Ten Countries, One Goal: Preventing Drowning

In September, 24 participants from 10 countries travelled to NSRI headquarters in Cape Town to take part in the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) Leaders in Lifesaving course, co-hosted for the first time with the NSRI. Each attendee arrived with the intention of learning and sharing their drowning-prevention experience and left with invaluable lifesaving knowledge.

The course aimed to enable attendees to increase their leadership knowledge and skills, improve their understanding of global drowning prevention, and deepen their understanding of technical lifesaving skills. RNLI, the United Kingdom and Ireland equivalent of the NSRI, has been hosting this course annually since 2022, having recognised that many smaller organisations working in drowning prevention wanted support with similar issues.

“The course is a great opportunity to share learning and network with other drowning prevention organisations who may face common challenges,” said David Whiddon, Senior International Programme Manager for Sharing Lifesaving Expertise within RNLI. “Collectively, we can find solutions to these challenges and develop interventions that truly address drowning risks across many diverse communities.”

During this week-long course, participants had the opportunity to meet with NSRI experts working across lifeguarding, search & rescue, and community water education programmes, as well as visit the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC). A day of leadership training covered leading yourself, leading teams, and leading organisations. Participants also had the opportunity to see how the roles they play contribute to reducing drowning deaths globally.

Thoughts on the Course

“I’ve enjoyed everything about this course,” said Simon Kwesiga, Marine Safety Officer for the Ministry of Works and Transport, Uganda.

“There has been so much great engagement, and I’ve learned so many things that are directly relevant to my day-to-day work. One of my duties is developing policy to coordinate Search and Rescue services on Uganda’s Great Lakes, so understanding how the system works in South Africa is invaluable.”

Khadija Diop, Director of the Institute of Development Cooperation for Africa (ICD Afrique) in Senegal, added, “I’ve met so many people from different countries who have similar issues and struggles, which helps you feel less alone in the work you do. It’s amazing to see how the NSRI has grown from a few keen volunteers into the organisation that it is today. That gives me hope that we will be able to do the same in Senegal.”

Co-hosting Leaders in Lifesaving

The Leaders in Lifesaving course has strengthened vital relationships to help tackle and reduce drowning globally. It is a fantastic opportunity for the NSRI and RNLI to improve our services by learning from the challenges faced by other lifesaving organisations worldwide.

“The leadership training about giving feedback in a way that allows team members to understand the impact of their actions and how they can change their actions to get a better outcome was definitely something I will be using in my work,” said Mthe Kweyama, NSRI’s Head of Community Programmes. “And seeing how different organisations here all fit into the global effort to end drowning made me realise that the drowning prevention family is much bigger than just the NSRI.”

Continuing To Play Our Part in Global Drowning Prevention

The Leaders in Lifesaving course is just one way the NSRI is working in partnership to share knowledge globally to help save as many lives as possible, particularly across Africa, where the drowning burden remains among the highest in the world.