The SwimTayka Project is done for this year in Itacaré, Brazil. ETIV-do-Brasil organised a final massive celebration in Ribeira Beach, where more than 80 children had the opportunity to practice the skills they gained during the course. They got to swim in open water with the supervision of our fantastic SwimTayka teachers and volunteers. Everyone had a great time and we are so thankful to SwimTayka for helping them bring this incredible opportunity to the children of Itacaré!

TWENTY young Biminites gained increased confidence in the water and new in-sight into its vital importance during the third annual Swim and Eco Camp hosted by Save The Bays (STB), Waterkeeper Bahamas and international group SwimTayka.

This week we rounded off the SwimTayka programme with a trip to Praia Ribeira! The programme has been both an awful lot of fun, as well as a giant learning curve, for bot children and teachers. There were some 80 kids that signed up, and this number only grew and grew throughout the 2 months, and all participants are now strong and capable swimmers.

Super helpful Elia, he supports the swimming lessons every morning! He gets in the pool with the trainer Daniel, no matter if there is rain or sun and helps to encourage each one of the children so that they can learn to swim! With a smile on his face and kindness, he influences the children positively!

I grew up by the water and learned to swim as a young child. As soon as I was old enough to become certified, I became a Lifeguard and Swimming Instructor so that I could pass on my love of the water to as many people as possible. I have always believed that everyone should know how to swim and that death by drowning is preventable! I began a career in aquatics and remain active in it today.

How in the world, in a country comprised of over 700 islands, can fewer than 20 percent of the children know how to swim? It’s not as though I’m talking inhospitable, cold waters but rather the warm, amazingly clear and blue waters of the Bahamas.

The SwimTayka programme launched this month, and it aims to teach children in Brazil here to swim, and also educate them on the water in the environment.

Always sad to see our program come to an end but we are so proud of the team that came together in Bimini to deliver another phenomenal swim and water stewardship camp. Special guest showed up today to meet our little swimmers #BobbyKennedyJr

The UK space agency allows their staff volunteering time for charities and Jody Fry prepared and published this article on the internal news about SwimTayka.

Thank YOU for everything you’ve done this year to help SwimTayka grow. Together we are building the next generation of confident swimmers and clean water stewards. Thanks to you (and especially to Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation) last year we hit some benchmarks.