Hanoi (VNA) – When a project to teach swimming to children was launched in Hung Thanh commune, Thap Muoi district in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, Tran Thi Kim Thia (also known as Sau Thia) wholeheartedly took on the responsibility without accepting any payment.
For Thia, who was honoured in 2017 by the BBC for coaching over 2,000 kids in swimming for 15 years, teaching the skills is not just a job, but a noble mission.
The 67-year-old woman said that her goal is to help children protect themselves from the dangers of drowning.
For the last more than 20 years, Thia has become a trusted companion to more than 5,000 kids in Hung Thanh commune and other localities in the province on their journey to master swimming.
In the beginning, the conditions for teaching swimming were extremely difficult. The training area was just a small canal with shallow water. However, with creativity and dedication, Thia personally created a safe space inside bamboo stakes and set up netting to teach children’s swimming lessons.
In 2016, a philanthropist invested in a swimming pool at the Hung Thanh centre of culture and community-based learning, and Thia continued to be in charge of the free classes there.
With perseverance, she equips the children with basic swimming skills, helping them feel more confident every time they are in the water, thus preventing tragic drowning accidents from occurring.
Chairman of the Hung Thanh communal People’s Committee Doan Van Tuan said Thia is an exemplary figure who has made significant contributions to reducing child drowning incidents in the locality.
Thia said she hopes to find like-minded individuals to join her in protecting the children.
With her dedication, Thia has been honoured with numerous prestigious prizes. In 2020, she was awarded the third-class Labour Order by the State President. Earlier, in 2017, she was named in the BBC 100 Women list, which focuses on inspirational and innovative women in various fields./.
