Project Ghana 2016 Recap

This past November ISLA sent a team of volunteers from Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Ireland, and the USA to the African continent to run our 1st Basic Open Water Training course in Accra, Ghana!

With the help of  our partner Lifeguards Without Borders and the hard work of our host Felix Uzor (founder of the Felix Fitness Foundation), members from over 10 different organizations in Ghana made up our training class of 123 participants. The organizations involved included: Felix Fitness Foundation, Ghanaian Navy,Ghanaian Army, Marine Police, Fire Service, NADMO, Ghana Lifesaving and Diving Association, Ghanaian Red Cross, Zoil, Ghanaian Sea Cadets, and Uganda Fire and Police.

The team hit the ground running, literally, and braved the large 6-9ft surf of the Atlantic. With many rip currents, rocks and inshore holes they worked hard and overcame the challenging conditions as ISLA Instructors ran the course safely with the biggest group of participants that our organization has ever had to train. Throughout the 3 days many of the locals came down to watch as our participants ran, swam and practiced their practical lifeguarding skills. Numerous times the group broke out into chants, cheering each other on, which could be heard all along the beach.

The participants abilities were all over the spectrum with some never even swimming in the ocean before, or even being past the outside surf break. Teaching basic swimming rescue skills & rescuer scene safety therefore became a major part of the training course. This was the first Basic Open Water Lifeguard course in the country and the participants, along with the instructors, pushed themselves past their limits and came out stronger. In all 8 were awarded with ISLA’s International Open Water Lifeguard Certification. Every single participant left with more knowledge and skills then they arrived with, thus achieving one of ISLA’s main goals.

Our volunteer instructors were well taken care of by their host throughout their stay in Ghana, and were able to fully experience the country once the course was over. They got to try local favorites such as Fufu and Banku, they took on shopping in a traditional market place at the heart of the city, they learnt local dance moves while dancing to a live reggae band on the local army base, visited Cape Coast Castle (a fort known for its use to house slaves during the Atlantic slave trade) and so much more.

ISLA and its volunteers would like to thank their Ghanaian host Felix Uzor and his foundation for their hospitality and in country support throughout the project. We’d also like to thank all the participants who gave it their all and the organizations who supported and helped realize this project.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s fight drowning together.

Keep your ear to the surf for upcoming projects!