PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - For Gracious Mukucha (25), taking to water at first was a challenge. But on Monday 1 December her plunge into the ocean at Central Beach in Plett, during the monthly Sunrise Dippers event, was a milestone.
As part of the Adopt a Swimmer programme, Gracious, along with a group of her peers, splashed into the ocean for the first time.
She first heard about Adopt a Swimmer from someone she met where she lives in Keurbooms.
"Someone took me to Plett to swim - and I got sponsorship from nowhere… Now I love the sea," said Gracious.
Conduit for healing
Adopt a Swimmer, a non-profit organisation in Plettenberg Bay, was founded by Louise Auersberg in 2011 as a way to help children at risk and who face economic disadvantages.
Auersberg's own struggles dealing with a learning disability and facing many obstacles inspired her to use water as a conduit for healing.
For her, swimming is a powerful metaphor for facing challenges head-on and pushing through adversity. She realised she could combine her love for both water and helping children.
"Being able to swim saves lives, prevents accidents, and gives joy. Swimming together creates healthy, active communities that love each other, the water and nature," says Auersberg.
For her, Gracious' story is an example of what Adopt a Swimmer can achieve.
Louise Auersberg and Gracious Mukucha ... leading by example. Photo: Chris van Gass
Adopt a Swimmer swim students enjoy splashing in the waves. Photo: Chris van Gass
Read previous articles:
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
