Design Without Borders Africa Marks World Drowning Prevention Day with Kigungu Fishing Community

What the report says

Nile Post reported that Design Without Borders Africa and partner organisations used World Drowning Prevention Day to call for stronger water safety interventions in Uganda’s fishing communities. The commemoration, observed on July 25, included a sensitisation activity at Kigungu Landing Site, where organisers focused on drowning as a preventable public health threat affecting people who rely on lakes and other water bodies for work.

According to the report, available national data shows that close to half of recorded drowning deaths in Uganda involve people living or working in fishing communities. The Kigungu engagement, held with the Marine Police Unit under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, covered practical safety steps such as basic first aid in drowning emergencies and the need for certified life jackets. Community members said safer life jackets are often too costly, while cheaper options may not meet recognised standards. They also pointed to limited swimming ability and unreliable access to weather information as added risks.

The activity is linked to the Enhancing Fisherfolk Safety Project, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Nile Post said the initiative includes Design Without Borders Africa, Reach A Hand Uganda, the Global Health Advocacy Incubator and Makerere University School of Public Health, with an emphasis on evidence-based and human-centred approaches. Fishers are being involved in designing and testing locally manufacturable flotation devices and weather information systems.

Officials from the Marine Police Unit encouraged wider lifesaving training for fishers, women, young people and other residents near water bodies. Representatives from meteorological and fisheries-related government departments also attended, underlining the need for coordinated prevention work. The day’s theme, “United to Turn the Tide on Drowning,” framed the message that reducing deaths requires cooperation among communities, government, researchers, development partners and the private sector.