Help prevent 700 children from drowning in Vietnam

A wonderful start to the New Year of 2018. We thank you, our friends for your support enabling the province of Quang Binh, Vietnam to be in your thoughts when it comes to child safety.

Drowning is the leading cause resulting in death among children and minors in Vietnam. On average approximately 3,000 children died of drowning during the period 2010-2013. Most vulnerable were those in the age bracket of 5 to 14. Fatality among children due to drowning accounts for more than 50% all deaths because of accident injuries. Drowning death in Vietnam is highest in the region and ten times that in developing countries. Drowning is the biggest threat to children’s survival and the leading cause resulting in death among children. The major cause lies in the lack safety skills among parents, childcare givers and especially the children themselves.

Vietnams drowning trend mostly occurs during the summer months and in rural or countryside areas when children (of whom many only with siblings) like to swim at rivers, lakes.

It is with your continued support and care, Golden West- Swim for Life team has been attending conferences at National level to discuss the importance of implementing drowning prevention measures across all sectors. Implementing Decision # 234/QÄ-TTg dated Feb 05, 2016  by the Prime Minister approving Child accident-injury prevention Program for the period 2016 – 2020; Directive # 1572/CT-BGDDT dated May 12, 2016 by Ministry of Education and Training pertaining to strengthening preventive measures against injuries and drowning among children, pupils and students; Plan # 584/KH-UBND dated April 27, 2016 by People’s Committee of Quang Binh province promulgating Child injury prevention Plan for 2016-2020, Department of Education and Training sets in motion the “Program for Safe swimming & Drowning prevention for school children†for 2016-2020 with a vision toward 2025.

Swim for Life General goals in 2018

• Enhance children’s safety in water to reduce the risk of drowning or death of drowning
• Provide an environment for safe swimming practice, learning rescue techniques and basic first aid techniques involving resuscitation for children
• Increase the effectiveness and sustanability of the program.
• Support the general development of education in Quang Binh

Specific objectives of the Swim for Life program

1. Provide guidelines on safe swimming skills and practices for students in Quang Binh province.
2. Provide guidelines and practice on rescue and first aid skills for students
3. Strengthen the team of swim teachers at schools and thorughout the community.
4. Raise people’s awareness and advocate their participation (teachers, parents, students, enterprises and people in the community) about the risk of drowning, the neccessary safe measures/actions.

We cannot continue to thank you enough for your generosity in support offered.

We look forward to the New Year and sharing all the happenings that it has to offer.

Chúc mung nam moi

• Interview with Surival Swim participants (DOCX)
• update on 2018 steps (DOCX)