Training to save our classmates’ lives

Jakia Sultana remembers the time she passed out during the school’s assembly. “It sometimes happens that students faint during the assembly – I myself fainted once,” she says. “There was confusion and no one knew what to do or not to do.”

But now, thanks to first-aid traning offered by Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) volunteers, there are 53 students who know exactly what to do when someone faints, or gets hurt on the playground at the Saleha Shah Mohammad High School in Bangladesh’s Rajshahi district.

It’s normal that in a school of about 350 students, accidents will happen. That’s why the BDRCS volunteers came to raise awareness about the importance of learning first aid. “Our teachers told us that Bangladesh Red Crescent wanted to train us,” Jakia explains. “Many of us were intrigued, especially since none of us knew what first aid was or how it worked.”

Ready to save lives

After the training, Jakia explains that there is much more awareness about the importance of first aid around the school. Having students who know the basics and can help in case of an emergency is crucial – not just for this high school, but for all schools around the district, Jakia reflects.

Even though the training conducted by BDRCS volunteers was only three days long, Jakia feels confident that all the participants are able to handle complex situations. She also thinks that these skills can be easily passed on to other students, and even to their own family members.

Jakia does not take her new role as a first-aider lightly. “I learned that the aims of a first aider are three: first, saving lives; secondly, preventing the situation you are handling from becoming worse; and lastly, finding a way to improve the person’s condition,” she adds.

Even if these students never intend to take on the role of doctors, they can still provide primary care and help someone in need. “I was very attentive during the trainings and feel confident I can teach this to other people,” she says. “I’m happy to treat others as a first aider.”

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This story was produced and drafted by Sadia Saba Orchi
– a creative and highly engaged storyteller from Bangladesh Red Crescent.