earlier. It was a picture of a group of men. “Where are all the women?“, I asked, only to be told that there were regrettable few women involved in the world of drowning Read More
World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2015 – Hamid’s view
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend the World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2015 in Penang. Prior to my arrival to Penang, I had some logistical difficulties related to my day job which slightly delayed my arrival. However, I made it! I was so happy that I made it after all the Read More
World Conference on Drowning Prevention – Mosab’s view
Shocked, surprised and amazed. “Bridging communities to prevent drowning.” For a few days, I have been trying to express how I felt about what happened in the preceding days: shocked, surprised and amazed. Shocked, by the number of people who die from drowning around the world, the number of mothers who lose their children, daily. I couldn’t Read More
Q. Why did the Dutch Ambassador cross the Nile?
A. To raise global awareness of drowning prevention and womens’ rights. So, it’s maybe not the best punchline to a joke ever… but actually, this is no laughing matter. On the 21st of November the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, six other Dutch women, and seven Sudanese women swam across the Blue Nile, finishing Read More
World Conference on Drowning Prevention – Mai’s view
An eye-opening experience at WCDP 2015 I really want to offer my very deepest thanks indeed to the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation for giving me the opportunity to attend the World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2015. This actually gave me a chance to see the big picture of lifesaving around the world. I was exposed Read More
October Project – the numbers
This has been a funny few days. Becky travelled back to the UK a few days ago, and slowly my teaching commitments are ending, and project ending meetings are taking places. Meetings planning work for 2016 are happening, and people are starting to say goodbye. With ever visit, we get more infatuated with this country, Read More
Drowning is different : ventilations, ventilations, ventilations.
This morning, all around the world, new guidelines for CPR are being published. As a UK based organisation, Nile Swimmers aligns most closely with the guidelines from the European Resuscitation Council, although we do make slight modifications to make them more appropriate for LMICs. This five-yearly event is always interesting, and there will be no Read More
The human faces of drowning prevention
Today, I started to teach our first Aquatic Survival Instructor course in partnership with the Ministry of Education. We are working with them to train 30-40 school teachers as Aquatic Survival Instructors, we then have funding in place to support them delivering those messages to 40 schools – targeting thousands and thousands of children. These Read More
Aquatic Survival v2.0
Tomorrow, 22 new Aquatic Survival Instructors join the ranks of the existing 36, as we present them with their Instructor certificates. It is really fun course to deliver, with lots of different elements of content that we add in. As I have my first lie in of the entire time that we’ve been out here in Read More