Balanced Boat Alliance

Pathways to mitigate drowning Casualties

We’re here to help

The Balanced Boat Alliance (BBA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing and ultimately eradicating drowning incidents across Uganda and Africa. Growing up along the river Nile in Jinja, Uganda, our founders witnessed the tragic loss of lives to drowning, often caused by limited access to swimming skills and water safety knowledge. Despite Africa’s abundance of water bodies, including over 150 large lakes and 55 major rivers like the Nile, Congo, Zambezi, and Limpopo, nearly 90% of Africans cannot swim and the majority live with aquaphobia, leading to a high risk of fatal drownings. BBA was established by local individuals who are passionate about water activities and driven to make a difference. Our aim is to raise awareness about the drowning epidemic in the region, provide swimming lessons, and promote water safety across communities, particularly those reliant on water bodies for transportation, fishing, or recreation. Through BBA, we are bringing life-saving resources to communities, ensuring more people gain the skills they need to stay safe in and around water.

Founder

Nathan is a seasoned whitewater kayaker, swift water rescue expert, and advocate for drowning prevention with over 18 years of experience navigating some of the world’s most challenging rivers. His passion for water safety stems from his own journey, having grown up as a non-swimmer and only learning to swim at the age of 19, alongside his first experience in a kayak. During this formative period, he witnessed the often-overlooked dangers of water environments, encountering numerous water accidents and tragic drownings that left an indelible mark on him. With extensive experience spanning rivers across Uganda, Zambia, Canada, and the USA, he has built a profound understanding of water safety, informed by both local and international experiences. This expertise has laid the foundation for his dedication to preventing drowning fatalities and bridging the gap in water safety education. As a founder of the Balanced Boat Alliance, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Jinja, Uganda, that offers life-saving swimming lessons, water rescue training, and community education initiatives. He addresses a pressing need for drowning prevention across Africa, where access to swimming and water safety resources remains limited. His mission extends beyond Uganda, with the goal of expanding Balanced Boat Alliance’s programs throughout the continent to combat the epidemic of drowning that impacts countless communities. Driven by his experiences and a deep commitment to saving lives, He is dedicated to building a team of skilled water safety professionals and expanding water education in high-risk areas.

Nathan Tunabaitamu

Founder and Visionary - Balanced Boat Foundation

We advocate on a wide range of drowning prevention and water safety issues through targeted campaigns, educating communities about the risks of drowning and prevention strategies, reaching over 5 million people.

Balanced Boat Alliance Member

Meet The Team

Alistair Coleman

Principal & Member of B.O.D.

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Raelynn Hill

Vice Principal, Sr. Chemistry Teacher

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Evelyn Clark

Head Mistress

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Transforming Communities

We target vulnerable last mile communities since they rank the highest according to statistics. (most fatal drownings occur in remote rural areas however, many of them go undocumented). These are usually hard to reach places due to lack of adequate education and poor infrastructure. We therefore practice locally-led developments by providing the skill sets that are vital for their survival and their personal livelihoods. At Balanced Boat Alliance, we are committed to ensuring that our efforts yield tangible and visible improvements in the lives of the people we serve. We believe that fundamental change comes from tailored support.