Join Hue Help in looking back at a year dedicated to the safety and development of children. The year 2025 marked many milestones and persistent efforts by Hue Help in protecting children from the risk of drowning and supporting vulnerable communities. Through two core programs – Hue Children’s Shelter and Swimming for Safety – we implemented a wide range of educational activities, training sessions, policy advocacy efforts, and community support initiatives in Hue and other localities. Let us revisit this meaningful journey through the timeline below.
January – A Warm Start to the Year
Hue Help began the new year with a warm year-end gathering with children at Hue Children’s Shelter. The children visited Aeon Mall, enjoyed a buffet party, and participated in many fun activities. The cheerful atmosphere, laughter, and small gifts brought the children an early Tet filled with joy and sharing.
February – Water Safety Education for Primary School Students
On February 28, 138 students in grades 4–5 from Quang Phuoc Primary School No.1 (Quang Dien, Hue) participated in a water safety education session organized by Hue Help with funding from UNIS Hanoi. The program helped students recognize drowning risks, understand basic safety rules, and practice self-protection skills. This low-cost education model has proven highly effective, especially in areas with many rivers, lakes, and ponds.
March – Training for Swimming Teachers in Hue
Hue Help collaborated with the Hue Department of Education and Training to organize a water safety training course for nearly 60 teachers and staff members. The training included household and community safety skills, emergency response, first aid, and indirect rescue techniques. The program not only enhanced teachers’ professional capacity but also helped spread drowning-prevention knowledge to students and parents.
April – From Vietnam to the International Stage
In Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Hue Help provided injury prevention and drowning rescue training for more than 800 students at eight schools. Students learned through games, practical scenarios, and hands-on guidance, helping them remember knowledge in an engaging way.
During the same month, Hue Help had the honor of representing Vietnam at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Drowning Prevention Initiative Partner Meeting in New York, USA. The organization shared Vietnam’s swimming and water-safety education model and learned from international experiences to further improve and expand its programs.
Hue Help proudly introduced its Water Safety and Basic Swimming Program, sharing achievements, lessons learned, and future directions in efforts to reduce child drowning in Vietnam, with support from GHAI.
May – Action for a Safer Summer
Nearly 1,000 students in Phu Loc (Hue) participated in water safety education sessions organized by Hue Help with sponsorship from Laguna Lang Co. The sessions focused on proper life-jacket use, land-based rescue techniques, and recognizing risks when playing near water. The program was led by Mr. Tran Huu Phuoc Tuong, a lecturer with over 10 years of experience in drowning prevention, providing practical knowledge and skills for children before the summer season.
On May 24, Hue Help joined the Hue City People’s Committee in launching the Safe Swimming – Child Drowning Prevention Program 2025. The event demonstrated a strong commitment from local authorities and social organizations to reduce drowning incidents before summer. At the ceremony, 2,000 life jackets were distributed to beach management teams, students, and local residents. Hue Help also conducted demonstrations on proper life-jacket use and basic rescue skills for participating students.
June – The Month for Children
On International Children’s Day (June 1), Hue Help organized fun activities and gift-giving for children at Hue Children’s Shelter. The joyful atmosphere of June opened a summer filled with hope and responsibility.
A series of Summer 2025 Safe Swimming Classes were launched in Hue, Phong Dien, Quang Dien, and Huong Tra, funded by Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) – Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). Additionally, a swimming class for 30 disadvantaged children from Phong Dien District was held at Dien Loc Swimming Pool, sponsored by Unique Forestry and Agriculture Co., Ltd. Vietnam. Meanwhile, 34 teachers completed professional training and were ready to conduct standardized swimming classes that ensure both swimming techniques and water survival skills.
July – Numbers That Speak
By July, more than 600 out of 810 students in the project had begun their 16-session swimming courses. These classes focused not only on swimming techniques but also on water safety, survival skills, and land-based rescue methods. Over 300 students in Phu Loc, Phong Dien, and Quang Dien successfully completed the course with impressive results. Most students could swim at least 25 meters and float on their back for 90 seconds, a crucial survival skill in water emergencies.
For the open-water swimming class, 120 students from Binh An Primary School and Loc Vinh Secondary School (Phu Loc, Hue) successfully completed 18 lessons under the sponsorship of the Laguna Lang Co Sustainable Development Fund and the supervision of Hue Help.
In celebration of World Drowning Prevention Day (July 25), Hue Help organized a water safety skills training session for children in collaboration with Hue Book and Cultural Space, spreading the message: “Float – Stay Calm – Rescue Safely.”
By the end of July, nearly 750 students had completed the 2025 Safe Swimming and Drowning Prevention classes across Hue City, Quang Dien, Phong Dien, and Huong Tra. Nearly 90% achieved the final two key criteria: swimming 25 meters and floating 90 seconds.
