• Students travel to school by waterway: Concerns remain.
  • Ensuring the safety of students traveling to school by waterway.
  • Nine years of connecting people on this meaningful journey.

The " Safe Ferry for Students at the Coastal Area" program, with its humanitarian significance, has been organized and maintained by the Youth Union of the Ca Mau Newspaper, Radio, and Television, and continues to this day.

Supporting students in coastal areas.

For many years, the journey to school for students in the Giá Lồng Ðèn coastal area (Thuận Tạo hamlet, Tân Tiến commune) has always depended on ferry services.

From the Tan Tien Commune People's Committee, it takes more than 30 minutes by ferry to reach the Gia Long Den estuary.

“Every day I wake up at 4 a.m. to get ready, in time to catch the only ferry to school. The ferry picks me and my friends up from the sea and takes us to school at almost 6 a.m. After breakfast, we study all day, usually staying at school for lunch. The total cost is about 60-70 thousand dong per day,” said Do Ngoc Nhu, a 6th-grade student at Tan Tien Secondary School, recounting her daily journey to school. As she entered secondary school, the distance increased, along with the economic pressures, but luckily, her parents still managed to send her and her sister to school.

Ngoc Nhu's story is also the shared story of nearly 30 students at the Gia Long Den estuary over the past several school years. Understanding and empathizing, the Youth Union of the Ca Mau Newspaper, Radio, and Television Station conceived and organized the "Safe Ferry Trip for Students at the Estuary" program, connecting and providing ferry fare support for these students on their journey across the river to school.

The program is implemented at the beginning of each school year. Due to the high cost of ferry services each year, fundraising and networking efforts begin around August. To date, the program has been maintained for 10 school years. In the 2025-2026 school year alone, it supported 29 students, each receiving 250,000 VND per month. The total monthly funding is approximately 7,250,000 VND. Fortunately, for the past three school years, the Le Thanh Tam Charitable Foundation ( Ho Chi Minh City) has consistently provided monthly support to these students.

This is the third year that the Le Thanh Tam Charitable Foundation has partnered with the program, providing over 7 million VND per month for ferry fares for the children throughout the school year. (Photo: HA GIANG)

Funding is transferred to the Tan Tien Commune Youth Union to cover tuition fees and check the attendance of students at school each day. Mr. Nguyen Minh Thai, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the commune and Secretary of the Commune Youth Union, shared: "The students face many difficulties in attending school; 100% of students from the coastal area travel to school by ferry. Besides the burden of tuition fees, there are also the challenges of waking up early and the family's limited financial resources. However, since the implementation of long-term support programs such as the 'Safe Ferry for Coastal Students' program by the Ca Mau Newspaper and Radio & Television Youth Union, along with local efforts, the dropout rate has decreased. This support, in addition to easing some of the economic burden on students' families, also motivates them to strive and excel."

The communal playground at the stilt house brings joy to the children whenever the program takes place.

Do Ngoc Nhu confided: "The daily ferry fare helps me get to school and encourages me to study hard. I'm also worried that due to economic difficulties, my parents won't have enough money to send my sister and me to school anymore. I hope the teachers and staff will continue this program so that we have more motivation to try harder."

Shared spirit of volunteerism

The joy continued to spread as the program entered its 10th year, with over 30 children participating, receiving gifts and playing group games. This year, in collaboration with the Ca Mau Newspaper and Radio & Television Youth Union, the Ca Mau Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital Youth Union provided deworming medication for the children; the Green Heart - Saigon Volunteer Group, Vietcombank Ca Mau Branch, and several other youth organizations contributed funds to donate gifts including backpacks, school supplies, and snacks. Notably, life jackets continued to be donated as an annual gift, ensuring the children's safety on their way to school every day.

Practical gifts such as life jackets and school supplies were given to the children at the beginning of the school year. (Photo: HA GIANG)

Participating for the second time, Mr. Ngo Minh Quyen, Secretary of the Youth Union of the Provincial People's Procuracy, shared: “The journey to the coastal area is quite long, requiring more than two hours of travel, including both car and boat trips. Although it was arduous, we were able to personally deliver gifts to the students in Gia Long Den. Contributing to this effort and seeing the children's smiles was very meaningful. My wish, as well as that of those participating in the program, is to further motivate the children and encourage their families to strive to send their children to school.”

The 2025-2026 school year marks the 10th anniversary of the "Safe Ferry for Students in Coastal Areas" program. (Photo: TIEN LUAN)

Thanks to the networking and social mobilization efforts of the Ca Mau Newspaper and Radio & Television Youth Union over the years, the difficulties faced by children in the coastal area on their way to school have been somewhat alleviated. This journey, filled with love and assistance, has become familiar to children in this remote area.

“ For 10 consecutive years, this activity connecting the coastal area to schools has been a great dedication, aiming to ease the difficulties faced by children here on their way to school. In return, we are delighted to see some children reach secondary school, progressing to grades 8 and 9. The Youth Union sees this as a way for journalists to give love, spread the spirit of community connection, and as one of the practical activities in response to the patriotic emulation movement,” shared Trinh Chi Hai, Secretary of the Youth Union of Ca Mau Newspaper, Radio, and Television .

Trinh Ka

Source: https://baocamau.vn/10-nam-chuyen-do-ket-noi-uoc-mo-tri-thuc-a123419.html