Ugandan Children Thankful for Local Swim Team's Helping Hand

Lake Bunyonyi in southern Uganda is one of the African continent's most beautiful and deepest lakes. Naturally, children who live in the lush villages surrounding the lake, take to the water in this inland sea. But sadly, drowning is far too common because many of the kids have never learned to swim. Now, the local community, with help from Denver-based Global Livingston Institute, has begun giving the children swim lessons at the Entusi Resort & Retreat Center. However, many of the girls haven't been able to participate for a lack of swimsuits. That's where the Woodstock-based Chattahoochee Gold swim club has come to the rescue. Gold learned about the swimmers' plight from former Gold swimmer Melissa Earl. The Gold team and community then gathered and sent 4 large boxes stuffed with swimsuits, swim gear and t-shirts for the Ugandan girls & boys a world away. The children are very thankful. "I like the swimming costumes and the way they welcome us. They even give us tennis balls to play with after the swim lessons," said ten-year-old Precious Akatwijuka. Stecie Akatwijuka, age nine, says, "I love the swimsuits because they are beautiful and I get to meet Mzungus (white people) when I'm at Entusi." Twelve-year-old Anderson Orikiriza says he "loves coming for the swimming lessons at Entusi because we play soccer after and we are given tea with pastries."

Photo #3 - Precious Akatwijuka

Photo #4 - Stecie Akatwijuka

Photo #5 - Anderson Orikiriza

goldswim.com

globallivingston.org

entusi.org