Drowning is the leading killer of children over the age of one in Vietnam. On average, around 11,000 children drown in Vietnam each year. In Australia, the figure is around 50.
Few children in Vietnam learn how to swim and community awareness of water safety is low. The drowning hazards in Vietnam are abundant, with some 3,200 kms of coastline, and thousands of rivers, lakes and ponds crisscrossing the country.
Since 2010, Australia has supported the SwimSafe Danang Drowning Prevention Program, a collaboration between The Alliance for Safe Children, the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia and local schools and organisations. Based in the beach city of Danang, the program aims to prevent child drowning deaths in Vietnam through survival swimming training.
The SwimSafe program teaches children aged between 6 and 12 years basic survival swimming, water safety, rescue techniques and how to recognise and avoid drowning risks. It also delivers home safety messages to parents and caregivers.
In 2010 and 2011, the program reached more than 11,000 children in ten locations in Danang. In 2011, 84 per cent of the participants passed the program, which meant they could swim 25 metres without stopping and float for more than a minute, in line with international standards.
These basic skills can help children save their own lives and even the lives of others.
A network of swimming trainers, mainly primary and secondary school teachers and life guards from the local life guard service in Danang has also been created. Using local community members helps build local capacity and community awareness for the program.
Recognising the success of this targeted program, Australia committed an additional $200,000 in February 2012. This contribution will ensure SwimSafe can continue its important work and reach an additional 6,000 students this year.
Australia is also supporting the program by placing Australian Volunteers for International Development in Vietnam. In 2011, two Australian swimming instructors helped SwimSafe train more than 120 Vietnamese school teachers and lifeguards as SwimSafe community instructors.