Today at the YWCA Swimming Pool, students from 13 primary schools in Belize City competed against each other in a swim meet organized by the "Y".
It's part of their mission to teach the children about the sport and provide them with in depth water training. To test how well they've retained the swimming lessons, the facilitators then put them up against each other and awarded the winners with trophies.
It is a great initiative to provide the children with a positive outlet, and 7News asked the General Secretary to explain the history behind it:
Sonia Linarez - General Secretary, YMCA
"This is the sixth annual YWCA Fiona Stevenson swim-meet. We started this program many years ago because there was a need for swimming, to teach children to swim in Belize. We have many water ways but many of the students and children of Belize, both young and adults were not able to swim and we started a swim program here. With funding from the Fiona Stevenson foundation in England we were given assistance that we were able to provide free swimming lessons for many schools. This year we have been doing a program for 13 schools in Belize City and these children come for eight sessions. Those that are far away from the YWCA - we even provide transportation through the program, it has enabled over 200 children to be a part of the swim program. We have Fence Boys School, Holy Redeemer, Trinity, Stella Maris - every year we make sure they are a part of the program, Ephesus, Christian Central, Ebeneezer, St. Luke's Methodist and St. Martin de Pores and of course the YWCA. "
Muslim Community Primary School was the winner of the trophy for the overall outstanding school.
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