Volunteer trip to visit the students of the project “Growing up with mountainous preschool students” in Bao Lam, Cao Bang

“The schools are located on steep slopes, and the narrow crooked roads are dangerous for travelling due to the thick fog. The children here often have to climb mountains, walk on rugged and muddy paths, wade across streams to go to school, especially in swiftly flowing ones.

Despite muddy faces and clothes, the children are joyful on the way to school. They greeted us with beaming smile, which truly touched our hearts.”

That is the feeling of Mr. Pham Duy Nien - one of the volunteers during the trip to visit children of the project “Growing up with mountainous preschool students” of For Vietnamese Stature Foundation (VSF) on May 20 in Bao Lam district, Cao Bang province.

20 volunteers together with VSF crossed nearly 500km, with mainly mountain passes and hills, and 4 hours on more than 30km of rocky and slippery roads to reach Bao Lam - the border district - an extremely difficult, poorest and furthest one of Cao Bang province. We presented gifts to ethnic students with the hope of encouraging them on their journey hiking the mountain to go to school.

188 gift sets, each including a school bag, a pair of slip resistant rain boots and milk, snacks were packed and transported from the center of Bao Lam town to students at school sites Khau Noong, Na O (Thach Lam Preschool) and school sites Ban La, Sang Xoay and Khau De (Thai Son Preschool) by the volunteers.

Not only giving gifts to the students, the volunteers also gladly helped preparing school meals for them. This is one of 67,680 semi-boarding meals offered by VSF annually, bringing positive changes for hundreds of students at 5 school sites.

VSF sincerely thanks our sponsors and volunteers from all corners of Vietnam for joining us and making such a wonderful trip!

Much as the roads are dangerous and the school sites are remote and hard to reach, we believe that this visit, along with the enthusiasm of the volunteers will energize the teachers and students in their journey to knowledge. Hopefully, more happiness has been spread to the community!

“Growing up with mountainous preschool students” is one of VSF’s big and long-term projects, started in 2020, to sponsor semi-boarding meals and improve learning conditions for preschool students in several remote and difficult areas across the country.

Let us take a look at pictures of this memorable trip with VSF!