What do the life of an amateur athlete doing competitive swimming and a teacher's life have in common? What are the paradoxes and responsibilities stemming from competitive swimming and teaching? Martha Matsa, a swimming champion and a substitute teacher, climbs to the stage of the 3rd TEDxChalkida to narrate a simple yet shocking story: in 2019, the "Swimming for a good cause" action was launched in order to help children from the migratory wave face their fear of water. Martha Matsa is a Greek competitive swimmer for Olympiacos SFP, specialized in freestyle sprint events. She has been a member of the Greek national team since 2003, taking part in numerous competitions. As an athlete, she has enjoyed success in both national and international level including several national titles. Special highlight of her career has been her participation in three Olympic Games.
Martha also holds a degree in Educational Studies. She has worked as a school teacher in several schools across Greece. The arrival of a great number of immigrants in Greece has given her the opportunity to work for the so-called “on-boarding classes”, helping young children from other countries to learn the Greek language.
Her bifold experience of swimming and teaching allowed Martha to start the “swim for a good purpose” cause in 2019 in order to help immigrant children fight their fear of water. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at [ Ссылка ]
