RNLI secures funding from the Isle of Man's International Development Budget

The RNLI’s partner, CIPRB (Centre for Injury Prevention and Research), will train 100 young people as swimming instructors and deliver the lessons to children in 65 rural communities.

Every day in Bangladesh 40 children die from drowning, a leading killer of children in the country. The funding will go to the Barisal area, where drowning rates are three times the national average so the programme will make a huge difference and significantly reduce the risk of children drowning in the local area.

Steve Wills, Head of International Programmes at the RNLI said: “We are thrilled to have secured this funding from the Isle of Man Government. The money will make a significant impact and not only train young people as swimming instructors but deliver life saving lessons to 10,000 girls and boys in rural Bangladesh.

“We know that delivering this training will reduce drowning rates for those that graduate the course by 96%, compared to those who don’t take part. This is the first time the RNLI has received funding from the Isle of Man’s development budget and we are proud to receive their support for our international work.”

Dr Allinson MHK, Member of the Cabinet Office at the Isle of Man Government said: "The people of the Isle of Man are justly proud of the RNLI's beginnings on the island almost two centuries ago. To this day, the RNLI remains an important part of the fabric of our community.

“The RNLI has grown to become a global leader in efforts to prevent drowning. This funding from the people of the Isle of Man has the potential to save the lives of thousands of children in Bangladesh and I commend the RNLI on its continuing efforts to reduce easily avoidable drowning through simple and effective education."

Bangladesh has 700 rivers and around 5,000 miles of inland waterways, with the vast majority of land less than 10 metres above sea level. These extensive bodies of water mean children are always only steps away from danger, most drownings occur within 20m of the home.

The RNLI has been working with partners internationally for several years, sharing its years of lifesaving knowledge and experience to make a difference worldwide. For more information about the RNLI’s international work please visit: https://rnli.org/what-we-do/international

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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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