Every year, dozens of children drown in Gambia — a country surrounded by water, where very few know how to swim. With no public swimming pools and expensive private alternatives, swimming skills remain a luxury few can access.

Long Life Shorts (LLS) was founded on a simple but powerful idea: Glow-in-the-dark swim shorts can save lives. By increasing children's visibility in the water and supporting drowning prevention efforts, we work to reduce the number of tragic accidents.

How it all started
Co-founder Ove Kenneth Nilsen got the idea after experiencing a personal tragedy. On his first trip to Gambia, he witnessed a young boy drown right in front of a crowded beach — invisible in the dark water. This experience led to the development of our neon-colored swim shorts, designed to make children easier to spot in the water.

Our work today
Since our launch, we’ve worked closely with Swim for Life Gambia, a local organization that teaches children aged 6–17 how to swim. Through donations and the sale of our swim shorts, we help fund both the production of the shorts and life-saving swim lessons.

Why this matters
According to the WHO, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death worldwide — and children are particularly at risk. While drowning rates have decreased in many countries, the situation remains critical in developing nations like Gambia.

Together, we can save lives
Lives have already been saved through our programs, but the need is still great. With your support, we can provide more children with high-visibility swim shorts and vital swimming education.

Get in touch with us for more information.