By Catalina Florez
MEMBERS of Hobson Bay’s Burmese community have spent the last eight weeks preparing themselves for the perils of Australia’s beaches.
A local health care provider has put 18 Burmese women through their paces in a course to ensure they don’t add to the nation’s drowning figures this summer.
ISIS Primary Care’s Sara Raffle said the Swim Safe program aimed to boost water safety among the Karen Burmese community.
The program complements a Life Saving Victoria push to educate people who grew up inland and new arrivals to Australia on water safety issues this summer.
“Some of the girls who have never been in the water can now butterfly kick,” she said.
“They are more confident, because they were initially hesitant.”
Ms Raffle hoped the program would be extended to include members of other cultural groups.
“The overall aim is to open a women only water session in Hobsons Bay to encourage women of all ages and from many different cultures to participate in water activities.”
The success of the program has led to Life Saving Victoria and Water Polo Victoria offering further water-based activities and education for the Karen women.
