“Every year, more than 17,000 children die from drowning in Bangladesh. It is the leading cause of death among youth. Bangladesh is one of the world’s poorest, most densely-populated countries, and many families live in rural areas with abundant access to ponds, streams, and rivers.
Dr. Aminur Rahman discovered the alarming numbers in 2005 when he teamed up with a number of international NGOs to uncover the causes of youth deaths. Upon seeing how prevalent drowning was, he started “SwimSafe,” a program that uses volunteers and on-site water bodies to teach children to swim and rescue.
Since 2005, more than 315,000 children have been taught to swim, with a 96 percent effectiveness rate.”
Dangerous waters: Youth drowning rates in Bangladesh from Elliot deBruyn on Vimeo.
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