August – A Vibrant Summer and Capacity Building
Hue Help organized a summer excursion to Da Nang for children from Hue Children’s Shelter. The children enjoyed beach activities and fun games. They also visited Mikazuki Water Park, where they experienced water slides, wave pools, cultural activities, and delicious cuisine. Outdoor summer activities help children improve physical health, build confidence, and develop social skills – an essential part of childhood. Hue Help sincerely thanks Mr. Kees Smit for sponsoring the trip and Mikazuki Water Park for providing discounted tickets.
Hue Help also served as the main trainer in the Safe Swimming and Child Drowning Prevention Instructor Training Program, organized by the Hue Department of Health and Department of Culture & Sports, with funding from CTFK.
September – A Summer of Outstanding Results
‘Swimming For Safety’ program in summer 2025 concluded with 810 children in Hue and nearby areas learning safe swimming, with 95% successfully meeting water survival criteria. These are not just numbers but hundreds of children equipped with life-saving skills.
Hue Help also conducted direct water safety education sessions for 180 students at Thuy Bang Primary School and 150 students at Thuy Van Primary School.
The month concluded with a nature exploration trip to Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs (Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion – Hue) in Phong Dien. The children enjoyed hot spring pools, swimming, stilt-house dining experiences, visiting the Deer Garden, exploring green spaces, and trying the exciting zipline activity. We send our special thanks Mr. Kees Smit for sponsoring the trip and Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion – Hue for free entrance tickets and support.
October – Connection and Sharing
Hue Help organized a warm Mid-Autumn Festival celebration for children at Hue Children’s Shelter. Under the golden moonlight and colorful star lanterns, the children sang, danced, enjoyed mooncakes, joined lantern parades, and received Mid-Autumn gifts. Hue Help also presented a special gift to Ngoc, a young girl who was admitted to the University of Sciences – Hue University, majoring in Environmental Science – a proud achievement that inspires many other children at the center.
During the month, Hue Help also connected UNIS Hanoi with primary schools in Hue – including Huong Ho No.1, Quang Thanh No.2, Quang Phuoc No.1, and Huong Xuan No.1 – through a cultural and sports exchange program, helping students broaden perspectives and build friendships across regions.
November – Expanding the Child Protection Network
On November 11–12 in Hanoi, Hue Help collaborated with the Vietnam Association for Protection of Children’s Rights and CTFK (GHAI) in the training program “Strengthening Capacity for Child Drowning Prevention.” The program brought together 35 participants from provinces including Lao Cai, Quang Ninh, Quang Nam, Ho Chi Minh City, and Thai Nguyen. Hue Help delivered practical training on water safety, life-jacket use, indirect rescue techniques, and first aid.
Hue Help also provided water safety education to 130 students at Thuy Bang Secondary School (Hue).
Later in the month, Hue Help and the Hue City Association for Protection of Children’s Rights conducted water safety training for 50 women in Quang Dien, under the project “Empowering Women and Girls through Swimming: A Lifesaving Initiative in Vietnam”, funded by the Decathlon Foundation. The project aims to train 200 women and will provide safe swimming lessons to 300 children in Thuy Thanh Ward and Quang Dien Commune in 2026. By equipping women and girls with these essential skills, the project contributes to gender equality, empowerment, and drowning prevention.
December – Recovery After Natural Disasters
October and November were extremely difficult months for Hue residents as the city experienced the largest flood in many years, second only to the historic 1999 flood. Heavy rainfall—recorded as the highest in Vietnam’s history – caused widespread and prolonged flooding.
On December 1, 2025, Hue Help collaborated with Vietnam Foundation – Helping Hands from Australia to donate 88 sets of desks and chairs and learning equipment to two heavily affected schools: Phu Luong 1 Primary School and Huong Xuan 2 Primary School.
The Hue Department of Health, together with Hue Help and with funding from CTFK, organized a project review conference for the 2024–2025 Child Drowning Prevention Project, while calling for support for the next phase. Hue Help and CTFK were honored with commemorative awards recognizing their contributions.
Hue Help also participated in the National Inter-sectoral Workshop and Final Review of the Child Drowning Prevention Program (2018–2025) in Hanoi, attended by representatives from the Ministry of Health, other ministries, experts, local authorities, and international partners.
Finally, Hue Help launched livelihood support programs for families severely affected by the historic floods in Dan Dien Commune, Hue. With sponsorship from the British Chamber of Commerce Vietnam (BritCham), Hue Help and the Dan Dien Farmers’ Union supported 40 households, each receiving 3,000,000 VND in assistance including livestock, feed, and funding for repairing animal shelters—totaling 120,000,000 VND.
Hue Help also supported 40 households in Quang Dien Commune, providing 50 chicks, feed, poultry medicine, and feeding equipment per household.
Looking Ahead
The year 2025 ended with many proud achievements, but the journey to protect children continues. Hue Help believes that when every child is equipped with safety skills and every family receives timely support, we are building a safer, more sustainable, and hopeful community for the future.
