WaterWise for Umzingisi Foundatation in PE

Port Elizabeth based WaterWise educator, Marcus Oshry, visited the Umzingisi Foundatation who work with children talented in sports. The foundation give’s children life skills ... and helps them through their schooling by providing extra tuition and a sporting program.Marcus went to teach them water safety. His talk was a brief introduction to the workshop which will be held next term. What was interesting, Marcus said, was that these children were not that interested to start off with.“The only way I could get their attention was to change tac and start with a hard hitting reality. I shouted out above the chattering, “Who here thinks they will be dead before the end of the year?”“There was a stunned silence.“I had their attention. I then spoke to them of the fact that many people like myself would be talking to them over the next few years and we all want the same thing. We all want them to succeed and not become street children.“I asked them how much they all enjoyed swimming. They all love the sea! I asked them if they know where the waves come from and they all looked at me blankly. The one girl said they come from the horizon. That was as far as their Grade 10 knowledge took them. I started explaining where the waves came from and how they form and brake closer to the beach. I then went on to rip currents and gave them a brief outline of what they were and how they worked.“The children became an audience who wanted to learn and I look forward to giving them the full WaterWise course,” said Marcus.