Next month, 13-year-old Kai Naudi will be swimming from Gozo to Malta – a feat that will seek to raise important funds for Inspire and bBrave. The crossing between the two islands is being planned for the second weekend of October, weather permitting.
Kai started swimming when he was only five years old when his parents, wanting to buy a boat, needed him and his sister to know how to swim.
Speaking about this challenge, Kai Naudi said “I started to think about this idea after I realised that I prefer swimming long distances rather than short ones. When I felt that I could use swimming as an opportunity to help people, I discussed it with my family, they loved the idea and proposed that I do it for a cause. So, I chose to raise funds for the anti-bullying NGO bBrave as well as Inspire, two organisations who do a lot of important work, especially with children.”
Kai said that having experienced bullying led him to choose to support bBrave.
“Bullying made me feel excluded, tired and hurt. The more I tried to fight it, the harder it felt because it made me feel even more rejected. Today I am in a much better place, and I hope that with this challenge, I will manage to inspire other people to believe in themselves and to know that if they put their mind to achieving something, they can achieve it.”
“I want other people, especially children who have or are still experiencing any form of bullying, to know that there is a rainbow after the storm, that things do get better and that they can overcome this. Just like I did. Today, I just know that I am a better person than what I was told I was,” added Kai.
Kai has been training for this challenge for over a year, assisted by his coach Jeffrey Galea. He usually trains 5-6 times a week doing short and long swims, at sea and at the national pool.
For donation amounts, such as donations from businesses or pledges; one can donate by calling on +356 99835106 or by sending an email to [email protected]
An SMS may be sent to 50618926 for donations of €6.99 or on 50619215 for donations of €11.65.