Join SID-Empower Vulnerable Africans via Swimming

According to WHO, Over 1.3 billion people world wide have a disability, that is more than 16% of the world’s population. Most live in developing countries and have to put up with extreme: stigmatization, discrimination, poverty, exclusion from education and employment, and all sorts of barriers including superstitious set backs.

People living with disabilities and the less privileged are often the majority of the “unaccounted for” victims of the consequences of Climate change (natural disasters) and accidents. There is usually no accurate statistical data of the exact number of victims when these tragic incidents occur in most African countries.

Empowering these vulnerable members of our African societies with survival swimming would not only save their lives, and improve their quality of life; however research shows that they function the best with swimming and with water therapy that I bring to them.

My name is Emeka Chuks-Nnadi, Aka Swim Guru. You could google my name to read more about the accomplishments my Swim in 1 Day SID Africa Charity Initiative Project, has had since it’s inception in May 2022 after moving to Africa from Europe in April of the same year. I operate from Lagos as my base for now, but the plan is to cover all of Africa in 10 years. This is only achievable with your support.

I am an established Business Consultant with 3 University degrees, an Events & Tourism Expert, a Life Coach, a Climate activist and Swimming enthusiast that does up-to 5 hours of non stop endurance swimming at sea.

I founded the SID Project, which is the only Swimming Charity in the world that is also a Movement (that includes You every time you support SID), and a Campaign (empowerment through education). I have financed or funded the SID Project alone thus far; with the only support I have so far, coming from Mum and siblings, but now we need you to join forces with us. We have given over 300 SID swimming Scholarships since 2022.

Teaching at the fastest rate possible Survival Swimming and Water Safety to everyone, from 6 months old to adults of every age is SID’s priority and main objective. And the name is derived from the fact of the founder’s unique ability to teach everyone that desires to, how to Swim in 1 Day, no matter their disability and/or phobia while focusing on the most vulnerable.

The drive for this very needed change has already begun and will succeed with your “Go Fund Me” support to build the “first of its kind”Paralympic team for the (blind) visually & mobility impaired, autistic, etc. (The team will consist of children from the age of 5 onwards).

In reality in March 2023, we activated the 1st phase of the SID Action Plan, which involved a massive media campaign, creating awareness about our mission and vision. This was SID’s medium for empowering the people with educational knowledge, featuring on both International - BBC & National TV stations - Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) 2 times, DSTV 369, GOTV 114, STARTIMES 104, Lagos state Television (LTV) 3times, ARISE NEWS TV, CHANNELS TV, Silverbird TV, Startimes Channel 109.

National Radio stations - 98.3FM 2 times, 93.7FM, 94.1FM, 95.1FM, 99.3FM, 105.5FM.

National Newspapers - News Agency of Nigeria (Sundiata Post), Guardian, Independent, Business Day, The Punch.

This March 2024 with your support raising funds to support the work we started already in Africa, we hope to activate the 2nd phase of the SID Action Plan, which would include raising an army of trained staff to help advance the SID cause and above all empowering pupils of the 7 schools with Children with disabilities in Lagos Nigeria that are looking forward to giving their Pupils the Swim in 1 Day experience this year. Evidence of this collaboration and the Unique ability SID possesses is visible on our Facebook, TikTok & especially the Instagram link below⬇️ https://www.instagram.com/tv/C1kQ5qiNbxn/?igsh=NjZiM2M3MzIxNA==

https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cu9GyhktSn3/?igsh=NjZiM2M3MzIxNA==

I worked alone with moral support from members of the SID movement in 2023, while getting acclimatized to country and continent.

Imagine how much more SID could do with your financial support as members of the SID Movement participating in our work from a distance, for the growth of the organization.⬇️

***Teaching the 7 special needs School Kids of about 140 pupils each would become a reality. (There is no funding now to do more than 7 students).

***Training Staff with similar passion & vision would begin in ernest. (Growth)

***Our SID Water Safety & Climate + disability awareness Campaigns in the media & schools would increase. Apart from about 17 Primary & 6 Secondary Schools that are signing up, the University of Lagos is looking forward to starting soon as well.

***Planning for the first of its kind inclusive Swimming Competition with all the Special Needs Schools at the end of the year could commence.

***And finally, with your support we would draw closer to our dream of building a world class Swimming academy in the nearest future (hopefully 3 years).

Here are some more of the many 2023 accomplishments mentioned above, that I achieved alone with no staff:

1. While in 2022 we did not register any of the many students that were beneficiaries of our SID Scholarships, we have documented over 150 students that benefited from the SID Project in 2023.

2. We started our School SID Campaigns doing about 5 Primary, 2 Secondary and 1 Special Needs Kid’s School for the (Blind) visually impaired along with an NGO called the Irede Foundation that caters to providing artificial limbs for amputee Kids. These collaborations nurtured the idea of the first ever special inclusive Swimming training program called (SNIF) Secure Naija’s Future by SID. The First season of SNIF gave birth to a rising ParaSwimming one legged Star whose name is Femi. We also did the second season in December 2023.

3. Femi after only 2 months of training participated in 2 swimming competitions that were not inclusive before as the only person with disability and had trained 3 hours non stop endurance long distance swimming with me in preparation for the Lagos long distance swimming competition. To see Femi Click link ⬇️ https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cz3s709tImZ/?igsh=NjZiM2M3MzIxNA==

4. SID secured collaborative partnerships with several organizations that are interested in joining us in advancing the SID cause.

5. SID shot a short educative & empowering Documentary that will be edited and released by Arise News TV, this year 2024.

As it stands right now, the SID Project, is the only one in Nigeria that possesses the Professional know how to and is doing the following:

1. Teach in 1 day, the visually impaired (blind) especially, and people with disabilities in general how to swim.

2. Consistently get rid of the fear of water or phobias in minutes and teach every person that strongly desires to Swim in 1 Day to learn. WITH A SUCCESS RATE OF A 100%

3. The only Swimming Charity presently in Nigeria changing and securing the lives of the most vulnerable with no external funding.

4. The only Organization in Nigeria that teaches survival swimming in open waters (at the sea/beach) with the aid of a special confidence building apparatus called a Swim buoy.

WHY DONATE?: Click on the SID Coalition link on - www.swimin1day.org - to find out.

Thanks for being an ally

If in Nigeria and unable to pay into the go fund me European account here is the Nigerian account details -

Nigerian Bank : Access Bank

Account Number: 1883739883

Account Name: Swim in 1 Day Charity Initiative.

Super complicated for Foreigners to pay into the Nigerian account directly because of the Nigerian government policies. So our gratitude to go fund me for creating this great platform.