Warming up in winter

(Baonghean) - With only a few days left until the Lunar New Year of the Horse, the highlands of Quy Chau are still experiencing freezing temperatures. However, the winter has become less cold and warmer for the students in these mountainous areas thanks to the sharing and kindness of compassionate people…

In a conversation with Ms. Vo Thi Loc, Head of the Education and Training Department of Quy Chau District, it was learned that: It's not just this year, but for many years now, the children of Quy Chau have received quite thorough care from their teachers and schools. For more than ten years, since the 2000-2001 school year, teachers in Quy Chau have voluntarily donated money to help supplement the students' lunch meals at school. Initially, each person contributed 10,000 VND per month, then increased to 20,000 VND, and now many contribute 50,000 VND per month. Thanks to these acts of kindness, the lunch meals at school for many students from disadvantaged backgrounds now include more vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish; many particularly needy students have received warm clothes to help them cope with the cold winter in this mountainous region.

The Red Cross and the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee presented gifts to the poor and disabled children in Chau Hoi commune. Photo: Tran Ngoc Lan

Although the Lunar New Year celebrations in Quy Chau may not be extravagant, the children have found joy in the end of winter and the arrival of spring, no longer having to wear tattered clothes to welcome the new year. A few years ago, before Tet, teachers would work together to provide gifts and support for poor students to celebrate the holiday. In recent years, many organizations in the district, province, and even outside the province have joined forces to help the children celebrate Tet. Teachers no longer have to buy them sweets and treats, but instead focus on providing them with extra clothing. This year, for the Year of the Horse, teachers in the district contributed 129 million VND to buy warm clothes for poor students, while officials from the Department of Education and Training contributed 6 million VND to buy 4 bicycles for 4 poor students who have to travel too far to school. The sight of students wearing only thin clothes, huddled together in class on cold winter days, is no longer a reality.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Huyen, Principal of Chau Hoi 1 Primary School, said: "In previous years, caring for poor students with the aim of keeping them in school and preventing them from dropping out was usually only the responsibility of teachers within the school. But we are very happy that in the last few years, forces outside the school have shown great concern for poor students in the highlands, especially during Tet (Lunar New Year). Just a few days ago, a group of officials from Vinh City with the 'Warm Hearts of Nghe An' program came to the school to donate 85 Tet gifts (including clothes and shoes) to 85 poor students and 6 blankets to 6 orphaned students." As for the school's staff and teachers, not just during Tet (Lunar New Year), but regularly every month, some contribute 30,000 VND, others 40,000 VND, 50,000 VND or more, to help provide lunch for over 70 students who live far from the school and cannot commute due to the two-session-per-day school schedule.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thai, Principal of Chau Hoi 2 Primary School, her school currently has four campuses, some located as far as 13 km from the main campus. Most households in the area are poor, such as in Khum village, where all houses are thatched with straw and mud walls; therefore, the students' lives are very difficult. Unable to let the children go to school without enough food and warm clothing, for more than a decade, the school's staff and teachers have voluntarily contributed a portion of their salaries to help them. The money contributed monthly by the staff and teachers is used to buy warm clothes for poor students and supplement lunch for those living far from the school.

For the past two years alone, every month, all 30 teachers and staff members of the school have voluntarily contributed 50,000 VND each. Last year, Long Giang Urban Development Company from Hanoi contributed 24 million VND for students' lunches, donated 5 gift packages worth 1,500,000 VND, and a bicycle worth 1,200,000 VND to 6 students with particularly difficult circumstances. Just a few days ago, a group of artists from Ho Chi Minh City came and gave 50 gift packages, each containing 200,000 VND in cash, warm clothes, and shoes, to 50 poor students. Thanks to everyone's collective efforts, for many years now, students at Chau Hoi 2 Primary School have had more food, warmer clothes, and even new clothes to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year).

In Quy Chau, for the past 14 years, teachers have voluntarily contributed to providing "warm winters" and "warm Tet" (Lunar New Year) celebrations for their students, despite the hardships faced by the teachers themselves. The teachers' dedication has encouraged organizations and philanthropists to reach out to their underprivileged students. Perhaps this is why the quality of education in Quy Chau, especially primary education, has made significant progress. The number of primary and secondary school students dropping out has gradually decreased: 121 in the 2007-2008 school year; 12 in the 2009-2010 school year; 9 in the 2011-2012 school year; and 8 in the 2012-2013 school year.

Minh Duc