Helping Maldives youth to take to the water

A 40 foot container with donations of rowing equipment from Great Britain’s sporting community is on its way to the Maldives. The donations come from a range of sources from big global companies like British Airways, who have part funded a rowing boat, through to small individual gifts of spanners and tape measures.  The collections of boats, lifejackets and tools will provide young people in the Maldives with the equipment needed set up their own water sports clubs.

The ambition grew out of British Olympic medallist Guin Batten’s crossing of the notoriously dangerous Zero Degree Channel in the Maldives. Batten became the first person to row the 60km channel in March of this year. Batten was welcomed by groups of local women who showed her the traditional rowing cultures of the past and their love of modern competitive sport. 

“The reaction was amazing and the (rowing) fit was so natural,” says Batten.

Inspired by the crossing the young school children from the Maldives’ Thinadhoo Island, have been learning to swim, row and canoe. James Cowley, a volunteer coach has had to spend much of his time teaching the young people to swim and be safe in the water. One of his favourite moments was taking a group of 14 year old girls out to their local reef and seeing the fish and coral for the first times in their lives.

“Watching the sense of accomplishment and wonder in their faces, makes all the hard work so rewarding,” says Cowley.

Getting appropriate equipment to the Maldives has been a real challenge for the project. “It is amazing how much the young people have learnt using only Guin’s rowing boat, a canoe and the goggles Speedo sent out last month,” says Cowley.

“To get the two rowing fours and the two canoes will be so exciting, but we still need more help. At the moment I am coaching from a kayak and as the children go faster and further, we will need a motor boat to coach and give the right safety cover,” says Cowley.

The island elders are getting behind the project and have set up the Rowing Association of Maldives which is currently seeking official recognition from the International Rowing Federation, FISA, and the International Olympic Committee.

The local ambition is to set up six water sports clubs throughout the Upper Southern Province, while the national ambition is to bring major sporting events to the Maldives, like the World Rowing Coastal Championships.

If you want to learn more about the Project or want to be part of it please contact:
Maldives High Commission (London)
Sarah Mahir +44 (0)7792419342 email: s.mahir@maldiveshighcommission.org
Guin Batten in the UK on +44 (0)7710 457442 email: guin.batten@youthsporttrust.org
James Cowley in the Maldives on email: jamestcowley@gmail.com

Copy thanks to Guin Batten

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