September 2024

We set up this project to save lives and to teach swimming but one of the unexpected benefit has been the impact on the lives of our lifeguards. We ended up choosing to hire people who were already spending a lot of time at Coco Beach who, in many cases, had extremely difficult lives. Tanzania Beach Lifeguards has provided them with employment and a path to self sufficiency. As we scale we hope to have more of these stories, but here are two translated quotes from our lifeguards.

The first one is by Omary Hamidu Mkomanga

'The employment as a source of income, Tanzania Beach Lifeguard helped him to meet his basic needs. Through working with the provider some positive changes emerged on his side after having an employment contract.

Acquired some knowledge that helped him increased his skills and techniques on lifeguard experience, for instance some knowledge on how you determine a victim, techniques to rescue any injury victim, unconscious victim or a weak swimmer.'

The second one is by Angel

'Angel 17 years old, who was homeless. Her life was at the Coco beach, sleeping outside with the gang of so many other children with no hope of life. Her life was depending on her body for her to eat.

She met Ms. Amina Mfaume on 23rd April 2024 at Coco beach during the lifeguard meeting and showed her interest of learning the water safety.

"Am happy working today because the Tanzania Beach Lifeguard gave me hope to live again, I was working so hard to learn the lifeguarding and now am Junior Lifeguard. I can solve her issues arising by myself since I have a source of fund. I can buy food clothing and I got a place to stay. Improved my life standard from dependent to independent."'