This HK Community Gives Swim Lessons to Everyone Who Wants to Learn
You’ve heard of run clubs, but have you ever thought about swim support groups? The Splash Foundation, an organization based in Hong Kong with a mission to provide children and adults with swim lessons, is among the handful out there who have built a community based on passion and discipline.
“If you look at the numbers, more than half the world cannot swim,” shared Victoria Ahn, Director of Communications at The Splash Foundation. “Two out of three women globally don’t know how to swim. In Hong Kong, despite it being an island-city, about fifty percent of the population don’t know how to swim either.”
The organization welcomes anyone who has otherwise not been able to learn the ropes underwater. Though tackling swim illiteracy is one main pillar of their advocacy, they also aim to help people reap the physical and mental benefits of the sport and build a community that allows people to feel comfortable with each other.
“When migrant domestic workers come to our program, we start them off by telling them that everyone here is equal,” noted Victoria. “And over time, you see everyone becoming more comfortable [with each other] and interacting with people from different backgrounds, forming bonds. A lot of people tell us that our swimming sessions become a highlight of their week. It becomes a chance for them to forget their stresses or homesickness.”
The Splash Foundation’s curriculum follows a 10 to 12-week timeline where attendees learn basic swimming techniques, helping them get comfortable in the water. At the end, there is an assessment to check whether the student – or ‘splasher’ as they like to call them – has mastered the skills.
“It might be easy for people to give up especially if they’ve been fighting a fear of water for most of their lives. So it’s really courageous of them to push through with learning these skills,” said Victoria. “It’s very triumphant, you know, to see them reach the full 25-meter swim [at the assessment].”
While most splashers start off learning basic skills at The Splash Foundation, the organization also teaches advanced swimmers how to coach others. Many of them go on to achieve higher certifications and even return to the program, becoming coaches themselves or volunteering for The Splash Foundation in other ways.
What’s complementary about the program is the fact that while pools are inaccessible to a handful of major cities, in Hong Kong, they are fairly easy to find. “There are some statistics that say that Hong Kong has the most density of public pools. In most major areas, there are nice swimming pools both indoor and outdoor,” noted Victoria. “We also have the coastline. The beaches here are very accessible.”
Of course, open swimming is different from pool swimming, but The Splash Foundation is comprehensive enough to teach their splashers a variety of techniques once they graduate from basic skills training.
It’s no surprise to find out that the people behind The Splash Foundation, as well as those who support it, are avid swimmers themselves. In fact, one of the founders, Simon Holliday, has accomplished a handful of adventurous sojourns, swimming through the English Channel, and even from Hong Kong to Macau.
Today, the organization, which was co-founded by Libby Alexander along with Simon, has gained the support of Camille Cheng, the Hong Kong Olympian who competed in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. The Splash Foundation has also tapped Jasmine Alkhaldi, another two-time Olympian, from the Philippines as one of their champions and ambassadors.
“Learning to swim is a life skill that everyone should have the opportunity to do,” shared Victoria. “If you don’t know how to swim or if you have not had the opportunity to learn – maybe because of cost or for any other reason – we are more than happy to help them out. Please do look at our website or follow us online to see which programs are available.”
Due to The Splash Foundation’s popularity, programs can sometimes be booked out in under ten minutes, but there’s always a chance for more openings or volunteer opportunities – especially with a community so committed to teaching and connection.
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