TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — At the Lighthouse/City YMCA in midtown, an extraordinary swim class is making waves, far beyond the pool.
Afghan refugee girls, many of whom were forbidden from learning or participating in sports under Taliban rule, are now diving into the freedom to learn.
This is part of an 8-week program for refugees interested in swimming. It began in June and continues through August, sparked during an April meeting of the Amphi Women and Girls Union (AWGU).
The newly formed group was created to advocate for the diverse needs of the Amphi neighborhood, where residents speak 30 different languages and represent a cross-section of the immigrant community, including refugee women and girls.
In June, the group gathered to discuss their priorities. What emerged was an unexpected but deeply symbolic request: they wanted to learn to swim.
Among the students is Marwa Malikcata, whose enthusiasm for the water is matched only by the weight of what it represents.
“I just love water so much,” she said with a smile. “That’s why I said, ‘OK, I’m going to take swimming.’”
But for Marwa, the joy is bittersweet. “I’m so happy, but sometimes I’m sad because the girls in Afghanistan cannot do these things," she said. "They can’t go to school or play sports. They just stay at home. That's the problem.”
AWGU organizer Erica Prather remembers being surprised when swimming came up during the April meeting.
“It just hadn’t occurred to me,” she said. “But they’ve never had the opportunity. Some of the moms attending had never been in a body of water before, and they’re 40 years old.”
To turn the dream into a reality, the AWGU partnered with Building Bridges and the YWCA, later securing a grant from Pima County.
The Tucson Refugee Ministry connected the group with the YMCA, which offers international swim instruction tailored to non-native English speakers.
To accommodate religious customs, The Lighthouse/City YMCA was also able to install blue borders to give privacy to the students.
Local nonprofit Friends of Ward 3 also donated swimwear and gear, along with the Green Valley Masters Swim Team.
Nigel Brooks, president of Friends of Ward 3, believes the lessons serve a larger purpose. “It helps them adjust to living in this country,” he said. “Swimming is a major sport in the U.S., and this is a way they can learn and participate.”
The classes offer more than physical education. They provide confidence and a profound sense of agency.
“If you love to do something, just do it,” Marwa said with quiet confidence. Next up, she says she wants to try horseback riding.
Valerie Culver-Gabrysia, Aquatics Director for the YMCA of Southern Arizona, says this confidence carries over into other areas of life.
“We see this confidence everywhere,” she said. “We see it in their class when they go to school, we see it when they try to do something in their neighborhoods. They have that confidence that they have acquired from swim lessons at the Y.”
Up next for the AWGU: a self-defense course, also requested by the girls. Prather says she hopes to continue the swim program next summer and expand offerings as long as the interest and support remain strong.
Donations to AWGU can be made through its fiscal sponsor, Culture of Peace Alliance.
——
Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
