Facing the fear of water: Refugees learn to swim in Lesbos

YSR has its roots in swimming, explains Estelle Jean, the organisation’s founder and executive director. “In 2016, thousands of people were coming by the sea, especially in the northern part of the island, where the Turkish shore is only 12 km [7.5 miles] away. Rescue teams had formed spontaneously.”

The situation led to the birth of the swimming programme in Lesbos in 2017, she explains. The aim was to teach swimming but also provide an opportunity to both rescuers and those who crossed the sea to reconnect with it, especially after a traumatic experience.

YSR officially started in 2018 and now operates in four locations, with the other three in Ioannina, Athens and Paris, France. In Lesbos, they hold daily swimming classes from May until October, weather permitting, which are open to men and women (including women-only classes). Each group has at least one instructor who carefully monitors the students.

Mitali Desai teaches Hossein* how to float by having him lie on his back in the water. [Giacomo Sini/Al Jazeera]

“Day by day, they are improving,” says Sara Balamurugan, a volunteer instructor from France. Three younger students practise leg movements on the shore, while two first-timers practise floating in the water. Meanwhile, two advanced students go further out into the sea with another instructor.

Salah comes back to the shore doing the butterfly stroke, raising his head and arms with every two leg kicks. Luiza Lena Benz, a swimming coach, tells him he needs to correct his hand positioning and demonstrates the correct method. Salah listens attentively, then sits on the shore for a rest.

“I love swimming,” Salah says smiling. “I'm quite good, you know. I can swim there,” he says, pointing to the blue mountains beyond the sea. “I came from Turkiye swimming,” he continues, his tone becoming more serious. “It took six hours. It has been hard, but I had a float helping me.”