“One child drowns every 45 seconds in Asia, during daylight hours, with many swimming unsupervised. Drowning, like other injury deaths, is hidden because of the very speed at which it kills — there is no time for hospitalization.” (Swim Safe: Preventing Childhood Drowning).

Drowning is the biggest killerof children in Vietnam … and the leading killer of children over the age of one in Vietnam. (Department of Foreign Affairs, Australia).

In this Service learning activity, students investigate the high incidence of drowning in Vietnam; learn about the work of the Hanoi-based KOTO and Blue Dragon organisations and their work with young disadvantaged youth in Hanoi; plan and lead water safety and swimming classes for disadvantaged youth from these organisations.

In 2015-16, with a grant from the Birthday Gift Fund and with support from the Ministry of Education, the programme will continued to provide swimming classes for children in Grades 4 and 5 from local schools in Hanoi.