WITH temperatures rising over the school holidays, Sudanese refugee children donned goggles and swimming caps as they took their first strokes in the pool last week.
Brisbane Catholic Education invited the students, who all attend Catholic schools in Brisbane archdiocese, and their families to take advantage of the inaugural learn to swim program.
More than 100 Sudanese children jumped into the program head first to spend four hours each day developing their aquatic skills through aquaerobics, swimming lessons, water volleyball and other pool activities.
The pools at Southern Cross College, Scarborough, and Our Lady of Lourdes School, Sunnybank, played host to the eager students aged three to 14.
Southern Cross Swim Club coach Steve Hadler ran the week-long event at Scarborough with the help of swimming instructors, Southern Cross students and the college’s senior swimming squad.
Brisbane Catholic Education African cultural liaison officer Machiw Chut Machiw said the event was a huge success with students coming from large Sudanese communities in Zillmere, Moorooka, Annerley and Scarborough.
He said the program was initiated to aid in the integration of the children into Australian society.
