Representatives of the local authorities and Dan Tri/DTiNews break ground for the Dan Tri Bridge Project.
A joyful gathering took place at the Dong River to mark the groundbreaking of the Dan Tri Bridge.
The local community, adults and children alike, joyfully gathered at Tay Yen Commune, An Bien District, Kien Giang Province on Friday afternoon to witness the groundbreaking ceremony for a new concrete bridge that will help pupils travel safely to school and improve the daily lives for all who live here.
Pupils from the local Tay Yen 2 Primary School were happy to see us again. Tran Bao Tinh, a second-grader, said, “My mom just bought me a life jacket to cross the bamboo bridge when I go to school everyday, but when the new bridge is completed, I won't have to wear it anymore, I’m so happy.”
The existing bamboo bridge is 34 metres long and has been virtually the only way for pupils in the commune to get to their Tay Yen 2 Primary School. Late last year, a 10-year-old girl fell from the bridge and drowned, which caused families to fear letting their children cross the bridge on their own. Some who had boats started to take their children to school, while others equipped them with life jackets.
Pham Huy Hoan, Editor-in-Chief for DanTri and DTiNews, mentioned the situation to representatives of Shinnyo-En, a Japanese Buddhist organisation, and together they decided to donate a new bridge for the area and name it Dan Tri Bridge, after the name of the newspaper which translates to mean "people's knowledge" in English.
Local resident Phan Thi Hang shared: “Our village is so remote, we never thought an organisation would find us and come build a bridge for us. Now when we have that bridge, commuting will be much easier.”
Tran Hoang Mam, vice chairman of An Bien District People’s Committee, said due to the remoteness of Tay Yen Commune, state and private investment in infrastructure has been extremely limited.
“The project is possible thanks to Dan Tri Newspaper, the Vietnam Fund for Promoting Education and Shinnyo-En. It carries a tremendous meaning for our community. We would like to express our most sincere thanks to those compassionate hearts,” he said.
At the ground-breaking ceremony, Mr. Pham Huy Hoan awarded 17 scholarships to first and second graders at Tay Yen 2 Primary School.
