Reducing mortality and improving childhood development of children aged 1 - 4 in rural communities of Barisal, Bangladesh

The project will contribute to reducing under 5 mortality (SDG 3.2) in Bangladesh where drowning is the leading killer of children - responsible for 43% of deaths of 1 - 4 year olds. In Kalapara sub-district where drowning rates are 3 times the national average, 300 Anchals will be established. Anchals are homes adapted and equipped to provide supervision and education to 1-4 year olds during peak drowning times; a cost-effective and scalable intervention proven to reduce the risk of a child drowning by 82%. From July 2019-2022 the Anchals will offer 7,500 children access to supervision and early childhood education (SDG 4.2), improving ECD scores for those who attend regularly. The Anchals are community managed and offer 600 women a caring role and a small remuneration. In turn parents and guardians can be confident that their children are safe whilst they work and undertake daily chores and the wider community will be more aware of the risks of drowning and measures to prevent it.