Empowering rural communities: Water safety training for guides and children
Green Corridors hosted a special awareness session at eNanda Adventures with the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and Durban Metro Police Search and Rescue to bring life-saving skills closer to the people most in need.
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In a proactive move ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day on Friday, Green Corridors teamed up with the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and Durban Metro Police Search and Rescue to equip rural tourism guides and children with essential water safety knowledge.
Green Corridors said tragic drownings are not uncommon in remote areas like those along Inanda Dam and the uMngeni River, where emergency services are often far or unreachable.
Therefore the organisation, which works in and around communities in the Valley of 1000 Hills, hosted a special awareness session at eNanda Adventures, bringing life-saving skills closer to the people most in need.
NSRI’s drowning prevention coordinator Siya Mthethwa said their aim was to empower local guides who operate around water bodies but often do not have immediate access to help. “These are people on the ground, in areas where rescue services might take a long time to arrive. Giving them the tools to act in an emergency is crucial,” he stated.
Brendan Latchmiah, Drowning Prevention Instructor at the NSRI, joined Durban Metro’s Warrant Officer Lee Bryant and Disaster Management intern Jonty Hardcastle to offer the session.
Children from the community and the GO! Durban Cycle Academy also took part, turning the school holiday into a time for learning life-saving techniques.
Under the trees of the eNanda Adventure Park campsite, children and adults learned how to conduct CPR, check for a pulse, and use flotation devices. “We also showed them how to use a simple 5-litre plastic bottle tied with a rope as a flotation device,” said Latchmiah.
Attendees were reminded of key emergency numbers like 112 and 10111, and advised not to directly approach someone who is drowning, but to use tools to reach them safely.
Local guides Mlu Mthembu from Amatata Adventures, Sibusiso Shangase from Mqeku Camp, and Gabi Ngcobo from eNanda Adventure Park welcomed the training.
“This knowledge is important for us. Tourists come here to enjoy the water, but now we know how to help if something goes wrong,” said Mthembu.
The initiative strengthens safety measures at Green Corridors' tourism sites such as Mqeku Picnic Site, iSithumba Adventure Camp, and Lower Molweni, all located in scenic but remote parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
The organisers hope more rural guides and youth will benefit from similar training, helping prevent further tragedies in communities where help is often too far away.