In South Africa, where an estimated 2,700 people drowned in 2021, with a rate of 4.4 per 100,000 people according to the World Health Organization, the threat of drowning remains a major public health concern, particularly in rural and coastal areas. However, one organisation is working tirelessly to reverse this devastating trend.

As Andrew Ingram, Communications Manager at the NSRI, explains, “Drowning is a public health crisis that often goes unnoticed, until it strikes close to home. Every life lost is one too many. That’s why we’re committed to reaching every child, every community, and every coastline with lifesaving education and support.”

Since launching its Water Safety Education Programme in 2006, the NSRI has educated more than 5.5 million people. In 2024 alone, a record-breaking 877,475 children received water safety lessons in classrooms around the country.

Delivered by instructors who live and work within the communities they serve, these lessons are presented in the child’s home language and tailored to address the water risks specific to their environment. Coastal schools may focus on rip currents, while inland learners may concentrate on rivers, dams, and reservoirs. The programme teaches not just personal safety, but also how to assist someone in trouble without putting oneself at risk and even how to perform CPR.

“Water safety isn’t one-size-fits-all,” says Andrew. “Our instructors speak the language, understand the culture, and know how to reach kids where they are. That’s what makes this programme so powerful and so successful.”

Recognising that theoretical knowledge must be complemented by practical skills, the NSRI launched its Survival Swimming Programme in 2019, which also received the IMRF Award for Innovation and Technology. These free 20-minute lessons teach children four essential water survival techniques: breath control, orientation, floating, and propulsion.

The lessons are conducted by qualified instructors who adhere to international safety standards and take place in mobile heated pools constructed from repurposed shipping containers. Since its inception, the programme has delivered over 60,000 lessons, with more than 25,000 in 2024 alone.

“Swimming shouldn’t be a privilege; it should be a basic life skill,” says Andrew. “Every child should have the chance to learn how to survive in water, no matter where they live.”

The NSRI is now piloting more affordable options, such as POP pools, above-ground PVC pools, which are much cheaper to install than full-scale survival swimming centres. While they are limited in colder months due to being outdoors, their wider reach makes them a promising solution for schools and local authorities with limited resources.

Another of the NSRI’s most recognisable initiatives is the Pink Rescue Buoy programme. Launched in 2017, this nationally and internationally acclaimed project installs bright pink emergency flotation devices at high-risk drowning sites across South Africa. The idea originated from a tragic story about a father who drowned while trying to save his daughter from a rip current. It was believed that if he had had access to flotation, both might have survived. Since then, over 1,800 Pink Rescue Buoys have been placed, and 221 lives have been directly saved thanks to their use.

The NSRI focuses specifically on underserved and high-risk communities. Its instructors often reside in these areas and understand the unique risks and cultural considerations that influence water safety behaviour. The NSRI has collaborated with schools, local leaders, influencers, corporate donors, and government departments to broaden its outreach and build greater trust within the communities it serves.

“Our top priority in the year ahead is simple, but ambitious,” says Andrew. “We want to reach every child in South Africa. That’s the future we’re working toward.”

On World Drowning Prevention Day, the NSRI calls on every South African and global citizen to get involved. Learn to swim. Teach your children. Supervise them near water. Avoid alcohol when swimming or boating. Wear lifejackets. Stay alert. Share your story. Wear blue. Post on social media using #DrowningPrevention, #WorldDrowningPreventionDay, and tag @NSRI.

The NSRI’s work is ultimately measured by stories of survival. A child performing CPR to save a friend. A life saved by a Pink Buoy. A community that rallies around safety. These are not just anecdotes; they are proof that the tide is turning.

“We know our work is making a difference because we’ve seen it. A child who remembers a CPR lesson, a life saved by a pink buoy, a teacher who calls us back year after year. This is how we change the future, one life at a time,” Andrew concludes.

For more information on the NSRI, visit www.nsri.org.za.