Follow the Sherpur model to protect our children

There is a lot to be learned from initiatives being taken in the villages near Sherpur which have prevented children from drowning. These districts have set up nominal day care centres, called “anchals,” which have been extremely successful in preventing deaths from drowning in the locality. These 702 anchals, set up by seven unions, provide the care and attention that many of these children need when their parents are at work, giving them a chance to engage in a variety of activities while also allowing them to socialise with other children.

Losing a child is not just an unquantifiable loss for the parents, but also for the nation. The death of one child is a death too many

Bangladesh is a country crisscrossed by innumerable waterbodies and one that is prone to floods, which is why it is imperative that both the government and districts across the nation, and their respective localities, take a leaf out of Sherpur’s book. Unfortunately, drowning is the leading cause of death amongst children in Bangladesh, accounting for two out of every five deaths. We cannot sit by and watch while 18,000 of our children die every year. These anchals provide an excellent way of bringing that number down. And, since these are run by local women, with effective infrastructures put in place by the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh, they are also cost-effective and provide jobs for the locals. This initiative will also be helpful in providing much-needed education to these children, which should include teaching them how to swim, and creating awareness amongst the locals with regards to preventing childhood injury and drowning. Losing a child is not just an unquantifiable loss for the parents, but also for the nation. The death of one child is a death too many. The rest of the country should adopt similar strategies to ensure that we lose no more of our children in this manner.