Connecting kindness, SGGP bolsters education for disadvantaged children

Lighting way for knowledge obtaining in remote areas

In recent days, a new vibrancy has filled the library at Hoa My 2 Primary School in the southernmost reaches of Vietnam, located in Cai Nuoc District of Ca Mau Province. Students now flock there, eager to learn. Amidst the cool hum of the air conditioner, surrounded by new computers and fresh books, fourth-grader Ngo Chi Hieu enthused, “We’re so happy since SGGP Newspaper renovated our school library! Whenever we have free time, my friends and I rush here to study, finish homework, and even learn how to use computers to find information online. The air conditioning makes it comfortable, even on hot days.”

SGGP’s commitment to creating a modern, welcoming, and well-equipped learning environment for Hoa My 2 Primary School included investing in 6 computers, an air conditioner, 450 children’s book titles, and bookshelf repairs. The newspaper also provided 20 scholarships and VND50 million (US$1,925) to the school administration to recognize and encourage high-achieving students and those overcoming difficult circumstances.

Recently, navigating challenging mountain roads, the “Lighting Up Faith - Overcoming Difficulties to School” program reached Son Vi Ethnic Boarding Primary School in Son Vi Commune of Meo Vac District (Ha Giang Province).

SGGP’s connection with Meo Vac dates back to 2008, when it provided VND100 million ($3,850) to build a boarding house for students and assisted disadvantaged local families. More than 15 years later, despite the initial modest support from the Paper and significant efforts by local authorities leading to some improvements, Son Vi still grapples with myriad challenges.

This latest visit, driven by an understanding of the school’s specific needs, saw the “Lighting Up Faith - Overcoming Difficulties to School” program mobilize numerous organizations, businesses, and philanthropists. They delivered essential supplies including tables, chairs, roofing, beds, blankets, mats, and food trays, alongside nutritional supplements, milk, instant noodles, and fish sauce.

The total value of this recent aid package reached VND447.9 million ($17,245), intended for purchasing necessities, facility repairs, recognizing outstanding teachers, and providing scholarships to motivate poor students to excel despite hardship.

Bolstering educators, students in Central Highlands region

For the past three years, SGGP Newspaper has expanded its charitable footprint in the Central Highlands region. Activities under the “Lighting Up Faith - Overcoming Difficulties to School” program here include granting scholarships to disadvantaged students and organizing donations of drilled wells, rice, and even herds of pigs to schools. SGGP’s sustained support provides these schools with enhanced living conditions, better enabling them to nurture students’ growth and development.

In Dak Ha Commune of Tu Mo Rong District (Kon Tum Province), Principal Ho Thi Thuy Van of the local school shared that this year, the school provides free lunch for around 55 students and boards about 30 orphaned or disadvantaged students. “Offering free lunch and boarding students has been a long-standing effort here,” she explained. “This wouldn’t be possible without the teachers’ dedication, local government support, philanthropists, and especially the significant aid from SGGP Newspaper. Thanks to the Newspaper, our free lunch program has continued for over three years.”

In Dak Long Primary School (sited in Dak Glei District, Kon Tum Province), around 350 students and teachers benefit from a drilled well donated by SGGP Newspaper. In 2023, facing severe water shortages in the dry season that hindered teaching and daily life, the SGGP Newspaper Editorial Board personally visited and funded a drilled well. Today, the well provides an abundant water source for drinking, sanitation, and keeping the school grounds green and vibrant, with trees flourishing and flowers blooming fragrantly. Principal Nguyen Cong Cuong expressed profound gratitude for this “valuable and useful gift.”

Continuing journey together

The “Lighting Up Faith - Overcoming Difficulties to School” program has reached numerous schools across the country, providing much-needed support to both teachers and students. Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung of the Ben Tre Province Branch of the Vietnam Fatherhood Front remarked that the program is “highly practical and profoundly humanitarian”. She added that SGGP’s collaborative efforts have contributed to developing the provincial education system and serve as a vital link, connecting the younger generation to knowledge by promoting a reading culture.

Secretary Trieu Thi Ngoc Diem of Soc Trang Province’s Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union shared how SGGP’s coordination and resource support have enabled successful initiatives like the “Sharing Mid-Autumn Festival” for over 400 poor, orphaned, and ethnic minority children in Long Phu District and Vinh Chau Town. Beyond material gifts, she emphasized the program’s significance as a warm, practical expression of solidarity for children in remote areas, hoping SGGP will continue its partnership with the Youth Union here for more impactful activities.

SGGP Deputy Editor-in-Chief Bui Thi Hong Suong says support varies based on school needs, including buildings, libraries, food, or wells. She believes timely sharing creates a beautiful life mosaic. “The future generation, like young bamboo shoots, needs nurturing from essential foundations of environment, health, and especially education. Wherever they are on this S-shaped land, we believe that humanitarian love will always spread like a fragrant flower in every heart.”