By: Mair Skelton
In May 2025, I had the opportunity to travel to Nepal with my husband, who was attending an Xtri event. It promised to be a wonderful holiday — and what better way to make it even more meaningful than to incorporate Water Safety and Drowning Prevention into the mix.
Between the two of us, we began making contacts and laying the groundwork for a couple of small initiatives. The first was in a small mountain village called Lewang, found two hours outside Pokhara and has an altitude of 1,550m at the base of the Mardi Himal area.
Trekkers/hikers pass through this beautiful village and often stay overnight, and its home to a small school with children of various ages.
Trekkers/hikers pass through this beautiful village and often stay overnight, and its home to a small school with children of various ages.
After completing our trek up and down the mountain, we returned to the school where I (Mair) gave a water safety talk. The primary concern in this region is staying safe around rivers, which can be deceptively dangerous. To help communicate this, I used the concept of “Rhythm of the Water.” Through the clapping of hands, we mimicked the rhythm of slow, steady, and fast-moving water, and discussed how to recognise these changes and how to
help one another stay safe. The children were incredibly engaged and joined in enthusiastically — and hopefully, they’ll long remember the key message: Float to Stay Alive.
The second opportunity arose in Kathmandu, where Paul and I had been in contact with the secretary and president of Nepal Triathlon Association, an organisation connected to various swim and private schools in the area. Together, we arranged a teaching session at a private school called G.E.M.S. Dhapakhel, Lalitpur which is found within Kathmandu.
Over the course of the day, we worked with more than sixty children, ranging from beginners to intermediate swimmers. We also had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with their dedicated teaching staff, answering questions and sharing ideas to help improve their swimming instruction.
The entire experience was incredibly rewarding. Judging by the smiles on the children’s faces — and the enthusiasm of their teachers — it is safe to say the impact was mutual. It was a pleasure giving back to the community whilst we were visiting the country.
