Hangzhou, China

Despite being one of China's most developed and well-resourced cities, Hangzhou is not immune to the threat of drowning. The city is home to the iconic West Lake (西湖) and has an extensive network of rivers, canals, and reservoirs that run through its urban and suburban districts. Hangzhou's own municipal education and public security bureaus have publicly identified student drowning prevention as a priority concern.

Hangzhou is the city where Life Afloat's first ever in-person lesson took place. This in-person lesson was held at Hangzhou Anjilu Experimental School, one of Zhejiang's oldest and most established K-9 public schools, located in the heart of the city. We delivered a 90-minute water safety session to a group of around 30 third-grade students, marking the start of what Life Afloat would grow into.

While Hangzhou is a developed city, drowning risk does not stop at its urban core. Life Afloat is actively seeking to reach children in the rural outskirts and surrounding townships, where access to water safety education drops sharply alongside other resources.