In the Zanzibar archipelago most people do not know how to swim, despite them being surrounded by water. One day a fisher boat drowned and a lot people drowned with it because they had never been taught how to swim. One woman who was on the boat at the time and lived, Khadija Sharriff, decided that she wanted to prevent this tragedy from ever happening again so she started “The Panje Project” which started off with only 20 students and she began to teach them how to swim.
The hard part for her was getting the Muslim families to allow their women and daughters to attend the program. They were really hesitant at first because women normally are not educated or taught how to swim. Once one man let his daughter go out and learn how to swim then other families soon followed and let their daughters go out too.
I think this is a really good idea and program. The lady running it seems really genuine and passionate about it. I think more Lesser Developed Countries should start more programs like this, especially ones surrounded by water. It is a scary thing to not know how to swim and even people in the United States still do not know, although not all of the United States is surrounded by water. I cannot imagine living on the Zanzibar archipelago and constantly having the fear of drowning.
I think it is unfortunate how hard Sharriff had to try to get women to be allowed to swim. I think it is unsettling that men are hesitant to teach their wives and daughters, because there is a high chance that they could drown and that tragedy would then be at the hands of the father/husband. Women should have every right to learn how to [protect themselves from drowning. They are just as human and deserving as men.