LONDON:Laia Coma, a professional swimmer, is running the Sydney Marathon on 31st August 2025 to raise public awareness against drowning and support activities aimed at reducing deaths and injuries due to drowning in Nepal.

Laia, a passionate lifesaver based in Singapore, is running the Sydney Marathon with the theme A Global Mission to End Drowning — Starting with Nepal.

Many lives, mostly the children, are quietly lost to drowning in various parts of Nepal. The Terai-Madhesh region of the country witnesses a terribly high proportion of children, as high as 62% of total drowning deaths.

The World Health Organization estimates 1,600 drowning deaths occur in Nepal each year.Drowning is preventable. It’s time to bring this silent crisis into the light and work towards solutions because #AnyoneCanDrownNoOneShould.

Recently drowning prevention researchers Bhagabati Sedain and Puspa Raj Pant have also highlighted a Call for Action in the Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences; the paper describes the magnitude of drowning and recommends action to be taken by the Government, NGOs and Communities for the prevention of drowning.

The Global Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Rotary Club (GWSDPRC), alongside trusted partners — Swim Coaches and Teachers Australia (SCTA), the Rotary Club of Balaju, and the NIRI Unit for Prevention and Life-Saving Activities — are working on to building a future where no life is lost to water.

In early 2025, this collaboration helped train and certify local Nepalese as swim instructors — equipping them with the skills and knowledge to teach water safety in their own communities. That first project didn’t just teach lessons, it left a legacy.

Those trained instructors continue to make an impact every day, creating a ripple effect of safety and awareness.A new project now focuses on providing world-leading education and infrastructure support to Nepal’s emerging water safety sector.

Through SCTA’s expertise, the project will deliver advanced training, resources, and strategic guidance to empower Nepal’s instructors, community leaders, and organisations.

“Every day in Nepal, on average up to five lives are lost to drowning — and two of them are children. It’s a silent tragedy happening in rivers, irrigation canals, ponds, and lakes. But together, we can change that,” said Dr Puspa Raj Pant.

Drowning is one of Nepal’s leading causes of child death — and it’s preventable. Laia and her Sydney Marathon efforts can be supported by making donations via PayPal.