Image de l'article Stay Safe
Serbia

Stay Safe

Depuis 2020

The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation supports young swimmer Aleksandra Popov as part of a partnership with the Halivik Sports Association for the Stay Safe project in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Aleksandra’s story is rare and inspiring and is testimony to the pedagogical and therapeutic power of water: since the age of 7, she has managed to overcome most of the symptoms of autism through water sports and learning to swim, using the “Halliwick” method advocated by her instructor Mr. Igor Bežanović.

Aleksandra has then developed enough ease in the water and communication skills to consider spreading her knowledge and experience.

The Foundation’s support is meant to train Aleksandra to become a water safety educator.

The “Halliwick” method is a method of “learning” with water, invented in London in 1949 by James McMillan (hydrodynamic engineer) by offering his services to the Halliwick School for young girls with cerebral palsy. James McMillan has expanded his knowledge to neurophysiology, to then understand body movements in water, allowing the learner to become familiar with water and control its balance through his method – thus gaining freedom of movement and autonomy in water.

The Halivik Sports Association, represented by Mr. Bežanović and whose philosophy inherits this method, supervises aquatic and sports activities for young people. It focuses on the training of non-swimmers aged 3 to 7, and bears the vision to educate any individual, including people with disabilities that can be overcome with determination and the appropriate teaching style.

This support of Aleksandra Popov, an exceptionally talented young swimmer, was initiated thanks to the long-standing partnership between the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation and the Novak Djokovic Foundation.

Project goals:

To allow Aleksandra to become a water safety educator for different people with mobility issues.

To allow Aleksandra to pursue her education in swimming and water safety.

To enable Aleksandra to become the first young Serbian to promote and encourage the trend of learning water safety for all.