Dantri brings scholarships and support to children on Con Co Island

On September 30, Dantri, working with the Con Co Special Zone and Cua Viet Primary School, delivered scholarships and support to children studying on Con Co Island, off the coast of Quang Tri Province.

Three fourth-graders, Ho Thi Truc Mai, Le Bui Thien Y and Nguyen Thien Phuc, each received VND 9 million (USD 347) for the 2026-27 school year.

It is the fourth consecutive year that Dantri readers have supported the three children, who were among the first primary school pupils to study on the island. The sponsorship will continue until they complete primary school.

Phuc, whose father is a fisherman and mother runs a small business, smiled as he received his scholarship. For his family, which is still struggling financially, the support is both practical help and encouragement to keep studying.

“Thank you to everyone who gave me these gifts. I will behave well, listen to my teachers and parents, and study hard. When I grow up, I want to become a naval soldier to protect our seas and islands,” he said.

Nguyen Thi Hoai, Truc Mai's mother, was visibly moved as she accepted a gift for her daughter. Life on the island remains difficult, she said, making the support especially meaningful.

“The money will help me buy clothes and school supplies for my daughter and encourage her to study harder. Since the primary school opened here, I have felt more at ease because she can study close to home instead of having to cross the sea to the mainland and live away from us,” Hoai said.

Dantri also gave five other primary school pupils gifts worth VND 500,000 (USD 19) each and donated VND 3 million (USD 116) worth of staples, including rice, fish sauce and cooking oil, to the island's boarding-school kitchen.

The programme, funded by Dantri readers, provided a total of VND 32.5 million (USD 1,251) in scholarships, gifts and essential supplies.

Phan Thanh Tuan, deputy chairman of the Con Co Special Zone People's Committee, thanked Dantri and its readers, saying the support offered more than financial assistance.

For children living far from the mainland, he said, it was also a reminder that people beyond the island cared about their education and future.

Con Co, a special administrative zone of Quang Tri Province, covers 2.3 sq km and lies about 18 nautical miles from the mainland.

The island has one primary school outpost and one kindergarten classroom. The primary school has two classes with eight pupils and two teachers, while the kindergarten has 10 children and two teachers.

For teachers, island life brings challenges that go beyond the classroom.

Nguyen Thi Be, a kindergarten teacher who has spent more than 10 years on Con Co, said transport depended heavily on the weather. With children of different ages learning together, teachers also had to adapt their lessons to individual needs.

“For the younger children, we help them learn to hold a pencil, draw and colour. The older ones begin learning letters and numbers. Life on the island is still difficult, but we do our best to give the children full opportunities to learn and play, just like children on the mainland,” she said.

Nguyen Thi Thoi, who has taught primary school on the island for four years, said teachers also had to adapt to the difficulties of daily life, particularly transport and the supply of basic goods.

“Life here still depends heavily on supplies from the mainland. The hardest time is during storms, when boats cannot operate and the delivery of essential goods is disrupted. At those times, teachers and residents have to find ways to manage with what they have,” teacher Thoi said.