Dubai: Free swimming lessons offered at this school; all you have to do is pick up trash

A swimming school in Dubai has introduced an innovative way of teaching newbies how to swim: Help clean the beach for 15 minutes and earn one hour of free session to learn the fundamentals of swimming.

Filipino expatriate Bimbo Calitis, founder and CEO of Amphibious Swim School in Jumeirah, told Khaleej Times the objective is two-pronged: The learner will acquire the valuable lifetime skill of being comfortable in and around water, and also become a steward of the environment.

The timing of the free swimming lesson is also perfect as more residents and tourists go to the beach or pool these days to beat the summer heat.

Sessions take place every Saturday and Sunday, from 7.30am onwards, at Jumeirah 1 public beach near La Mer South.

There is no age requirement and learners can join as they please. Calitis will provide the floats, kickboards, safety rings and pull buoys. Learners just need to bring their own goggles, comfortable swimsuit, water, sunblock – and most importantly – lots of smile, determination to learn, and passion to clean the beach.

Calitis, however, said the free open water swimming lessons are limited to Filipinos for now. He explained he wanted to focus first on his kababayan (countrymen) as a way of giving back to the community.

Lifeguard profession

Calitis also has another objective in giving free swimming lessons as he is looking for Filipinos who are keen on becoming a lifeguard by profession.

“Many Filipinos come here to Dubai to look for jobs,” noted Calitis, adding: “When I first came here 14 years ago, my first job was as a lifeguard at a water park. There are more water parks, public beaches, and pools now in Dubai; and there are opportunities for employment.”

“The salary is quite decent between Dh2,500 (for new hires) and Dh5,000 (for those with experience). I hope some of my kababayan will grab this opportunity and find suitable work,” added Calitis, who also previously worked as a swimming and surfing instructor before he put up his own company in 2019.

Calitis is also proud to have helped five of his siblings, a nephew and a niece come to Dubai to work as lifeguards and swimming instructors. “They all honed their swimming skills here and they are now all gainfully employed,” he noted.

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