Swim Lessons

Swimming is an activity many of us enjoy, especially during weeks like this, yet take totally for granted.

Here to mark the World Drowning Prevention Day (July 25) we are really encouraged that several of our mentors have taken it upon themselves to make sure their mentee learns to swim.

The United Nations reports that:

Every year, an estimated 236,000 people drown, making drowning a major public health problem worldwide. Drowning is one of the leading causes of death globally for children and young people aged 1-24 years. Drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death, accounting for 7% of all injury-related deaths. 

This is particularly true for low and middle-income countries where 90% of unintentional drowning deaths come from. Several of our mentees may be coming from families where older siblings, parents, uncles and aunts do not swim. Gallup reports that:

In 2019, the Lloyd's Register Foundation World Risk Poll, based on over 150,000 interviews by Gallup in 142 countries and areas, found that a majority of people aged 15 and older -- 55% -- said they cannot swim unassisted.

Let’s talk about gender gaps for a moment. Only 1 in 3 women worldwide report being able to swim. Among men, about 57% report being able to swim. Here in the U.S. the statistics look to be about the same according to this American Red Cross post. The Red Cross also says:

Just four in ten parents of children ages 4-17 report that their child can perform all five basic swimming skills, yet more than nine in 10 (92 percent) say that their child is likely to participate in water activities this summer.

Nearly 1 in 5 people reading this post will likely have known someone who had drown, while an additional 1 in 5 report knowing someone who almost lost their life through drowning.

Of those who drown or nearly drown, there is a higher chance they come from a lower socioeconomic status. A report with data compiled outside the Portland area presented by Slate in 2010 concludes:

Sixty-seven percent of poor swimmers have a household income less than $49,999. Only 29 percent of skilled swimmers fall below that income level.

Ideally, every child should learn how to swim. But busy schedules, life circumstances, family inexperience with swimming, and other factors may mean that many children in Portland don’t learn to swim…unless they have an advocate from within their family or friend community who can make it happen.

Maybe that advocate is you?

Faithful Friends mentor Emily shares her excitement in seeing a brother and sister, children of more recent arrivals from Africa, learn to swim:

Tanya, our most recent board member, reminisces on how her mentee learned to swim. (If she looks familiar, perhaps that’s because she has been featured on the homepage of our website for the last year.)

Around the Portland metro area, we are blessed with an abundance of water in which to cool off and practice those strokes or maybe just splash around in city splash pads. Check out this guide for the 31 best beaches & swimming holes in the Portland area as well as this guide for Vancouver. If you prefer a Portland pool with swim lesson schedules, check out the list. For Tualatin Hills, go here.

Where are your favorite spots to get wet on the hot days of summer?