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Meet Marcia. Marcia is from a village near Ilo Ilo City on the island of Panay in the Philippines. Even though she has been surrounded by the Pacific Ocean her entire life, she avoided the water because she did not know how to swim. In 2020, she learned water safety–how to tread water, do the back float, and do the back stroke through free lessons with Swim Ripple. At first, Marcia was scared of letting go of the side of the pool. She swallowed a lot of water because she was scared as she tried to float on her back. Along with her coach, Evan, and the children she watches, Tyler and Shannon, she eventually straightened her waist and before she knew it, she was floating.
Since then, Marcia has learned the breast stroke and freestyle and swims every other week for exercise on weekends. When she was on her home leave, she taught her sister and niece to tread water and back float. In Singapore, she has taught three of her friends basic swimming.
Marcia says that learning to swim has changed her life. Whereas before, when she accompanied the family she works for on vacation, when she walked by a pool, she knew to avoid it and quickly found a chair to sit in. Now, she looks forward to playing in the pool with Tyler and Shannon.