Eight bridges have been built in disadvantaged areas of Vietnam with the help of DTiNews readers and associated charities since 2010, improving the safety of students and the elderly and boosting local economies.
A major project was a bridge in An Bien District, Kien Giang Province, the absence of which worried local residents that students might drown making their way to school.
The bridge in An Bien District, Kien Giang Province
DTiNews brought together Japanese Buddhist organisation Shinyo-en and Vietnam Promotion Funds, along with reader donations. Work began on the bridge on January 15, 2010 and it was completed four months later.
In Dak Ang Village, Kon Tum Province, the people had to use a cable to cross the Po Ko River. More than VND1.2bn was raised by DTiNews and construction of a 167m suspension bridge began on June 27, 2010. It was open to traffic five months later.
A man in Kon Tum used cable to cross the Po Ko river before the bridge was built.
New bridge for the village
DTiNews and its readers also help to build a bridge in Can Tho City, replacing a deteriorating wooden bridge connecting Truong Xuan A and Truong Xuan B villages. Many students fell while crossing the old bridge. DTiNews, Vietnam Promotion Funds and Binh An Fisheries Company collaborated to opened a sturdier bridge in 2011.
Old bridge
Students walk on new bridge connecting Truong Xuan A and Truong Xuan B villages in Can Tho Province
Before the bridge in Phu Mua Village, Quang Nam Province, was built, students and parents had to walk across a narrow river to go to school. Its strong current made the crossing dangerous for young and elderly people. Many readers responded and a 90m bridge was completed in 2012, making the crossing safer and boosting the local economy.
Students in Phu Mua Village, Quang Nam Province walked across river to school before the bridge was built.
The new bridge in Phu Mua Village
In 2011, villagers of The Vinh in Thanh Hoa Provine had to cross a river using an iron beam. Readers in Vietnam and overseas and the Vietnam Promotion Funds donated VND312m to build a 17m-long bridge, which opened the following year.
A woman walked on an iron beam on the river in 2011
The opening ceremony of the new bridge in 2012
In Long Hung Hamlet, Hau Giang Province, a slippery and deteriorating bridge was replaced in 2013 with a VND279m structure using a donation of VND225m from Shinyo-en and funds from Long My District's budget.
"Bridges help build connections between Vietnam and Japan," said Nakazawa Tessuro, representative of Shinyo-en.
In Ka Ooc Village, Quang Brinh Province, students had to swim across the river to go to school. This was especially dangerous during flood season. A VND9.8bn suspension bridge was built, with DTiNews readers donating VND1.3bn to augment funds from the local budget.
Students swim to cross river
Walking on new bridge
In 2014, Shinyo-en continued its collaboration with DTiNews to build a VND197m bridge in My An Commune, Ben Tre Province. Sixth grader Dang Nguyen Thi Nhat Minh Thu was very excited when the project was completed.
The old bridge
New bridge in Ben Tre
"I was always afraid of falling whenever I crossed the old bridge," Thu said. "Now I can ride my bicycle across the new bridge."
