Royal Life Saving Society Uganda have contacted [email protected] to tell us that they have started to train five fishermen on a beach on Lake Victoria.

The five, some of whom have recently returned from fishing in Tanzania, are headed by Mr Buga Yusuf, owner of a fishing boat. He and his crew took the initiative to learn basic water skills after nine of their colleagues perished in a drowning incident in the lake on 23 July. The owner of the boat concerned was among those who perished.

Mr Buga had this to say: "I want to learn basic water skills to avoid being a victim of drowning like my colleagues Isma, the owner of the boat, and eight of his crew members.

"Out of 16 who were involved in the accident seven were able to survive because they had basic water skills."

Royal Life Saving Society Uganda hope that with time more of the Lake Victoria fishermen will have at least basic water skills – and lives will be saved as a result.