From fear to courage: Mim Akter’s success with SwimSafe

On a late afternoon in March 2020, 17-year-old Mim Akter's life had changed into a completely new direction. Her 8-year-old brother, Al Amin, faced the danger of drowning after falling into a pond while trying to climb a tree. Panic gripped Mim as she witnessed her only sibling struggling in the water. Fueled by a mix of instinct and the fear of losing her brother, she did not hesitate to plunge into the water to rescue him.

Recalling the moment, Mim said, "I was really scared and I felt I was going to lose my brother. I managed to rescue him as my father had taught me how to swim. But I kept thinking, what would have happened if I did not know how to swim?"

Mim's father passed away when she was very young, leading her to take on the responsibility of teaching Al Amin to swim. The incident, however, ignited a deeper desire within her - to ensure the safety of all the children in her community. She realized the pressing need for swimming lessons for children, especially in their village where water bodies were abundant. She kept on practicing swimming regularly and became very skilled. After a drowning incident in a neighboring village in 2022, Mim decided to take a proactive approach and got in touch with her Headmaster at school. She shared her dream of teaching children how to swim. The Headmaster, aware about her proficiency in swimming, coupled with numerous competition victories, gave Mim his word to inform her about any opportunity that comes his way to make her dream come true.

The drowning crisis in Bangladesh

Bangladesh faces a severe drowning crisis, with 401 children succumbing to the water every day. Drowning rates are disproportionately high, particularly among rural populations, and 75 per cent of drownings occurred in natural water bodies near homes. The country's vulnerability to flooding only exacerbated the situation.

To address this issue, UNICEF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA), initiated the SwimSafe Programme in 28 drowning-prone districts of Bangladesh from all divisions, including Mim’s hometown, Dhulla Village in Saturia, Manikganj. This initiative also aligned perfectly with her aspirations. When Mim’s sports teacher informed her about the programme, Mim participated in a swimming test and after acing the exams, she underwent five days of swimming training and two days of first aid training, ready to make a difference. Now, developed as a Community Swimming Instructor (CSI) by the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh (CIPRB), Mim earns a stipend by training many children in her locality, contributing to her education while ensuring the safety of the community's children.

Supported by UNICEF and implemented by CIPRB, the SwimSafe Programme in Dhulla Village enables a safe environment for children from age 6 to 12 to learn and get comfortable around water body by constructing a bamboo scaffold submerged in ponds where the children learn swimming without having to go into deep waters before mastering the skill.

A community’s journey to water safety

Through the SwimSafe Programme, Mim taught 200 children in 2022 and more than 200 in 2023. Lessons span three months during favorable weather, ensuring safe conditions for learning. With most sessions occurring after school, accommodating easy attendance for the children, the programme has reached 55,000 children nationally.

“After I started to teach swimming in my community there was no incident of drowning in this village. I feel very happy that my dream of becoming a swimming instructor, teaching the children of my community, and ensuring their safety, has come true. These children can then go on to teach other children from all across Bangladesh,” said Mim.

Parveen Akther, a mother of two, recounted the story when her youngest child fell into the pond, and it was Al Amin, Mim's brother, who had saved her. Inspired by Mim's mission, Parveen was among the first parents who enrolled her children in the SwimSafe swimming lessons.

"In our area there is a lot of water around our houses. So, when children go out to play, some get injured, and some drown in the water. Due to changes in the weather, the rainfall has increased, and my house is always inundated by rainwater," said Parveen.

In many households where both parents go out to work, children are often left on their own which puts them at risk of drowning in nearby water bodies. Many children learn swimming in unsafe open water sources without the supervision of adults or any qualified swimming instructors. As a part of the SwimSafe programme, community swimming instructors are trained as first responders to provide services for drowning case management during any emergency situation. SwimSafe is not just about swimming, it incorporates rescue techniques and awareness sessions, combating harmful social practices that contribute to drowning incidents.

Towards collective community empowerment goals

The programme's influence also extends beyond children and practical swimming skills. Through courtyard meetings, the community gains essential skills and awareness about harmful social norms such as child marriage, dowry, child labour, abuse, and different types of violence and exploitation, fostering a sense of community responsibility. Parents also learn simple steps that they can take to protect their children from drowning. The programme has also motivated them to enroll their children, particularly girls, as instructors, promoting a gender-inclusive environment.

Mim's journey, born from a crisis, grew into a lifeline for her community. With every lesson she taught, the fear of children losing their lives to drowning that once haunted her was replaced with the satisfaction of fulfilling a dream - keeping children safe in and around water.

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1 Bangladesh Health and Injury Survey 2016 (BHIS 2016)

All photo and content credit belongs to UNICEF