Vietnam’s child drowning plague, and the community swimming trainers doing all they can to end it
- Drowning is a leading cause of death among Vietnamese children, with more than 2,000 kids under 16 losing their lives this way each year
- Community-led initiatives are making a difference but a lack of swimming facilities and poor water safety literacy hinders progress
Since 2002, Sau Thia, as she is colloquially known, has given free swimming lessons to around 4,500 children as part of a social programme – known as Sau Thia’s swimming class – in rural Hung Thanh commune, southern Dong Thap province.
Sau Thia said when the authorities launched the initiative, the local women’s group nominated her as she was a strong swimmer and a single, childfree woman “not busy with family affairs”.
Still, she looks nothing like a typical coach. Usually dressed in a worn-out shirt, tracksuit bottoms and flip-flops, the 64-year-old is nonetheless devoted.
In her community, she is a familiar champion of water safety, standing at the edge of her swimming pool, and directing students to keep their heads above the water.
I want kids to know how to swim so they won’t drown any more. They are vital parts of our society
Despite her right arm being in a cast after a recent bike accident, she persists, using her left to gesture at the 11 girls and boys aged six to 14 in the pool on this particular Saturday.