“When the sea breaks on the beach, it's beautiful, it's beautiful...” So, like Dorival Caymmi, many believe in the transforming, purifying and liberating power of the sea. Allied to the sun, bathing in the sea is one of the few free leisure activities offered by the city of Salvador. However, many difficulties arise when the audience for this summer program is people with disabilities. Assisting and encouraging the inclusion of this audience is the main objective of the ParaPraia project, a project carried out by the Municipality of Salvador, through the Sustainable City Secretariat, which was launched on Saturday, January 25, at Ondina beach.  

The initiative has the support of Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, which participates with the performance of teachers and students of the Physiotherapy course, giving all the support of assisted sea bathing. The first day was a success, exceeding project expectations. Politicians, representatives of supporters and the local press were present at the launching ceremony. In addition to the Physiotherapy students, professors Cláudia Furtado and Cíntia Silva and the course coordinator, Prof. Luciana Bilitário were also present.

For the ex-patient of the Physiotherapy Clinic of the Teaching-Care Outpatient Clinic of Bahiana, Paulo Ivo França de Matos e Matos, 33, was a very enriching activity. "I was a patient of Bahiana as soon as I had the car accident. I loved it. Then people called me and told me about this project and I came, because I participate in everything for my improvement”.

To Felipe Simões, 3rd semester student of Physiotherapy at Bahiana and physically handicapped, the initiative is extremely positive. “When I go to the beach it's quite complicated, because I need to be carried and I also need a special chair that I don't have”. This was the first time he had participated in an assisted bathing in the sea.

Evilásio Francisco dos Santos, 44, a patient at the Bahia Rehabilitation Institute (IBR), says he always goes to Ondina beach, but reports the difficulty of the physically handicapped in having access to bathing in the sea. “And I would like it to expand to all of Salvador. I have been watching actions like this on TV in other cities and I was waiting for the day I would arrive here”.

To the coordinator of the Physiotherapy course at Bahiana, Luciana Bilitário, this initiative is essential for safe sea bathing. She explains that, despite the willingness of family members and caregivers, sea bathing for disabled people increases the risk of accidents and new injuries and, therefore, needs to be controlled. "Depending, for example, on muscle tone, the person can float very quickly or sink," she told the Terra portal. (See full article)
 

Check out everything that happened in the press about the project:

Portal G1: Projeto incentiva pessoas com deficiência a irem à praia

Portal 247: Cadeirantes aprovam projeto 'ParaPraia'

Portal TERRA: Cadeirante toma 1º banho de mar em 20 anos com projeto de inclusão

Correio: Projeto que promove acessibilidade na praia de Ondina é lançado

Site da Ouvidoria do Governo do Estado: Projeto permite acesso de pessoas com deficiência à Praia de Ondina 

Bahia Notícias: Verão para todos: ParaPraia chega a Salvador

Tribuna da Bahia: Cadeiras anfíbias permitem aos deficientes físicos entrar no mar

A Tarde Online: Projeto 'Para-Praia' traz diversão para deficientes físicos

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SCHEDULE OF THE PARAPARAIA PROJECT: 

Open Hours: 9h of the 14h

Dates: (Saturdays and Sundays) 25 and 26/01; 01 and 02/02; 08 and 09/02; 15/16 and 02

Location: Ondina Beach - In front of the Bahia Institute of Rehabilitation-IBR 

PLEASE LIKE THE FANPAGE OF THE PROGRAM: https://www.facebook.com/ParaPraia