Teacher Nguyen Tran Vy, aged 45, hails from Bac Tra My district in Quang Nam Province. In the year 2000, he was assigned to teach in mountainous district of Nam Tra My. Upon his arrival at the new workplace, the first thing that struck him was the dilapidated classrooms constructed from bamboo, with dirt floors and several worn-out metal sheets.
He was also required to reside in makeshift accommodations, where the living conditions were inadequate. Observing this situation, the young teacher encouraged himself by thinking that his colleagues can endure, so can he. He resolved to remain committed to his teaching duties.
After over a decade of residing in Nam Tra My district, teacher Vy and several district officials came together to form the Nam Tra My District Love Connection Club with the noble intention of providing gifts to aid students facing challenging circumstances. However, teacher Vy eventually recognized that this initiative was only a short-term solution and not a sustainable one.
Teacher Vy empathetically expressed his understanding of the challenges faced by teachers at schools, based on his 20 year experience in the province. He emphasized the positive impact of having a school and a sturdy public building, highlighting that students no longer have to study in the rain during the rainy season.
Furthermore, he noted that teachers feel more secure when conducting classes in the village. Motivated by these thoughts, he is determined to reach out to potential sponsors.
To gather support for school repairs and renovations, teacher Vy turned to Facebook forums and charity organizations. He aimed to secure substantial funding to rebuild dilapidated schools and prevent them from collapsing. To build trust, he visited the schools in need, documenting their current conditions with videos and photos. He then created a detailed budget estimate to share with potential sponsors.
With increasing prestige, many benefactors at home and abroad sent funds to the teacher and the Club to eliminate temporary schools. Nearly 10 years since the Club was established, Mr. Vy and his colleagues have mobilized tens of thousands of working days to transport materials, build new classrooms, and teachers' offices at remote schools with a budget of billions of Vietnam dong.
The middle-aged teacher recalled that once when he went to survey the construction of new schools, he saw that teachers and students at some schools had to go to the stream to get water for use. The water source from the stream will be cloudy in the rainy season, and dry in the dry season, mixed with moss and algae, which is not hygienic. At that time, he came up with the idea of calling for funding to build wells at schools that often lack clean water.
When funds are available, he employs laborers to drill wells, with the least expensive option costing VND50 million. Due to the mountainous terrain of Nam Tra My district, the process of drilling wells is quite challenging. Certain schools have had to attempt drilling multiple times to secure a water source. To date, he has established 16 clean water projects for educational institutions.
The villages in Nam Tra My district are typically situated on hills, traversing large streams. In many areas, residents can only cross the streams by constructing temporary bridges made of bamboo and rattan. However, when the rainy season arrives, floods from upstream wash away these makeshift bridges. As a result, students are unable to attend school for extended periods during the rainy season.
Seeing the classrooms empty during the rainy season, the dedicated teacher pondered how to make school access easier for students. He found support and quickly assessed the temporary bridges damaged or washed away by floods, identifying high-traffic and urgently needed locations to propose to sponsors. Ultimately, he selected a site in Village 1, Tra Don Commune for the bridge construction.
Shortly after that, a suspension bridge, costing VND90 million, with steel pillars, protective railings on both sides, and a sturdy cable system was completed.
Following the initial bridge, Mr. Vy persistently pursued surveying which district has no bridge to facilitate local residents’ travelling and securing funds for the development of more suspension bridges. As benefactors observed the efficacy of these structures, funding support grew. At times, as many as three bridges were launched simultaneously in a single year.
So far, teacher Vy's team has promoted the construction of suspension bridges for both pedestrian and motorbike use, depending on the needs of the local population and the available funding. Since 2017, Mr. Vy has secured funding to build over 30 suspension bridges for students. The construction costs of these bridges range from VND90 million to VND 180 million.
According to Deputy Chairman Tran Van Man of the Nam Tra My District People's Committee, the funding for the Love Connection Club in Nam Trà My, along with contributions from teacher Vy, amounts to several billion Vietnamese dong. This financial support has significantly contributed to the socio-economic development of the area, particularly benefiting students in remote regions.
The deputy chairman added that during his years of living and working in the district, teacher Vy has made numerous meaningful and practical contributions to the community and the local education system. Teacher Vy has initiated many school construction projects, built suspension bridges, and organized various charitable activities, which have helped teachers focus on their work and encouraged students to attend school with enthusiasm.
