Survival Swimming Programme
Survival Swim Classes
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters CCT is teaching vital water safety, rescue and survival swimming skills to the children's regular curriculum. This has been a huge first step in our journey to bring this service to the wider Battambang Community in the form of a public Survival Swim School open to all Cambodians in Battambang.
We would like to extend a huge thanks to the wonderful team of volunteers who came in late February 2011 to kick-start the programme and train the CCT trainers. The team from Southern Cross Sports in Singapore fund-raised to provide CCT with our Inaugural week-long intensive Swim Camp. Ian and Treena Skegg, Sarah Jane Clark, Monica Fisher and Suzanna Adahar brought with them their invaluable skills as experienced swim coaches, along with Ted Tullberg who not only trains Austswim coaches but helped write the manual!
The team donated a great supply of swimming costumes; along with brand new kickboards, goggles, floatation devices, dive sticks, pool toys and more – generously donated for this programmne by Andy Yap of TYR.
CCT's Staff received Austswim Swim Training classes and manuals, DVD resources in water safety, rescue and resuscitation - and in-pool training in teaching and supervising swimming. Check out the video below of our pool sessions with this energetic team of volunteers.
CCT would like to thank all our supporters who have responded to our call for help with the 'Jendar Heng' Survival Swimming Programme. The influx of assistance has been staggering; offers of skilled volunteering, donations of funds towards the programme and deliveries of vital equipment have rolled in and we have been greatly moved by this.
For more information on our goals to set up a public Survival Swimming and First Aid Training School click here.
Survival Swimming Programme
Drowning is a leading cause of death for children worldwide – in western countries as well as in the developing world. In Cambodia, the rates of child drowning accidents are extreme. Unlike in developed countries, where survival swimming, lifesaving and water safety are considered an essential part of community education and are widely publicised, most Cambodians have never had the opportunity to learn basic survival swimming skills.
In memory of Jendar Heng, CCT has begun an ongoing survival swimming programme, which in time will be available to all children in the Battambang province.
The aim of the programme is to give children in Battambang the opportunity to learn basic survival skills and water safety knowledge to help keep them safe when in or near the water that surrounds them in daily life; from ponds, lakes and pools to rivers and streams.
The programme consists of two levels. The first level is aimed at younger children, which includes lessons and instruction in basic survival swimming and water safety knowledge. The second level includes all the skills from the first level with the addition of rescue skills, aimed at rescuing others and basic life support including cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This level is aimed at both children and adults who are confident in the water and have the mental and physical capacity required to perform rescue skills.
To run this lifesaving Survival Swimming Programme we are in great need of funding to help us keep the programme operating. We also are in need of CPR and First-Aid training and equipment. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact us at info@cambodianchildrenstrust.org
Survival Swim Programme in action!