Emergency teams from the Red Cross demonstrate rescue drills for someone who has drowned
Kampala, Uganda | NEWS CORRESPONDENT | To mark the start of the 9th Uganda Water and Environment Week (UWEW), the Ministry of Water and Environment has held a Water Safety Swimming Gala at Greenhill Academy, Kibuli.
Held on 21st March 2026, the ground-breaking event marked a historic shift in the national narrative, transforming swimming from a recreational luxury into a critical, life-saving survival skill.
This flagship event brought together policymakers, parents, the general public and other stakeholders to raise awareness about water safety and drowning prevention, particularly among children and young people, while promoting swimming as an essential life-saving skill.
“As Uganda faces the loss of eight lives daily to drowning, this effort highlights the need for stronger awareness, practical action, and the adoption of life-saving skills nationwide,” stated Dr Callist Tindimugaya, Commissioner for Water Resources Planning and Regulation, who launched the initiative alongside Eng. Sowed Sewagudde, Commissioner for International and Transboundary Water Affairs.
The gala showcased live demonstrations from the Life Saving Association of Uganda and the Uganda Red Cross Society, who both illustrated the full chain of survival from water rescue and CPR to hospital transition.
A diver demonstrates how to resuscitate someone who has drowned.
Young children in Uganda are most at risk of drowning in small, unsupervised water bodies such as ditches, pits, and wells, while school-age children face high risk during boating or canoeing on lakes.
According to the Makerere University School of Public Health’s recent data, Uganda faces a staggering drowning burden, losing an estimated eight people every day, nearly 3,000 lives annually. These figures rival road traffic fatalities, yet the crisis often goes unnoticed.
A representative from the World Health Organisation (WHO) further validated the event, positioning water safety as a shared responsibility between families, schools, and the government.
The gala is a collaborative effort by the Ministry of Water and Environment, Reach A Hand Uganda, Lifesaving Association of Uganda, Design Without Borders, Uganda Aquatics, Uganda Marine Police, and Bloomberg Philanthropies to build a “water-safe” generation.
The gala featured a competitive and educational display of talent and skill with children between 6 and 14 years old among four clubs: Tumaini Aquatic Academy, Dolphins Swim Club Kampala, Black Panther Swim Club, and Gliders Swim Club. Black Panther Swim Club emerged as the winners, while Dolphins Swim Club Kampala and Tumaini Aquatic Academy were named first and second runners-up, respectively.
Winners at the gala show off their medals
