Unche, Guinea Bissau - Federação de Natação da Guiné-Bissau Interim President Siphiwe Baleka constructed a 50 meter long course for swim training in the middle of a tributary of the Rio Unche. Olympic swimming pools are 50 meters long and there are none in the country of 2 million people. So Baleka decided to use what was available to complete a makeshift pool with lane ropes.
Baleka conceived of the idea during his first visit to Unche, the village of his great, great, great, great, great grandfather who was captured as a boy and enslaved in Charleston, SC.
“I was told in Cacheu that Balantas are the best swimmers, that they could turn into crocodiles,” said Baleka. “So I always imagined my 5g grandfather was a great swimmer as a young boy. Today I know it is true because all the boys in Unche are good swimmers with a lot of natural ability. Now they just need to be coached.”
Coaching the boys and girls of Unche, the village of his 5G grandfaather, is exactly what Baleka intends to do. Baleka’s short term plan is to fix the lane ropes (which happen to be the red, gold, and green colors of the Guine Bissau flag) with some sort of flotation device. According to Baleka,“We will try plastic bottles and styrofoam first.”
