More than 200 children who lost their parents due to Covid-19 have just started the school year at a new school in the central city of Danang.
The school opening ceremony of the Hope School for Covid-19 orphans in Danang on August 26
The school opening ceremony of the Hope School, which was held on August 26, saw the attendance of State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chairman & CEO of FPT Corporation, Truong Gia Binh, officials of Danang City, and representatives from concerned departments.
State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc attends the new school year opening ceremony at Hope School
Founded by FPT and the Hope Foundation, the boarding school is home to children orphaned by Covid-19, and the 2022-2023 school year will be the first for more than 200 Hope School students from 41 cities and provinces nationwide.
Inside a classroom
Speaking at the meeting, the state president lauded FPT for its initiative to build the school, which has received support from many ministries, agencies, businesses and the wider local public. State President Phuc said he hoped the students would strive to contribute to national development.
Director of Can Tho City Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Tran Thi Xuan Mai hugs children from Can Tho who have arrived at the school for over 20 days.
Hairdressers come to the school to offer free haircuts for the children before the new school year ceremony.
Chairman and CEO of FPT Corporation, Truong Gia Binh who was also chairman of the Hope School Foundation, expressed that he was delighted to have received invaluable support from the state president and many organisations and agencies for the school ahead of the new school year.
Chairman and CEO of FPT Corporation, Truong Gia Binh (third from left), and students and staff members at the school receive a gift from State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc
According to the businessman, the school would foster, educate and provide a home for the orphans until they come of age.
Four students stay in a room at a hostel inside the school.
"We want to take in these children and help them grow up to be productive members of society," he said. "This is what we can do and must do.”
Binh said the Hope School was committed to receiving 1,000 orphans and would provide education for them in the next 20 years. The annual cost could reach approximately VND80 billion.
Khanh Linh, 11, said that she moved to the school nearly a month ago. Every day they wake up at 5 am and do morning exercises. Breakfast starts at 6.30 am. Then they will study from 7-11 am, and have lunch from 11.30 am. In the afternoon they would study and participate in some other activities. Bedtime is at 9.30pm.
According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Covid-19 pandemic had left more than 4,400 children without at least one parent. Of that total, 193 had lost both.
