Hanoi, March 9 -- When a project to teach swimming to children was launched in Hung Thanh commune, Thap Muoi district in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, Tran Thi Kim Thia (also known as Sau Thia) wholeheartedly took on the responsibility without accepting any payment.

For Thia, who was honoured in 2017 by the BBC for coaching over 2,000 kids in swimming for 15 years, teaching the skills is not just a job, but a noble mission.

The 67-year-old woman said that her goal is to help children protect themselves from the dangers of drowning.

For the last more than 20 years, Thia has become a trusted companion to more than 5,000 kids in Hung Thanh commune and other localities in the province on their journey to master swimming.

In the ...