In the biting cold of winter, Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper hopes its gifts will bring warmth to the children in the northern mountainous region, helping them endure the chill, overcome hardships, and continue studying diligently, said Bui Thi Hong Suong, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of SGGP.
Lately, a delegation from SGGP led by Deputy Editor-in-Chief Bui Thi Hong Suong traveled to Thach Lam Semi-Boarding Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities in Cao Bang Province as part of the Ao am den truong (Warm Coats to School) program. Representatives from the provincial Department of Education and Training and Quang Lam Commune’s People’s Committee also joined the trip.
Reaching Thach Lam School required nearly half a day of travel from Cao Bang City. According to Ha Thi Duyen, the school’s principal, there are 693 students including 668 from the Mong ethnic group, 24 from the Tay ethnic group, and one Nung from the ethnic group. Most come from poor or near-poor households. The school has 16 classrooms but only one shared restroom, insufficient for all students. They also lack clean water systems and adequate dormitories. “SGGP’s support will help us fulfill our long-standing wish to improve the school’s facilities,” said Principal Duyen.
Ha Thi Thuan, a Tay ethnic literature teacher, shared her story. She lives over 200 km away in Quang Yen Commune. For more than four years, she has taught at Thach Lam, while her two young children are cared for by their grandmother. “Though our family lives apart, I remain devoted to teaching here. Most of my students are HMong children from mountain villages just getting them to attend school is a journey in itself. Many still struggle with Vietnamese, but we’re determined to help them learn,” she said.
“When we see those eager eyes, bare feet in the cold, and tattered jackets, all teachers encourage each other to keep going,” Thuan added.
Vu Thi Anh, a 9th grader, shared that her mother had to move to Bac Giang to work in a factory, taking her two younger siblings. She lives with her grandmother. Every day she has to walk to school; despite the long distance, she struggles to overcome because she loves studying.
To ease the burdens faced by teachers and students in Vietnam’s northernmost areas, the “Ao am den truong (Warm Coats to School) program donated VND100 million to help the school with repairs and new equipment, along with 400 warm coats and 100 scholarships each worth VND500,000 totaling VND238 million.
According to SGGP Deputy Editor-in-Chief Bui Thi Hong Suong, SGGP has, for over 50 years, not only fulfilled its mission as a party newspaper but also shown strong commitment to social responsibility through community programs. The campaign Thap sang niem tin- Vuot kho den truong (Lighting Faith – Overcoming Hardship to School), launched in 2023 to mark the newspaper’s 50th anniversary (1975–2025), has raised VND33 billion, bringing aid to 33 schools in 19 provinces, helping many disadvantaged students continue their education.
“In this cold weather, we hope SGGP’s gifts will bring warmth to the students of Quang Lam, encouraging them to study well and grow into kind, capable young people,” said Deputy Editor-in-Chief Bui Thi Hong Suong.
