In a remarkable display of community resilience and compassion, a man from Kerala, India, has transformed personal grief into a life-saving mission.
According to a report from The Better India, following a heart-wrenching tragedy that claimed the lives of 15 schoolchildren in his hometown, Saji Valasseril, a modest furniture shop owner, decided to act in a way that would prevent future heartbreak.
His initiative has since blossomed into a thriving swimming club that has equipped more than 10,000 people with essential water survival skills.
In 2009, the overturning of a boat carrying a school class and its teacher on the Periyar River shook the local community. For Saji, it was a turning point. Stricken by the needless loss of young lives, he resolved to ensure that no one else would suffer such a fate if he could help it. What began as informal lessons for his own children soon expanded to include his friends’ families and then the wider neighborhood.
The movement gained momentum when word spread that free swimming lessons were being offered. What started as a trickle of interest quickly surged into a stream of eager learners. As the club grew, Saji formalized the initiative under the name Valasseril River Swimming Club, focusing not on competitive sport, but on swimming as a survival skill.
“Most drowning cases reported here are of people boating close to the banks and not in the middle of the river,” explains Saji. “You only need 16 days to learn how to remove your fear of water and save yourself from drowning.”
The club’s introductory course spans just 16 lessons, designed to first dispel the fear of water and then to teach vital survival techniques. Unlike typical swimming programs that might emphasize form or speed, this course is wholly dedicated to safety.
Lessons take place in the Periyar River, with makeshift swimming lanes created using floaties and tires. These lanes are cleverly categorized by difficulty: the shallowest areas, where learners can still touch the riverbed, are nicknamed “Kindergarten,” while the more challenging sections with stronger currents are humorously referred to as the “doctorate lanes.”
Inclusivity lies at the heart of the club’s philosophy. “All kinds of people come together, young and old, men and women, from diverse professions, backgrounds and belief systems. We don’t see any of those differences. No one is looked down or looked up, there’s only teaching,” Saji says.
Every child participating in the lessons must be accompanied by a guardian positioned at the riverbank, prepared to assist if necessary. Interestingly, many of these guardians have ended up joining the club themselves, drawn by its welcoming spirit and life-saving purpose.
The Valasseril River Swimming Club has proven to be far more than just a training ground. It has become a social equalizer and a source of communal pride. People of all ages and abilities—including the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and those with neurological disorders—have learned to swim in its waters.
Its impact has even extended into the realm of competitive swimming. Recently, a teenage club member earned a place in the Asian Book of Records for completing the longest open-sea swim by a minor, while another promising swimmer is now preparing to take on the formidable English Channel.
Graduates of the program often remain involved, many volunteering as lifeguards or instructors, identifiable by their distinctive aquatic shirts. The club holds its sessions in the early morning, typically at 5:30 a.m., when the air is still cool, and the melodic sounds of the nearby Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary provide a serene backdrop. For these community members, the river has become not just a place for learning, but a symbol of hope, unity, and second chances.
What began as one man’s response to an unthinkable tragedy has evolved into a beacon of safety and solidarity for an entire region. The Valasseril River Swimming Club exemplifies how grassroots efforts, driven by empathy and determination, can ripple outward to save lives and transform communities.
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