The Sri Lanka Life Saving (SLLS) ‘Swim for Safety’ program is a national initiative aimed at reducing childhood drowning by increasing the swimming ability of individuals, with a focus on school children with a focus on vulnerable communities.
At its core, the program is equipping children with essential swimming and water safety skills. By integrating survival swimming, CPR, and first aid into extracurricular learning, the program not only turns non-swimmers into basic swimmers, but also fosters a culture of safety and resilience across families and communities.
The Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka Life Saving, Asanka Nanayakkara, said children living in rural and remote areas were a focus of the campaign.
“Due to their frequent exposure to open water sources, rural school children are among the most vulnerable to drowning,” Mr Nanayakkara said.
“It is crucial that we implement water safety education and prevention strategies to protect these young lives.”
Between 2016 – 2024, SLLS conducted 317 Swim for Safety, 12-lesson programs and trained 10,260 students free of charge.
More than 3,800 water safety and drowning prevention lessons were delivered, reaching more than an estimated 51,300 beneficiaries including the students, teachers, and their family members (mother, father and siblings).
With the education of school children recognized as a top priority in Sri Lanka’s National Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Plan, ‘Swim for Safety’ has garnered support from the country’s ministry of education.
A testament to international cooperation in lifesaving, Swim for Safety is supported with technical support from Life Saving Victoria (LSV) Australia and is guided by the International Life Saving Federation (ILS) and the International Exclusive Partner, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, throughout the program.
Swim for Safety Program Objectives
- Transform school children from non-swimmers to basic swimmers
- Promote awareness of water safety before swimming
- Equip students with skills to assist in drowning scenarios
- Teach CPR and basic first aid using the DRSABC method
Swim for Safety Measurable Outcomes
- 317 programs delivered island-wide between 2016 and 2024
- 10,260 students trained through a 12-lesson curriculum
- Over 3,800 individual lessons conducted
- More than 51,300 total beneficiaries, including students’ families and teachers
- Expansion of trainer networks and local coordination capacity
- Widespread promotion via social media and community outreach
- Utilization of structured teaching resources, including the Swim for Safety Curriculum and Guide
- Skills Taught
- Participants are trained in:
- Identifying risks in and around water
- Swimming continuously for 25 metres
- Floating, sculling, and treading water for 1 minute
- Performing water survival sequences
- Executing basic rescues (talk, pull, throw)
- Delivering CPR and basic first aid
- UITEMATE water survival floating technique (originating in Japan)
To keep reading about the Swim Safety Program, visit the Sri Lanka Life Saving website
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