I Can Swim Can You - Overview

The Sri Lanka Women’s Swimming Project, motto: I can swim. Can you? was set up by Christina Fonfe’ in the immediate aftermath of the tsunami which devastated parts of Asia on 26th December 2004. Up to 80% of those who drowned in the tsunami were women and children. In addition, nearly 1,500 Sri Lankans drown in coasts, lakes and rivers each year, six times the drowning rate per head of population for the UK.

The Project aims to save lives by teaching women and teenaged girls the Total Immersion™ method to swim. The most able women are trained as swimming teachers to internationally recognised standards so that they can teach others in their community to swim. In addition, the Project empowers women socially, improves physical and mental health and makes micro-economic benefits to the community. Finally, it is hoped to make tri-lingual Project swimming training material available from this website in English, Sinhala and Tamil as it is developed.

At its inception, the Women’s Swimming Project was launched under the umbrella of the UK charity Aid Sri Lanka No. 1111737; the latter has now completed all of its projects except swimming and has been wound up. Our history and accounts for this period can be found on the website www.aidsrilanka.co.uk by following links Rehabilitation Projects / Women's Swimming Project and Aid Sri Lanka Final Report. The Women's Swimming Project continued and is now a UK registered charity. Its object is the provision or assistance of training and swimming facilities for the benefit of the public of Sri Lanka, in particular women and young girls, in accordance with their cultural needs. All this is directed around the core activity to reduce death by drowning and make people safe near water.

Registered Charity, No 1129236, with the Charity Commission of the United Kingdom.

There are no paid UK staff, only volunteers.
Contact us at: info@icanswimcanyou.com