A new bridge has been opened in Ben Tre Province in the Mekong Delta that will help students safely reach their classes.
Bridge opening ceremony
The 20-metre bridge was built with funds provided by Dantri Newspaper, the Vietnam Study Promotion Fund and Japan's Shinnyo-en Buddhist organisation.
It was officially opened by Thanh Phu District chairman of the Vietnam Study Promotion Fund, Nguyen The Quang, a representative of Dantri Newspaper Phan Huy, representatives of Shinnyo-en, the local authorities and other officials.
The bridge cost VND200 million (USD9,500) in fund, with local residents donating their time to help speed up construction. The Shinnyo-en also build 100 metres of roadway to connect the bridge with Rach Bun Road.
"This is one of the shortest routes for the children to go to schools and for the locals to go to the communal centre," said a representative of the My An Commune People's Committee.
Akiyama Masanobu, the human resources manager of Shinnyo-en, said building bridges helped the children and forged closer ties between Vietnam and Japan. "We will build more bridges for Vietnam," he said.
Akiyama Masanobu, human resource manager of Shinnyo-en
Nguyen Minh Canh, chairman of Thanh Phu District People's Committee, said My An Commune was surrounded by many lakes and rivers, but existing bridges were old and deteriorating.
"We want to extend sincere gratitude to the Vietnam Study Promotion Fund, Dantri Newspaper and donor Shinnyo-en for helping to build this bridge," he said.
Shinnyo-en also awarded 20 scholarships to disadvantaged students in My An Commune. Vietnam Study Promotion Fund gave a further 40 scholarships to primary and secondary students in My An and Quoi Dien communes.
The old bridge
A sixth grader, Dang Nguyen Thi Nhat Minh Thu, said, "I was always afraid of falling whenever I crossed the old bridge. But now I can ride my bicycle across the new bridge."
Shinnyo-en, the Vietnam Study Promotion Fund and Dantri Newspaper have collaborated and built three bridges in the provinces of Kien Giang, Hau Giang and Ben Tre.
Students receive scholarships from
chairman of Vietnam Study Promotion Fund Nguyen The Quang
Students receive scholarships from
representative of Dantri Newspaper Phan Huy
Students receive scholarships from Shinnyo-en
