Nu‘uanu Branch
Y Stories
Omar & Safety Around Water
Omar Zaldana, Senior Healthy Lifestyles Director at the
Nu’uanu YMCA recalls the moment a 4 year old girl came up to him with her
painting. It had a stick figure and a purple triangle next to it. He asked her,
since he was supposed to be the stick figure, what did the triangle represent?
Her reply, “that’s your tent, that’s where you live!” In that moment, Omar
realized she thought he lived in a tent just like her.
A
recent economic report from the Hawaii County shows a steady incline of
homelessness among families and children under the ages of 18. Omar reflects on
the Y’s Mission, Focus, and Cause stating, “it is our social
responsibility to help strive for equity.”
It
all started last fall with funds provided by the Y of the USA for
the Safety Around Water for Highly Mobile Children program.
Designed and implemented to engage and educate under-served communities,
specifically youth, on the importance of water safety.
Statistics
prove that minorities, especially those of lower social-economical status, have
the highest risk of drowning. “This is an opportunity to take youth out of that
unfortunate situation and show them that there’s more. My hope is that by going
through this process we can draw attention to the need. And set the standard
higher as we continue impacting our community,” says Omar.
The
program meets once a month and has evolved into two separate pickups; the
emergency shelter and transitional housing. While the program has now expanded
and seen greater consistency in attendance, the process has had it’s own
challenges from the start.
“It
was difficult to get it off the ground because unlike other programs, the kids
that you work with one day may literally be gone the
next. Unfortunately with this type of demographic the conditions they
live in make them very vulnerable and skeptical of trust. Part of us building
that trust and accountability was by visiting on days that the program isn’t
running, that way we can build a relationship, not just with the children but
with the parents.” Omar shares that this step was crucial and believes to
have been the root of the program's growth.
Although
the program focuses on water safety, it has since partnered with the Keiki
Outreach Initiative (KOI) from the Atherton YMCA to provide a variety of
activities. After swimming a healthy breakfast is provided; followed by crafts,
science projects, team building, and confidence boosting games. One of the KOI
volunteers points out that “It’s the kids that are really excited. No one
realizes the little details and how big of an impact it makes.”
Youth
participating in the Safety Around Water for Highly Mobile Children join
this legacy of aquatic accomplishments and become one stroke closer to being
more confident, one kick closer to being more independent, and one breath
closer to being a part of their own community.
Why the Y: We’re For Equity and a Cause.