Teacher and student cross forests and mountains to find water sources

(Baonghean.vn) - Hundreds of students and teachers have had to endure a lack of water for daily use year after year. They have been forced to go through the forest to find it, and finally joy has returned to this thirsty land.

Huoi Tu Commune (Ky Son District) is a highland area with a cold climate. However, the lives of the people here are still difficult, especially the lack of water for daily use all year round. It can be said that this is the "thirstiest" land in the Western Nghe An region. This has a significant impact on the accommodation of hundreds of boarding students in the commune.

Teacher and students in a thirsty area go in search of water. Photo: Dao Tho

Mr. Nguyen Van Dang - Principal of Huoi Tu Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities said that in recent years, every day teachers and students of Huoi Tu Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities (Ky Son) have had to endure a miserable life due to lack of water. At 4 a.m., in winter as well as summer, more than 200 boarding students have to wake up early to get water. Each student gets 10 liters, traveling nearly 1 km at night to bring home for cooking and daily activities.

The place they went to was an area deep under the cliff. Photo: Dao Tho

Teacher Nguyen Duc Phuong said that on days when he was too busy, he had to buy water from a tanker truck for 100,000 VND/m.³. It's hard and expensive, but if you don't do it, there won't be any water to use.

That is why, for nearly a week now, the school has mobilized teachers and students to find places with water to use pumps and hoses to bring water. Following the group one afternoon, we crossed the slope in Trung Tam village down to the cliff near Huoi Le village. After a winding journey of nearly 2 km, we finally reached a small stream.

Bamboo water pipes of the villagers. Photo: Dao Tho

Through our observations and the stories of the locals, there used to be a small water tank here but the water flow was very weak. To get water here, the only way was to use a plastic can to bring it home.

Faced with this situation, teachers and students had to roll up their pants and work hard to dig and dredge to clear the river. Until dusk, their shirts were soaked with sweat but the work still had no results.

Water pumps were mobilized to the source to pump water. Photo: Dao Tho

In this land that lacks water all year round, having water for daily life is not simple. According to teacher Nguyen Duc Phuong: "The journey to find a water source is still long, because in reality we cannot carry it forever, so we will continue to dredge, if it is positive, we will bring in a pump and install pipes to bring water back."

After nearly a week of continuous digging and installing taps, the joy finally came. The water flowing into the students' tanks seemed to quench their long-burning thirst. More than 200 boarding students stood around the water tanks, cheering excitedly as if it were a festival.

After nearly a week of work, more than 200 thirsty students and teachers have water at school. Photo: Dao Tho

“So from now on, students and teachers do not have to worry too much. However, we will also thoroughly understand and propagate so that students and teachers understand that water is a rare resource on this land, which needs to be cherished and protected” - Mr. Nguyen Van Dang, Principal of Huoi Tu Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, shared.

Dao Tho