Fifteen years ago, an incident changed Sonam Sabharwal’s attitude towards swimming.
“I was paragliding in Singapore. I did not know how to swim then. Due to some problem, I was asked to release the rope. That would mean I could have landed anywhere, including in the water. And I was terrified. Then I realised how important it was to learn swimming,” she says.
Highlights:
- Nitin and Sonam Sabharwal are Melbourne-based small business owners.
- They say the community comes first for them.
- Sonam is a swimming teacher and gives free lessons to disabled children.
Listen to their story in their own words:
LISTEN TO
'Community comes first': How this Australian-Indian couple is giving back
SBS Hindi
14/01/202113:12
After that incident, she immediately enrolled herself for swimming lessons. And when she arrived in Australia with her husband in 2005, she had a skill that later helped her start her own business.
“I was a swimmer, and I realised how important swimming was to Australian society. So I did a week’s training to be a swimming teacher and started my own swimming centre in Melbourne,” Ms Sabharwal told SBS Hindi.
However, her strong humanitarian instincts pushed her to go the extra mile and do something for the community. So she started giving free lessons to disabled children.
“I love children, and I can spend hours with them. However, I realised that disabled children do not get as much attention as they deserve as far as swimming is concerned."
I started giving free lessons to disable children which would help them learn this lifesaving skill.
Sonam has provided hundreds of free lessons to children with special needs.
She shares this community service spirit with her husband Nitin Sabharwal, who started his volunteer work when he was an international student in Tasmania.
He continued his work after moving to Melbourne.
“I came to Australia as a student. I understand their issues and difficulties. So I keep trying to help them in any possible way.
“For instance, when I came to Melbourne, I volunteered for the council to welcome international students at the airport. We prepared a welcome pack for them so that they know what to do on the first day and in the first week in Melbourne.”
The couple is now planning to expand their work in regional Australia. Being importers of sports equipment and inflatable balls manufacturer, they provide free balls and other sports equipment for kids in regional Australia.
Sonam Sabharwal at her Swimming Centre Source: Supplied by Nitin Sabharwal
“Through Winsher Sports, we are encouraging kids to play outdoors, have an active and healthy lifestyle. We are collaborating with the charities working in rural and other regional areas to provide free of cost equipment to the children there,” explains Mr Sabharwal.
