Representatives from Dantri/Dtinews Newspaper, together with local authorities and Cua Viet Primary School present gifts to pupils on Con Co Island on September 13.
The three sponsored third graders are Ho Thi Truc Mai, Le Bui Thien Y and Nguyen Thien Phuc, each receiving VND 9 million (USD 354) in support.
The three sponsored third graders receive scholarships for the new school year.
Truc Mai, the daughter of a fisherman, said she was deeply moved and promised to study hard. "I dream of becoming a teacher to teach children on the island," she said.
Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh, mother of Phuc, said the assistance helped ease her financial burden and gave her family strength to overcome hardships.
Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh and her son Nguyen Thien Phuc
Dtinews also gave four other pupils VND 500,000 (USD 20) each, and donated food supplies worth VND 3 million (USD 118) for the island’s school canteen. The programme’s total cost was VND 32 million (USD 1,260).
Tran Xuan Anh, Party Secretary and Chairman of Con Co Special Zone, expressed gratitude, calling the support “not only material but also a bond of love from the mainland, encouraging children to pursue education and their dreams”.
Dtinews launched the sponsorship programme in late 2023, just months after the first primary class opened on the island. Since then, three rounds of funding have been delivered, with support pledged until the pupils finish primary school.
Con Co island in Quang Tri Province covers 2.3 square kilometres and lies 18 nautical miles offshore. Though small, it holds strategic importance for Vietnam’s sovereignty and socio-economic development.
The island currently has Hoa Phong Ba Kindergarten with two teachers and 13 children, and one primary class with a single teacher instructing seven pupils across three grades. English lessons are provided online with teachers on the mainland.
Teachers and pupils on Con Co Ilsand.
Transport has improved with a service vessel cutting travel time to just over an hour, though trips remain weather dependent, especially during storm season.
