About Us
"Anyone can drown, no one should"
- World Drowning Prevention Day
25th July 2021
Everyone knows someone who has lost someone to a drowning and the devastation this brings to a family. Drowning can take place in just two inches of water if a person is face down in the water.
“Learn to swim” has always been my biggest passion and certainly learning to swim is a form of drowning prevention, I therefore believe being a swimming teacher is definitely helping save lives. However, even a strong swimmer can drown therefore every single person of all ages is susceptible to drowning if not educated on the dangers and power of water. Drowning could and does affects every single person in a community.
For a number of years, I really wanted to introduce a strong LTS (Learn to Swim) program in Zimbabwe and train the trainer, so with the support of ZAU (Zimbabwe Aquatic Union) and the Zimbabwe Swimming Board of Control (ZSBC) I approached SWIMSA, to help us develop a “Learn to swim” program for Zimbabwe. This program was launched in June 2018 and we now have 110 qualified “Learn to Swim” instructors countrywide in Zimbabwe and there are another 30 or so instructors who are in the process of qualifying. This LTS program highlights the important of water safety and awareness and the importance of respecting water, not fearing it.
A friend of mine who left Zimbabwe in 2005 returned to Zimbabwe in 2015 and helped me set up “Safety Week” in my swim school, Aquakidz. As teachers joined my swim school we taught the “Safety Week” campaign each term. Some years back we had a family in our community lose their 2-year-old in a drowning and they came to my swim school with their other children to learn to swim, I knew it took great courage to do this. This was a very important motivator for me to place more emphasis on water safety within my swim school. Two of the trustees Tam Maenzanise and Natalie Pienaar who were colleagues in my swim school, began to persuade me that we should be doing water safety education beyond our swim school.
Together we formed the idea of the “Water Safety Trust Zimbabwe”. We are four trustees, myself as Founder Trustee, Natalie Pienaar, Tamarie Maenzanise and Peter Wetzlar. Peter represented Zimbabwe at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, he will be an ambassador for this cause in the US where he is currently based. The trust was formed in 2021.
How we've made a difference
Take a closer look at our work in action!
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Founders and Trustees
The four trustees are all water oriented in our careers or water has been a fundamental aspect of daily living.
Debbie Wetzlar
Founder
Debbie Wetzlar has been teaching swimming over 30 years ago, she began in the mid 90’s and is the owner of Aquakidz Swim School, which is based in Harare, Zimbabwe. Over a period of time, she began moving into coaching, (but at heart has remained passionate about learn to swim). In 2012, she qualified as a FINA Level 3 coach. This lead to Debbie travelling to various countries as a provincial and later as a national coach. Debbie’s highlight being the Zimbabwe coach at World Championships in Gwangju in 2019.
Debbie Wetzlar is the Head Facilitator for swimming education in Zimbabwe and was instrumental in introducing the Learn to Swim program in Zimbabwe. There are now over 100 qualified learn to swim teachers in Zimbabwe under the Zimbabwe Aquatic Union.
Water safety has always been a priority at Aquakidz swim school, where the swim school runs a safety day every term. From this was born the idea of trying to teach people nationally about water awareness, going hand in hand with respect for water and water safety. To this end the trust was formed and this is our mandate:
“To educate, reach and teach water safety to as many Zimbabweans as we can, thereby
laying the foundation for a successful aquatic future for our Nation.”
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​Col 3:23 “Whatever you work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” .
Peter Wetzlar
Trustee
Peter is a former competitive swimmer. He represented Zimbabwe and competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held in 2021. Peter graduated from university of Kentucky with two degrees one in finance and one in accounts. Currently he is a certified public accountant (CPA) Peter is passionate about swimming and loves the joy of being in and around water. He wishes to give back into his community through water safety awareness as there are many hidden dangers associated with water.
Tamarie Maenzanise
Trustee
My enthusiasm for the water began as a young child with my fathers incentives to swim. It quickly became a part of our school and recreational lives. In 2009, Gabarone Botswana, an opportunity arose to become a swim teachers assistant. This sparked something inside of me and it quickly became my career. Over the years I have grown to be a fully qualified swim teacher and facilitate a number of swim courses. Drowning is preventable and it has become a passion of mine to help prevent it.
Peters' Quote
“If you are ever tempted to look for outside approval, realize that you have compromised your integrity. If you need a witness, be your own.”
- Epictetus