Tuesday , 03 December, 2024 | 19 অগ্রহায়ণ, 1431 Bangabdo
Published: 01:48 31 August 2024
Bangladesh is a country of rivers. Once upon a time, numerous small and big rivers flowed through the heart of this country. Much of life was once river-centric. As a result, people of this country learned to swim as a very important part of life just like learning to walk. But opportunities to learn to swim have become limited in large cities, even in slums, where rivers or reservoirs have shrunk. Many people forget about the importance of learning to swim. But the importance of swimming can be realized during various calamities. Almost every year there are reports of numerous deaths due to boat capsizing or drowning.
For children, drowning is a silent epidemic. There is no alternative to teaching children to swim to prevent such deaths. Keeping this in mind, Walled Concern organized a 5-day swimming training for children in Chilmai, Kurigram, with the financial support of Kinder Not Help, a German donor organization, and with the support of Upazila Fire Service's Deface, under Bangladesh's Expectation Project.
60 children of 8-12 years of age were trained in Thanahat, Helipad Pond of Thanahat Union of Upazila, Ramna Model and Raniganj Union.
Sanjida, Munni, third grade student of Dakshin Radhaballab Government Primary School, Labiba, third grade student of Raniganj Modan Mohan Primary School, Phimamony, second grade student of KDAB School, Habiba, fourth grade student of DA Chilmari Government Primary School, Mithila said, We are very happy to learn swimming. I did not know before that I came here and wrote about swimming.
Sawrat Hossain, the parent, said, "I have been thinking of teaching my son to swim for a long time. But I was not getting a chance anywhere. My son learned swimming here because of the initiative of this NGO. I could relax a bit.
Bablu Mia, head teacher of Char Udna Government Primary School, said, 'The benefits of this wonderful initiative to teach swimming cannot be explained to our students.
Rukuzzaman Shaheen, the former chairman of Upazila Parishad said, teaching children to swim. To become a complete human being, one must learn to swim. Thanks to Wall Concern Bangladesh NGO for taking this initiative.
Abdul Malek Sarkar, project officer of Wall Concern Bangladesh's Expectation Project, said that it is working on child rights, women's rights, education, health and self-social development of poor people in various marginal areas of the country to deal with disasters. In continuation of this, Kindernothilfe (KNH)- Germany's financial support project (Protecting Women and Children from Abuse through Self Help Approach) has been working since 2019 for the development and rights of women and children of poor families of Thanahat, Ramna and Raniganj Union of Chilmari Upazila. Chilmari is a disaster prone area so 60 5-day swimming training is provided every year from 2020 to protect children. In continuation of this, swimming training was started for 60 children from last August 28. The training was conducted by trained fire service officers. Children are very happy to learn to swim.
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