Children Take the Lead: EMEDO Marks World Drowning Prevention Day 2025 Through Storytelling and Action

July 25, 2025

On July 25th, 2025, the shores of Kawe echoed with stories of courage, awareness, and youthful wisdom as EMEDO joined the global community to commemorate World Drowning Prevention Day (WDPD) in a special event that celebrated the voices of children.

In collaboration with the National Drowning Prevention Network (NDPN), local partners, and with support from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Irish Aid through the Lake Victoria Drowning Prevention Project, EMEDO hosted a powerful, child-led commemoration at Ukwamani Primary School in Kawe, Dar es Salaam, all under the resonating theme: “Your Story Can Save a Life.”

Throughout the day, students took center stage, creatively interpreting the theme through drama, poetry, games, and conversation. The event showcased not just learning, but leadership, and reminded every attendee that children aren’t just beneficiaries of safety interventions, they are agents of change too.

From a touching poem and a short, eye-opening play, to a danger-spotting game and a spirited Q&A session built around 10 key water safety messages, students showed a deepening awareness of risks around water and the power of safe behaviour. Each moment became a platform for the young to express not only what they’ve learned, but how they feel, and what they hope the world hears.

Through drama, they revealed the very real risks of skipping school to swim in dangerous areas, a silent but common risk for many children in water-adjacent communities.
Through poetry, they called on parents, teachers, and government officials to step up and protect children from preventable harm around water.
And through dialogue, they demonstrated sharp, age-appropriate reflections on safety, challenging adults to listen more, engage more, and act faster.

The event was powered by the energy and structure of the school’s Water Safety Club and honoured by the attendance of Kawe Ward Executive Officer, Husna Nondo, whose presence gave further weight to the importance of embedding water safety at the local government level.

“Every story told,” a young participant declared, “is a life that might be saved tomorrow.”

This was not just a symbolic gesture. It was a deliberate act of advocacy, a campaign in uniform, led by those most at risk, yet also most ready to act.

Why Schools? Why Now?

Each year, drowning claims the lives of up to 300,000 people globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), and sadly, the highest rates occur in low- and middle-income countries like Tanzania.

Among those most affected are children aged 5 to 14 years, a group statistically most vulnerable due to their natural affinity for water, their exposure in daily life (playing, bathing, traveling), and their limited capacity to identify risks or respond when danger strikes.

In Tanzania, this age group primarily falls within primary school years, a pivotal stage to introduce life-saving skills and attitudes. That’s why EMEDO chose to commemorate World Drowning Prevention Day 2025 right where it matters most: in schools.

By focusing this year’s commemoration at Ukwamani Primary School, EMEDO aimed to:

• Raise awareness of water safety directly among children
• Promote safe habits early
• Inspire lifelong behavior change that can reduce drowning risk

Because drowning is preventable, and prevention starts with knowledge — and it starts early.