Splashing together
View(s):It was a day of fun and exchange of expertise as the young swimmers of the Deraniyagala Aquatic Club had a visit from the Rainbow Swimming Academy in Colombo
By Kaveesha Fernando
The swim was part of the Annual Swimming Gala of the Deraniyagala Aquatic Club, during which swimmers from the club took part in an exchange visit with swimmers from the Rainbow Swimming Academy in Colombo. The Deraniyagala Aquatic Club is an initiative by Dr. Nishanthie Dolage, who began the club to empower the children of Deraniyagala to discover and develop hidden talents and engage in meaningful activities instead of falling into bad habits. Commenting on the paduru party that was to be held in the evening, she said that she is trying to teach the children of Deraniyagala how to have fun without falling into social ills. “We want our children to learn that you don’t need alcohol or drugs to have a good time,” she said.
It all began when Nishanthie decided to stay on her property in Deraniyagala during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, she decided to teach the village children English and swimming. Her initiative slowly developed as she built more infrastructure on the property and started other activities such as art sessions and CPR training from lifeguards to impart critical skills to village children who visited the club every Sunday.
Another important function of the Aquatic Club is to create awareness and prevent drownings that take place in the area. The waters of the river are a hotspot for tourism, but also the site of many drownings as visitors fall prey to the currents of the water. This is where Nishanthie hopes to empower the villagers to prevent drownings. She also promotes eco-tourism as a means of helping preserve the natural beauty of the village.
The programme has been a big success. Janaki Manel, whose sons aged 8 and 6 visit the club every Sunday, is happy that her children get this opportunity. “Ape lamayinta idiriyata yanna puluwan me weda piliwela nisa – egollonge anagathayate meka godak watinawa (This initiative can help our children get ahead in life and it is good for their future),” she says.
The club is also a great resource for swimmers in the area because the local swimming pool has been closed for renovations for about a year. Head Coach of the Aquatic Club Thilaksiri Hagalla is happy to see his students take part in the exchange visit. “We don’t receive many opportunities to see our children swim with others so when they receive opportunities like this, it motivates them to work harder because they see beyond the opportunities they have in the village,” he says, adding that he hopes to see his students take part in local and international swimming meets.
Director and Head Coach of the Rainbow Swimming Academy Julian Bolling (seen on our cover page with students from Deraniyagala) hopes that the exchange visit creates lasting bonds. Addressing the students of the Deraniyagala Aquatic Club he explained the value of their participation in the visit. “We had a good year at the Academy and we won many medals but the joy over winning a medal will only last a few months and then it is forgotten, but today, you have helped create lasting memories for our children,” he said, sharing his own experiences connecting with swimmers across the island and experiencing friendships that lasted decades.
Lifeguards B.D.W. Saman Kumara and K.G. Sanath Weerasinghe from the Sri Lanka Lifesaving (the national body in Sri Lanka) have been making biannual visits to the club since its inception to teach the students CPR and other critical lifesaving skills. They have seen improvements in the students and say that they expect great things from them in the future. “These children were stuck in a village and their talents were hidden. Through this initiative they can go global,” says Sanath.
Secretary of the club Irangani Wickramasinghe had been bustling about all day to ensure that everything runs smoothly. The owner of a hardware shop from which Nishanthie bought materials to build the infrastructure for the club, she joined the initiative to help students develop their talents. She is happy that the students get this opportunity to go global. She tells us about Vishmika, a girl from the village who came third in an international art competition. “Our children don’t only learn swimming, they also receive the opportunity to develop other talents,” she says.
As the day drew to a close, Nishanthie states that she hopes that the villagers in Deraniyagala are empowered to keep the club going on their own. “I have given them the tools to develop the club and they have been doing well, so I hope that they take this initiative forward even after I retire,” she says.
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