Two hours’ drive away from Lan, in Nha Bang village, we met Dat, a Year 6 boy, and his grandmother, Mrs. Vang, aged 68. The two of them live together in a temporary shelter on a hilltop. Mrs. Vang has taken care of Dat since his parents divorced and left him some years ago. The poverty and lack of basic living commodities in their shelter cannot take away their laughter and love for each other. Mrs. Vang walks her lovely grandson 5 km to and from school each day. Through the work of Loreto Vietnam, a small miracle happened. A new bicycle and helmet provides Dat a quicker, safer, and much more enjoyable ride to school. Dat told us he would teach his grandmother to ride this bicycle too. Mrs. Vang burst out laughing, saying she was too old for this! But Dat assured her it would easy; he would help her every day, as he pursued his dream to study hard, find a good job, and take care of her in the future. Like Dat, another 3,500 poor children have been supported by Loreto Vietnam to transform their journey to school under the Wheels for Education program. Easy bicycle transportation (and a new helmet!) ensures students attend school regularly and travel safely. A new bicycle also supports other family members, like Mrs. Vang, with family duties and market trips and benefit many village families.
Our November trip concluded with a beautiful STEM fair, the first-ever in An Giang province. We have been pioneering the introduction of STEM programs in schools to help underrepresented and under-resourced students advance in these essential areas of study, inspiring the next generation of great leaders, thinkers, and creators in Vietnam. More than 2,000 primary students and 150 teachers in 4 primary schools participated in the fair, excited, and curious to learn, practice, and create their own STEM products. An important figure for Loreto Vietnam is that 2/3 of the “young scientists” from the 4 STEM clubs in these schools are girls. To To, a Year-5 student who demonstrated her excellent solar energy fan project, said, “I’m so proud that our girls can learn well science and be great innovators. Living in a land full of sunlight, I dream of being a scientist or inventor creating more solar energy-oriented projects to support local people”. Doesn’t she sound amazing? Many Vietnamese people think about STEM as abstract and complex as they do not understand its definition or what kind of activities it includes, particularly in schools. Together with local partners in rural communities, Loreto Vietnam intends to change this mindset and prove that STEM is relevant, practical, and necessary.
These November trips were unforgettable as each day we worked to fulfil our mission to empower children and communities through quality education programs. Most importantly, we met hundreds of wonderful children living under adverse conditions but striving for educational opportunities. Their smiling faces, their incisive sharing, and their beautiful dreams about a bright future for themselves and their communities inspires us to maximize our efforts and build on our capacity at Loreto Vietnam, to continue our commitment to Education for Change.
Author: Dung Nguyen
Executive Director, Loreto Vietnam
Feature Image: Students of B An Phu Primary School delighted with their new toilet block.
Centre: L: Lan enjoying the new girls toilet block, R: Dat and his Grandmother Mrs. Vang on their new bicycle.
Bottom: Students at the STEM Fair, An Giang Province.