Rakai embraces survival swimming to prevent drowning

What the report says

The Independent Uganda reported on July 30, 2026, that communities in Kifamba sub-county, Rakai district, are adopting survival swimming and water-safety education as part of a drowning-prevention effort. The Drowning Prevention Project is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and implemented by Reach A Hand Africa, formerly Reach A Hand Uganda, with partners across five lakeside districts, including Rakai.

According to the report, the programme combines survival swimming lessons with school and community outreach. During a recent visit to Rakai Primary School, learners demonstrated what they had been taught about risks near water and emergency response. They cited dangers such as alcohol use among fishermen, overconfidence around water, and swimming for leisure without basic skills. They also described safer practices, including moving in groups near water, watching younger children, and calling for help quickly in emergencies.

School and community leaders told The Independent the intervention is changing attitudes. Deputy head teacher Madam Nakitende said the school had seen fewer drowning incidents among learners after Reach A Hand Africa installed a swimming pool for training. PTA chairperson Robert Nsamba said parents were beginning to view swimming as a life skill rather than only recreation, and pledged to encourage more enrolment and awareness at home.

The report also said the project has brought a community swimming pool, clean-water storage tanks, and sanitation facilities to Rakai Primary School, reducing pupils’ need to leave school in search of water and limiting exposure to nearby water bodies. Around World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25, Reach A Hand Africa officials framed Rakai’s experience as an example of how practical, low-cost prevention measures can help reduce drowning risks in Uganda.