Beatty Park AWSOM project honoured with national award

There are an estimated 360,000 drowning deaths each year worldwide, with over half of these happening in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia Regions. In Asia one child drowns every 45 seconds!

These statistics are shocking, especially considering that drowning is entirely preventable through education and awareness. However there are people working to turn these statistics around, and ensure children in these regions learn vital swimming and water safety skills.

In Vietnam 32 children die from drowning every day, which equates to more than 11,600 children each year, while a further 11,800 are involved in a non-fatal drowning, with many suffering life-long injury and disability as a result.

Since 2012 a team of swim instructors from Beatty Park Leisure Centre has visited Vietnam each January as part of the AWSOM Project, to teach swimming and water safety skills to disadvantaged, disabled and orphaned children along the Mekong River who would otherwise not have the opportunity.

This week the AWSOM Project was honoured by being inducted into the Australian Swim Schools Association Hall of Fame for Humanitarian work, during the Australian Swim Schools Association Conference in Darwin. Royal Life Saving Society WA congratulates all those involved in the AWSOM Project for the incredible impact they’re having as they aim to reduce the terrible drowning statistics in Vietnam.

Royal Life Saving is provide resources for the AWSOM team each year, including Dippy Duck merchandise and books which are given as prizes and gifts to the children involved. We look forward to seeing more similar programs taken to other countries in the South-East Asia region as we work together to reduce the impact drowning has on families and communities worldwide.

See some of the impact being made by the AWSOM project in the video below.