World Drowning Prevention Day, declared through the April 2021 UN General Assembly resolution A/75/L.76 “Global Drowning Prevention”, is held annually on 25 July. This global advocacy event serves as an opportunity to highlight the tragic and profound impact of drowning on families and communities and offer life-saving solutions to prevent it.
An estimated 235,600 people drown every year, and drowning is among the ten leading causes of death for children aged 5-14 years. More than 90% of drowning deaths occur in rivers, lakes, wells, domestic water storage vessels and swimming pools in low-and middle-income countries, with children and adolescents in rural areas disproportionately affected.
All stakeholders have highlighted the need for urgent, coordinated and multi-sectoral action on proven measures such as:
In Cambodia a country cross crossed by Rivers, Canals and Rice Paddies drowning is the leading cause of death in children following infancy (1-17 years). On average 6 children die from drowning every day in Cambodia. In a living environment where water is everywhere drowning is a real and ever present danger for the children of Cambodia!
In Cambodia, Helpcode has been implementing a Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Program since 2018 in collaboration with the Sihanoukville Provincial Department of Education, Youth and Sports, enabling School Principals to coordinate time for students in each grade to attend Water Safety and First Aid Training Programs to support the crucial need to prevent children from drowning. As of 2021, Helpcode has facilitated training courses for 1,399 students and 224 families in the communities of Sihanoukville and Kampot. Helpcode is actively continuing their mission to build on the current Drowning Prevention Program in country to be able to keep more Cambodian children and their families safe from drowning.
If you as Helpcode do, feel passionately about supporting being able to keep the children of Cambodia safe from the ever present danger of drowning