Dantri Newspaper, in coordination with local authorities in Chieng Cong Commune in northern mountainous Son La Province, holds a groundbreaking ceremony to construct a new kindergarten facility in Ban Mao Village on May 21.
The project includes two classrooms, one restroom, and one teacher housing unit. Its total budget is VND 544 million (approximately USD 21,400), and it is funded entirely by donations from Dantri readers.
Ban Mao Kindergarten is one of the most under-resourced schools in the area, lacking essential infrastructure and teaching equipment. Several structures have severely deteriorated, with leaky roofs and crumbling walls, posing safety risks to students and teachers.
At the ceremony, Dantri's Deputy Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Xuan Toan thanked Dantri readers for their generous support in building new learning and activity spaces for the children, helping them strive for a better education.
"The new school is not just a shelter from rain and sun; it represents hope and belief in a better society. Here, students will have improved conditions to learn, rise above poverty, and pursue brighter futures. That is why building this Dantri classroom in the impoverished village of Ban Mao is so meaningful," he said.
Dantri's Deputy Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Xuan Toan speaks at the event.
He also called on residents to contribute labour to help complete the project quickly and provide a clean, safe learning environment for the children.
During the ceremony, Dantri representatives, on behalf of donors, awarded 14 scholarships, each worth VND 500,000 (approximately USD 20), to students at Ban Mao kindergarten.
Ly A Cho, Party Secretary of Chieng Cong Commune, thanked Dantri and its readers for their support and hoped that more attention would be directed toward remote and disadvantaged communities in Son La Province.
Grateful for the assistance from Dantri readers, teacher Luong Thi Chuyen said she hoped the construction would be completed soon, so her students would no longer need to evacuate during storms.
Teacher Luong Thi Chuyen and her students.
"Ban Mao still faces many difficulties. Our classrooms are overcrowded, and children must go home for lunch after the morning session, as we lack a kitchen. Some students live far away and often skip the afternoon classes altogether," Chuyen shared.
Teachers and students at the remote school face numerous daily challenges. Educators often collect water from local households and transport it to the school in containers. Access to clean water remains a major need for the community.
"When this project is completed, our students in Ban Mao will no longer have to study in borrowed spaces in villagers' homes," Chuyen said.
To date, 57 Dantri-funded classrooms have been launched nationwide, with 53 already completed and implemented, thanks to the generous contributions of readers, individuals and philanthropic businesses.
