By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
COUNTRIES don’t get more land-locked than Tibet or Afghanistan.
But Lifesaving Victoria’s trainee recruits Tenzin-Cheosang,Tsering-Kyi and Elaha Naziri ought to know about swimming against currents and tides.
The trio are trailblazers: Ms Cheosang and Ms Kyi, both of Noble Park, are believed to be the first Tibetan-born lifesaver trainees in Victoria, and Ms Naziri, of Lyndhurst, the state’s first female lifeguard from Afghanistan.
None of the three grew up near water; over the past year the teenagers have learnt to swim strongly enough to make the lifesaver grade.They then took a week’s intensive training in first aid, signalling and other skills at Edithvale Surf Lifesaving Club.
They are among seven graduates of the multicultural trainee program this year – and among 30 in the past five years – to have followed the footsteps of Dandenong’s pioneering Afghan-born lifesaver Imtiyaz ’’Minty’’ Saberi.
Lifesaving Victoria multicultural projects officer David Holland says the role-models “kicked down the door” and will help spread the water-safety message to new arrivals.
“New arrivals are the ones most at risk. They’re most represented in drownings in this state.
“Water safety is often a low or zero priority in their countries, and it’s hard to bridge that gap in Australia.”
Many of the trainees have come from the Noble Park English Language School and its Casey campus.
Mr Holland said he found it amazing that the girls have made the effort – outside of their efforts to settle in – to “protect Australians”. And that they learnt to do so in such short time.
“The girls wanted to do this course last year but their swimming wasn’t good enough. So what we did was put them through swimming lessons for a year.
“It was quite a challenge for them.”
The trainees now become powerful role-models, Mr Holland said.
“Other kids and families see them at the beach and water safety becomes a conversation.
“They learn about the worth of water safety and the worth of learning to swim.
“We hope many more will follow.”
