Featured Organization: Nile Swimmers

Mission Statement:

The Nile Swimmers Project teaches people how to keep their communities safe around water.

Overview:

The Nile Swimmers initiative is a unique and innovative program aimed at reducing rates of drowning on the River Nile and the surrounding areas. They do this by providing training, conducting research, building partnerships, and providing a perspective from low-income countries.

The River Nile bisects North East Africa from South to North, running across boundaries that continue to see conflict stemming from ethnic, religious, and economic tension between tribes and political groups. The Nile Swimmers project brings together people from villages spread the length of the River Nile and the surrounding area.

Participants come from varying backgrounds; from refugees to fishermen. However all have one thing in common, the importance of the river to their community livelihoods and the common threat of drowning.

The project engages participants in cross-cultural team building activities, building social cohesion and creating pride and awareness of responsibility.

To learn more about the Nile Swimmers Project visit the their website. You can also follow Nile Swimmers on Facebook.