Summer is coming, and people are worried about drowning.

Every summer, the risk of drowning accidents among children increases due to a lack of swimming skills and knowledge of water safety. An Giang province has a complex network of rivers, canals, and streams, as well as a large coastal area, which poses many potential risks of drowning accidents for children.

Many children have parents who work far away and live with elderly grandparents, lacking regular attention and supervision. Meanwhile, children at this age are very active, especially during summer vacation when they have plenty of time to play and often go swimming in rivers, ponds, lakes, and the sea. Without adult supervision, and without knowing how to swim and lacking water safety skills, they are easily put in danger.

Children are taught basic swimming skills. Photo: MINI

To contribute to preventing drowning among children, the Provincial Youth Activities and Youth Entrepreneurship Center, in coordination with the Rach Gia Ward Youth Union, organized a free swimming class and a drowning prevention program for disadvantaged children in the area. The class was held over eight weekend sessions, with more than 40 children participating. They were taught basic swimming skills, equipped with knowledge to recognize drowning risks, rescue techniques, how to handle emergencies in the water, and how to protect themselves when swimming in rivers, ponds, and lakes. The teaching content was designed to be age-appropriate, combining theory and practice to help children easily understand, remember, and apply the knowledge in real-life situations.

Bringing her grandchild to the free swimming class, Ms. Phu Thi Nghia Loan, a resident of Rach Gia ward, shared: “My grandchild is in 3rd grade, and her parents work far away, so she lives with her maternal grandmother. I am elderly and have difficulty getting around, so I cannot closely supervise her regularly. Previously, I wanted her to learn to swim to prevent drowning, but I didn't have the means. Now that there's a free class, I'm very happy.” Tran Thi Ngoc Chau, a 3rd-grade student at Le Van Tam Primary School, said: “I really like learning to swim, but I live with my paternal grandmother, and our family is struggling financially. She has to sell lottery tickets, so I haven't had the opportunity to learn. Participating in the free swimming class, the instructor taught me swimming skills, how to float, how to breathe, and safety techniques when in the water. After 8 lessons, I can swim 25 meters.”

According to Mr. Pham Minh Trung, a swimming coach at the Provincial Youth Activities and Entrepreneurship Center, many children do not know how to swim but are frequently exposed to rivers and waterways, posing many potential risks of accidents. Therefore, in addition to teaching swimming techniques, coaches focus on guiding children in handling situations and remaining calm when encountering incidents in the water. “After 8 lessons, over 70% of the children can swim 25 meters. The remaining children have basically become familiar with the water and know some necessary safety skills. The class also helps them improve their self-protection awareness in river and waterway environments,” Mr. Trung said.

The class also has a humanitarian significance, providing children from disadvantaged backgrounds with access to a safe and healthy learning environment. Many parents believe this is a practical activity because not all families can afford to send their children to paid swimming classes. Ms. Mai Thi Ngoc Em, a resident of Rach Gia ward, expressed: “I hope the unit will continue to cooperate with localities to maintain and expand free swimming classes, strengthen the dissemination of drowning prevention skills for children, and contribute to reducing tragic accidents, especially during the summer.”

MINI

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/sap-he-lo-duoi-nuoc-a486373.html