For children growing up on the coast, learning to swim is a critical survival skill but it can also be the first stroke toward a future in the blue economy. The Black in Marine Science Institute is looking to spark that exact passion in Belizean youths, turning a fear of the water into a love for marine biology. Their fourth annual BIMS Swims Summer Camp is being held under the theme "Building Skills, Empowering Swimmers: Cultivating Confidence and Community in the Water." Jomarie Lanza went south to Placencia to find out how 'BIMS Swims' is changing lives. Here is her report.
They were born and raised on the coast, but for many children in this seaside community, the ocean has always been a source of fear rather than a playground, and most never learned how to swim. But a new initiative by the Black in Marine Science Institute or BIMS is changing that narrative, helping these youth conquer their fears and transform into avid swimmers.
Speaking with us today at a training session in Placencia, the founder of BIMS emphasized that water proficiency is about much more than just recreation it is the first step, or the first stroke, to accessing many other opportunities in developing a career in Marine Science.
Dr. Tiara Moore, Founder & CEO, Black in Marine Science
"So Black in Marine Science, the mission of the non-profit is to celebrate the current Black marine scientists like, but also spread environmental awareness and inspire the next generation of scientific thought leaders. So you are right in the middle of our third mission point. We have one of our core programs called BIMS Swims where we literally teach kids how to swim, get them more comfortable in the ocean, but then also introduce them to jobs and careers in the Marine Science and blue economy."
Dr. Tiara Moore
"So we have been doing this once a year since 2023, so this is the fourth year doing it, and this is our largest class. We have 27 students this year, and when we first started in 2023 I think we had 5, so it has definitely grown."
The youth range in age from 8 to 15, and while some can perform basic maneuvers to stay afloat, Moore notes they still lack the critical water skills required for anyone hoping to later pursue a career as a diver.
Dr. Tiara Moore, Founder & CEO, Black in Marine Science
"So what we do is do some of the skills that are required to become a scuba diver. Some folks don't know that for you to get your scuba diving certification you have to do a swim test, so like treading the water, floating, doing laps. So we practice a lot of those things during our swim program so they put context to it. They are not just out here at the beach, they are really putting, gaining a skill that they can utilize for the rest of their lives."
Dr. Tiara Moore
"So the program is one week and it is a very intense week. We jump right in and we start right here on the ocean. You know, we have a very shallow area here right on the point, and the first day is really called 'One with the Ocean' and we just let them be in the water. And that is really an assessment for our team to see who is comfortable, who is struggling, who is asking for a life vest, and who is who, and who is that, just so we can make sure they have comfort. Because what we don't want to do is throw a kid into the water that is here, you have those traumatic events and they never want to come back. So we start off being playful and then we start to implement those skills that I mentioned. Tread water for a minute, float on your back for a minute, do a couple of laps, and then also make it competitive because they are kids who can hold their breath under the water for the longest, so really implementing those marine science skills and activities that I use on the daily as a scientist but also making it very fun for the kids to stay interested."
Lead swim instructor, Andria Villanueva told us that many children develop a fear of the water due to early traumatic experiences, such as being unexpectedly pushed into the sea.
Andria Villanueva, Lead swim instructor
"Many of us the answers I would get is that they have been pushed into the water, and that is something I want everyone to know, that is not the right way to do it. You just have to be patient and with time, because all of us are swimmers. So what I do, I teach them what their weakness is, and on the last day I take them and give them a guided tour with a licensed tour guide so they can have an idea, so that gives them a perspective about the restoration of the corals, what the sea cucumber does like a broom sweeps the house, the sea cucumber filters the water, it keeps it clear, it is important for us to keep it there. So as we go along we tell them about different sea creatures, the parrotfishes."
And some of these kids keep coming back each year to overcome their fear of swimming. One parent told us that her child learned to swim thanks to the program.
Beata Guzman, Guide, BIMS
"I like to say plays a very great role in my life and in my son's life."
Beata Guzman
"We live by the ocean and he was even scared to get in the water, and with the program here at BIMS now he is not scared. He was even afraid to get inside a boat and I said, 'Oh, we can't work with that because here is where the water, we make a lot of money and it is a great enjoyment for the kids as well.' Now he can swim, he could dive, he was scared of a diving glass as well and now he is not, and he is a team leader at this program this year, and I would like to say thanks to BIMS for reaching out to kids around to give them lessons about swimming and not to be afraid, and also to be safe and to teach others around."
Arvin Rivas, Learned to swim with BIMS
"BIMS helped me overcome my fear of the sea because when I came last year I was scared to go way down, but the people who were here helped me to overcome it."
Jomarie Lanza, Reporter
"What's your favorite thing about the water?"
Arvin Rivas
"They have lots of things to find and see."
While undersea treasures await, some of these young swimmers may also find their professional futures in these dazzling depths.
The camp was scheduled to end today. You can find a link to BIMS Swims on our website.
https://www.blackinmarinescience.org/bims-swims.html
