Jilin Province, China

While Jilin Province has comparatively lower overall drowning mortality rates than southern Chinese provinces, research has found that during heatwave conditions, which drive children toward open water, Jilin shows the sharpest spike in drowning risk among all studied provinces, with a relative risk of 2.85 for children aged 5–14 during hot periods. Jilin city sits along the Songhua River, which creates seasonal exposure for children, particularly those without consistent adult supervision.

Life Afloat taught 103 students across three classes at Jilin Provincial Orphan School, one of China's oldest public welfare institutions for orphaned children, founded in 1956. Every student at this school has lost their parents, and the school's staff carry both teaching and parenting responsibilities, working to give these children independence, resilience, and a sense of family. For these teenagers, water safety education is important not just for awareness, but for equipping them with survival skills that will stay with them for life.