World Vision and a development programme in Hải Lăng district, thecentral province of Quang Tri are providing free swimming courses forprimary students, in a bid to prevent child drowning in the locality,especially during flooding season.

As many as 630children aged 10-12 in Hai Lang district have been taught swimmingskills since the beginning of the programme in 2012.

This is part of a project on children’s health care worth over 84,000 USD per year.

In 2014 alone, the programme prioritised teaching children in the sevenlowland communes of Hai Quy, Hai Xuan, Hai Thien Hai Thanh, Hai Duong,Hai Hoa and Hai Truong.

Nguyen Hung Manh from Hai Langdistrict’s Sports Centre said there are many drowning cases every yearin Hai Lang district d ue to its low terrain.

During half amonth, he has provided the children with necessary swimming skills andinstructed them of what to do when drowning.

There are twocoaches and around 30 children in each class. The children will betaught how to breathe, move arms when swimming and first aid techniques.

Beneficiary communes have also been provided withlife-jackets, diesel engines for boats, loudspeakers, medical tools andfoods in case of emergency during flood seasons.

Thanks tothe programme, many children in Hai Lang district have learnt how toswim. Local people have also gained awareness on the importance ofpreventing drowning and the necessary skills to promptly save theirchildren when in need.-VNA