Chuong Thi Yen, a 26-year old teacher, cried when she learned of her new assignment to a remote area, having to leave her family.
The school is located in Thuong Luong Hamlet, Xin Cai Commune, Meo Vac District, northern mountainous Ha Giang Province. Yen is the only teacher at the school.
The class is just a small tent with five or six sets of tables and chairs. To go to school, visitors must travel over 10km of dangerous roads on a mountain bluff, with the peaks of Giang Chu Phin standing above and deep Nho Que River lying in the valley beneath.
This is an extremely different environment from her hometown in Ha Giang City. Particularly difficult, she must live far away from her child and husband, instead living with local people in impoverished conditions. However, with love of children and some determination she overcame these challenges to be a good teacher.
Thuong Luong Hamlet has 15 households situated between two mountainous. The roads here are very rough and dangerous.
Mrs Yen has around 20 pupils, most of them are of the Giay ethnic minority.
A bell once used for hearding buffalo is now used to call children to class.
Despite paying no school fees, going to the school is difficult for the children.
The conditions there often lead to stunted physical development in the children.
Her job doesn’t stop after giving her lessons, Yen must also sometimes take care of them.
Half of the classroom also serves as her living quarters.
Homemade schoolbag
Yen’s “work/living room”
Yen will work here at least 10 years before having other plans
Her husband is a long-distance driver. He is very busy, but he tries to take their child to the school, 200km from home, as often as he can.
During an extra-curricular programme, the teacher and pupils clear land lot for growing vegetable
Yen has had to learn to live like the locals.
Love for the job and for the children helps, Yen has to overcome conditions and the challenges of living in this remote area.
Pupil draws his school
