On September 16, a delegation from Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper and sponsoring organizations held a ceremony to present warm clothing and scholarships to students at Tri Le Ethnic Minority Boarding Lower Secondary School in Tri Le Commune, Lang Son Province. The event was part of the "Ao am den truong" (Warm Clothes for School) program launched by SGGP Newspaper.
Attending the ceremony were Mr. Tang Huu Phong, Deputy Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee's Commission for Information and Education, former Editor-in-Chief of SGGP Newspaper and initiator of the program; Bui Thi Hong Suong, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of SGGP Newspaper; representatives of departments and divisions under the Lang Son Department of Education and Training; leaders of the Party Committee, People’s Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Tri Le Commune; as well as teachers, parents’ representatives, and students.
Tri Le Ethnic Minority Boarding Secondary School has 422 students, most of them from the Tay and Nung ethnic groups. More than 65 percent of the students are from poor or near-poor households. To get to class, many students have to cross mountains and streams and travel 8-9 km. During the rainy season, roads are often cut off, forcing some students to miss school.
Ms. Hoang Thi Luong, the school’s principal, said the difficulties facing the school and its more than 400 students have consistently received timely attention and support from authorities at all levels and local agencies, particularly SGGP Newspaper and its partners.
Students from poor and near-poor families account for a large proportion of the school’s enrollment. Economic hardship can make their journey to school longer and more difficult, she said.
Ms. Bui Thi Hong Suong, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of SGGP Newspaper, said the Warm Clothes for School program was developed from the SGGP Newspaper's "Thap sang niem tin-Vuot kho den truong" (Light up your faith – Overcoming difficulties of going to school) program.
While the Light up your faith—Overcoming difficulties of going to school program focuses on providing long-term support for students’ educational journeys through machinery, equipment, and school facilities, the Warm Clothes for School program gives students an extra warm jacket to help them withstand the cold and a scholarship to support them in continuing their education.
She expressed her admiration for the students’ resilience, the dedication and perseverance of their teachers, and their determination to stay in class, keep their school going, and hold on to their dreams of education in a disadvantaged area.
She said she believed that the most valuable thing the Warm Clothes for School program brings is not merely warm jackets or scholarships, but the flame of compassion and kindness being passed on.
Deputy Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee's Commission for Information and Education, Tang Huu Phong, who initiated the Light up your faith – Overcoming difficulties of going to school program in 2023, expressed his delight that over the past nearly four years, the program has reached 34 provinces and cities nationwide.
The Warm Clothes for School program’s visit to students at the remote school in Lang Son is particularly meaningful as winter approaches.
“I believe that the gifts and warm jackets from SGGP Newspaper will bring not only warmth to the students here but also convey the affection of journalists from the Southern region and the SGGP Newspaper team. I hope the children will study hard, behave well, and achieve success in the future,” he said.
In remote and disadvantaged areas, every step students take on their journey to school means overcoming countless hardships and shortages in pursuit of education. Against this backdrop, the ceremony to present warm jackets and scholarships to students at Tri Le Ethnic Minority Boarding Secondary School reflects a spirit of compassion, solidarity, and community responsibility and stands as a vivid example of collective efforts to support the future of younger generations.
Responding to SGGP Newspaper’s appeal through the Warm Clothes for School program, supporting partners Hue Minh Dang Investment Co., Ltd. and Tan Hiep Phat Trading and Services Co., Ltd. sponsored 422 warm jackets for all students at Tri Le Ethnic Minority Boarding Secondary School, along with 37 scholarships worth VND1 million each for students from families facing particularly difficult circumstances. The total value of the donations was VND130 million (US$5,000).
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