‘Good swimmers don’t drown’ is an often common misconception. In reality, good swimmers who are usually confident in water can drown or face severe difficulties due to a lack of survival or self-rescue skills in emergencies like strong currents or sudden exhaustion. 

This is why swimming and survival skill programmes from maritime search and rescue (SAR) organisations are vital as part of their public outreach campaigns. This is particularly the case for those operating in countries that traditionally lack the funding and resources for SAR operations, as well as those who are dependent on oceans and rivers for their communities.

For Cameroon Lifesaving, building the confidence of their communities through effective education is a top priority as they seek to reduce the number of lives lost at sea.

“In many regions in Cameroon, water is feared rather than embraced. This leads to people avoiding the water altogether rather than engaging safely or taking easy preventative actions. We are always looking to remind our communities, especially among children, fishermen, and river-dependent communities, to learn simple skills, knowledge and actions to keep them safe,” said Sorelle Diane Tchatchouang, Drowning Prevention Officer at Cameroon Lifesaving.

Part of that outreach is through immediate swim and survival skill programmes in schools and sport clubs across Cameroon. Its LEARN TO SWIM project is one example of how it is building and promoting long-term cultural changes alongside emergency intervention in the Central African nation. The impact of these programmes is already being felt.

“In 2024, we successfully implemented a pilot program in a school in Douala where more than 200 children aged between 6 and 15 received free swimming and water safety training. One participant later used these skills to help save a friend from drowning in a pool, proving the real-life impact of early education and showing how our programmes are making real-world change to our communities already,” she added.

In addition, Cameroon Lifesaving has continued to collaborate with local schools, hotels and radio stations to provide free swimming lessons in hard-to-reach communities. They have also joined forces with the National Fire Brigade of Cameroon to offer expertise in water safety, aquatic rescue and drowning prevention to more members of the public, ensuring they can offer life-saving workshops across the country.

One example of this collaboration is Cameroon Lifesaving and local firefighters carrying out multiple coastal rescue exercises on Ngoye Beach in Kribi, famously one of the most dangerous beaches in the country. The exercise included deploying specialised aquatic rescue equipment and offering CPR training to strengthen the participants emergency response capabilities.

“These exercises received great feedback and engagement, and showed the willingness of our communities to adapt effective drowning preventative measures to their local realities, all while integrating modern practices. They are a clear example why the Cameroonian people are resilient, resourceful, and committed to protecting lives while in the water,” Tchatchouang added.

As we honour another World Drowning Prevention Day, the educational approach from Cameroon Lifesaving to empower their people and their communities to prevent drowning in rivers, lakes and oceans is a clear example of how maritime SAR organisations go above and beyond. By bringing clear and effective guidance directly to the people that are most at risk, maritime SAR organisations can ensure their communities stay at the forefront of drowning prevention methods.