UNICEF: Saving lives through swimming lessons in Bangladesh

SIRAJGANJ DISTRICT, Bangladesh, 3 September 2009 — A group of Bangladeshi children recently gathered at a local pond to receive a potentially life-saving health intervention: swimming lessons.

With mortality from preventable diseases in retreat, the high risk of death by drowning has come to the fore. In fact, proportionate to population, more children die from drowning in Bangladesh than in any other country. Some 17,000 children drown here each year.

Water is everywhere in this land of massive rivers, deltas, rice paddies and ponds. And the risk of drowning may be increasing with climate change, extreme weather patterns, frequent flooding and rising sea levels.

In response, UNICEF and its partners have been teaching Bangladeshi children to swim in order to save their own lives and the lives of others.

To read the full story, visit http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/bangladesh_51056.html

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• UNICEF
• Bangladesh
• swimming
• children
• protection
• survival
• water

[BinkieMcFartnuggets]

More people should donate fun pool toys and floaties to Bangladesh!

[Causecast]

What a powerful video, it's good to know that the children are being educated to not only swim but also save those who might not know how. Thank you for sharing !