There's 'overwhelming' demand for this Kitchener summer swim program for BIPOC, low-income families

When Kelly De Fogain was a child, she was scared of water.

De Fogain, the founder and executive director of Afropolitan Canada, said that after becoming a parent the issue of water safety remained of deep concern and it led her to want to create a swimming program to help newcomers, especially women and children, low income and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour) households access training.

She knew others would want to learn to swim — she did not anticipate the demand.

"We launched the program three years ago and it was supposed to be just two pools. Within hours, the registration filled," she said. "Every year we have more registrations opening and closing within hours."

Here's how the program has grown:

• 2023: 96 participants.
• 2024: 178 participants.
• 2025: 197 participants and more than 250 on the waiting list.

"It's overwhelming," De Fogain said. "It shows that there is a need in the region and ... that people really want to get those skills and in a culturally safe space."

This year the program is being offered at City of Kitchener pools and it brings in people from Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, Brantford and the Township of Woolwich.

"There is that sense that you won't feel judged if you don't know [how to swim]," she said of the program meeting the needs of people where they are in their learning process.

"Some of the instructors are also from similar backgrounds. So seeing kids looking at themselves through those instructors is also very beneficial because they know that's a role model … [who] could inspire them to become a lifeguard or an instructor."

The program launched this summer last Thursday at Forest Heights Pool. Bella Scott, the head lifeguard on Thursdays, oversees the instruction alongside five other lifeguards.

"Every single person should have the opportunity to learn how to swim," Scott said. "Swimming is a recreational skill but it's also a life skill … [and] a survival skill."

Temitope Bello is the parent of one of the children learning to swim through the program this year. She said she's tried learning how to swim herself and unfortunately hasn't managed to yet, but water still relaxes her. 

"I enjoy looking at the water a lot and especially going to the beach … being around water itself is calming," Bello said.

While her four-year-old doesn't really understand swimming yet, he was excited to be at the pool for the first time in his life.

"He was so eager to go into the pool and so far so good," she said.

Bello says she hopes her son takes away survival skills but also enjoyment of swimming, comfort being in and around the water, emotional regulation, and more.

If he enjoys it maybe, she said, "he can become the future Olympic swimmer for Canada, who knows?"

"It's very beneficial, not just that we are benefiting from it, but [for] other people because who knows with our skills being learned here, we might be able to save other people from drowning, too," Bello said.

Afropolitan Canada is a local organization that aims to empower BIPOC community members. The group also runs tennis lessons, a directory of women-led businesses, mental health programs and Roots and Rivers, which aims to help people make a connection with nature and conservation.

Peter Pearse-Elosia, is a board member of Afropolitan Canada and said his own comfort levels being a swimmer depends on the situation.

"To be honest, I feel jealous," he said. "Jealous because the reality is that this is an amazing program."

He added, "When I was younger, I didn't have a chance to be able to explore this sort of opportunity."

It is incredibly rewarding and he feels very happy, he said, seeing the joy on the faces of those learning to swim in a safe environment.

"A lot of people don't have that experience when they go into [the] water," Pearse-Elosia said.

Ian Guru, now 14, is becoming a better swimmer and said he's already learned new techniques. His dad asked if he wanted to sign up.

"I said yes 'cause I love swimming," he said. "[The lifeguards] are really nice."

De Fogain says it's clear the program is a success and in high demand. Now, the hope is to continue to expand to more pools across Waterloo region and maybe even across the province.

But for now, they're fundraising to be able to run a program this fall.

"The goal is really to run as a year-round program," she said, adding she wants "to make sure that every kid does have access to water and is able to swim."