A lifeguard helps Mohamed, a Mauritania immigrant, overcome his phobia of the sea when he makes his first forays into it in November 2022, the same month he risked his life to cross the Mediterranean.
Mohamed and the other kids who attended that morning carefully adhere to Delphine Bassols’ instructions, a former lifeguard who organizes the classes, before testing the waves.
“Last month, despite frequently visiting this location, I didn’t know how to swim very well. But from three weeks ago till now, this month, I’ve learned a lot of techniques, including how to swim and how to enter the water. I can swim really well now, added Mohamed.
The Welcome 66 group in Canet-en-Roussillon (southern France) offers swimming lessons at sea to refugees and asylum seekers to help them reestablish their relationship with the sea, which is frequently necessary after they have undergone a challenging sea journey or have been traumatized.
“I think it’s pretty good. Delf, who once taught swimming, coming to help us is incredible since you can notice the improvement after only a few sessions. They’ve transformed from being afraid of the water to loving it. It’s wonderful to observe how their conduct has changed over time, according to Corinne Grillet, the organization’s creator.
The Welcome 66 group offers swimming lessons at sea to refugees and asylum seekers in Canet-en-Roussillon (southern France) to help them reestablish a connection with the sea, which is sometimes necessary after they have undergone a traumatic sea crossing.
“This is a pretty good thing. It’s incredible that Delf, a former swimming instructor, has come to help us because you can already see improvement after a few lessons. They have transformed from having a fear of the water to enjoying it immensely. The Welcome 66 association’s creator, Corinne Grillet, called it “really great to see the difference in their behavior over time.”
Mohamed attempted to reach the coast over the course of four days at sea in a makeshift boat carrying sixty people between Morocco and France.
These young men are excelling, and their instructor, Delphine Bassols, is thrilled with their progress.
These meetings serve as constant lessons in bravery, willpower, and tenacity. That always makes me pretty amazed because it’s difficult to learn to swim as an adult from scratch. It requires a lot. These meetings are so much fun because we laugh, share, and transcend so many barriers. But we approach it with enthusiasm and generosity. And that’s really wonderful,” remarked Delphine Bassols, a former lifeguard who now works as an outside facilitator for the Welcome 66 organization.
Every year, thousands of men and women perish at sea while traveling, which has an impact on the survivors’ mental health.
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