26th August 2024

Speedo partners with Swim Brothers and Her Swim School to encourage people from CALD backgrounds into the pool and ocean

Speedo to support mission of not-for-profit organisations providing affordable and tailored holistic swimming and ocean safety programs to create generational change

August 2024 Speedo is proud to announce a partnership with non-profit initiatives, Swim Brothers and Her Swim School. The partnership will support the initiative’s mission of bringing people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds (CALD) into the pool and ocean whilst learning vital swim safety skills.

Swim Brothers was founded in 2020 by Omar Abu-Mahmoud and Feroz Sattar. The pair were driven to provide a learn to swim and ocean skills & safety program having learned about a community leader from Sydney caught in a rip tide whilst on a camping trip before being rescued by off-duty lifeguards. Swim Brothers combines theory and practical skills, educating members on different types of beaches and waves, how to identify and stay safe in a rip tide, interpreting and learning safety signage and emergency protocols. The practical component involves improving swimming technique to ensure members have the skills to get out of any bad situations by improving arm and leg stroke, body positioning and breathing technique.

In the past four years, Swim Brothers has taught 1000 people to swim and produced more than 10 fully trained surf live savers that patrol the beaches of Sydney, whilst providing a sense of community and fitness routine for members. Following this success, Her Swim School was established in 2024 to offer woman and girls only culturally and religiously safe learn swim program.

Speedo has collaborated with Swim Brothers since 2021, providing gifted swim kit and discounts for members. Over the next four years, Speedo will provide Swim Brothers and Her Swim School with approximately $30,000 AUD in kit and caps, whilst working closely together to build culturally appropriate clothing optimised for swimming. Speedo will also promote and share the organisation’s work to inspire more people from CALD backgrounds to join.

Omar Abu-Mahmoud, co-founder of Swim Brothers, said: “The Speedo partnership has been vital for our program. It’s allowed access to culturally appropriate swimwear for our participants, without compromising on quality or performance. Our organisation and participants are proud to represent such an inclusive brand in our journey of drowning prevention”. Feroz Sattar, co-founder of Swim Brothers, said: “positive connections and interaction are rewarding and regulating, in our program delivery we foster the power of relational experiences and how powerful that can be for holistic wellbeing- swimming is a perfect way to achieve this. We also provide subsidies of up to 100% in acknowgement that access to swimming can be out of reach for many- this way we be work towards access without barriers.”

Jonny Higham, Speedo, said: “Swimming has been a vehicle to bring communities together for millennia and remains the only sport that provides a genuine life skill. At Speedo we believe swimming is a sport for everyone and are honoured to further our commitment to supporting Swim Brothers and Her Swim School as they strive to make further positive changes in society.”

Currently specific to New South Wales, Speedo will continue to support both organisations into the future as they continue to scale and introduce more people to the joys of water.