EMEDO Advances Water Safety for Fishers in Lake Victoria Region

Sweya, Mwanza – May 2025 — The Environmental Management and Economic Development Organization (EMEDO) has concluded the second batch of its Fishers Safety Training Course, held from May 5th to 10th, under the Lake Victoria Drowning Prevention Project (LVDPP). The project, supported by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the Isle of Man Government, and Irish Aid, targets small-scale fishing communities to reduce drowning incidents and strengthen water safety practices.

The second round of training, following the first conducted in November 2024, brought together a total of 36 fishers from Sweya a fishing community along the Lake Victoria shoreline. Over the course of six days, trainers and fishers participated in both theoretical and practical sessions designed to improve their understanding of safety measures, hazard awareness, survival techniques, emergency response, and basic First Aid. Twelve fishers were trained on May 5th, another 12 on May 6th, and the final group of 12 on May 9th, with each group completing the course and receiving certificates of participation.

The sessions were facilitated by a multi-institutional team of certified trainers drawn from the Fire and Rescue Force, Police Marine Unit, Police Marine College, the Fisheries Education and Training Agency (FETA), and EMEDO project staff. Theory sessions took place at EMEDO’s offices in Sweya, while practical exercises were conducted on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Building upon the fisher trainings, EMEDO introduced a trainer development component to the program. On May 7th and 8th, eight new trainers, four from government institutions and four EMEDO project officers, began a preparatory course covering facilitation techniques, safety instruction, and communication methods. This strategic move enhances local capacity, bringing the total number of certified trainers under the LVDPP to 15.

To bridge safety knowledge from individuals to systems, May 9th marked the start of training on the Fishers Community Emergency Response Plan (FCERP). This session engaged members of the Sweya Beach Management Unit (BMU), local leaders, and fisher representatives in developing a grassroots emergency protocol. The FCERP aims to ensure quick and coordinated community-level responses to water-related emergencies, with emphasis on:

• Clear role allocation during emergencies
• Protocols for calling for help and incident reporting
• Mobilization of community and institutional resources
• Communication strategies between BMUs and rescue teams

This shift from individual skill-building to community preparedness created a seamless transition into the final training component.

On May 10th, EMEDO facilitated a high-level Refresher Training on Incident Command for Mass Rescue Operations, uniting diverse emergency stakeholders. Participants included representatives from:

• The Prime Minister’s Office via the Mwanza Regional Disaster Committee
• Fire and Rescue Force
• Police Marine Unit
• Divers from the Police Marine College
• FETA
• BMUs
• Mwanza Regional Fisheries Office

This session focused on aligning operational frameworks, establishing a chain of command, resource coordination, and strengthening joint response capabilities for large-scale water emergencies. The training deepened institutional collaboration and encouraged unified operational planning, underlining the strategic significance of incident command systems in the Lake Victoria region.

Significance and Lessons Learned This second batch of training illuminated key lessons and milestones:

• Capacity building at multiple levels, from individual fishers to trainers to institutional leaders, ensures more sustainable safety outcomes.
• Community ownership of emergency response processes improves readiness and resilience.
• Collaborative planning through incident command ensures faster, more efficient rescue operations and resource use.

EMEDO’s holistic approach, merging practical skills, community engagement, and institutional coordination, sets a replicable model for drowning prevention in small-scale fisheries. The organization remains committed to strengthening safety systems across Lake Victoria through continuous training, inclusive participation, and strategic partnerships.