TASC : The Alliance for Safe Children

Bangladesh: Swim Safe/Swim for Life Project :

CIPRB and TASC have responded to the need for a "vaccine against child drowning" by launching a new water safety program in rural Bangladesh called "Swim for Life, Bangladesh". This program builds on the knowledge obtained in the national surveys about what age groups are most at risk and what community attitudes are about swimming and water safety. It was officially started Sept. 3rd, 2005, at a venue about one hour from Dhaka.

"The original venue for Swim for Life "

Volunteers are trained as community swimming instructors. Local swimming sites are improved as safe instructional venues. The programs targets children who are ready to swim but have not yet learned, ages 4-10. It emphasizes improved supervision for younger children. The program raises water safety awareness within the community.

"New swimmers under the instruction of a community swimming instructor, Raiganj , Bangladesh "

Partners include the Bangladesh Swimming Federation, (BSF), who are providing training and certification for the community swimming instructors, and The Royal Life Saving Society of Australia, who are providing technical consultation on training and water safety techniques. The program uses standards adapted from Royal Life's “Swim to Survive” program. Royal Life has provided 3 onsite consultations to the program already including one focused on training the trainers of the CSIs.

TASC, CIPRB , and UNICEF/ Bangladesh have expanded the program as the water safety component in all of the intervention areas under the PRECISE project. There are 75 active venues with over 8700 children enrolled after the first 6 months.

Bangladesh is leading the way in creating a practical approach to the child drowning problem. TASC hopes to replicate this program in other TASC project countries where the program will be called "Swim Safe".