Selling cocktails to raise funds to donate computers to schools in mountainous areas

This September, the online community was moved by the second fundraising cocktail sale program to buy computers for mountainous schools by bartender Nguyen Phu Cuong and his colleagues.

Last year, during a trip across Vietnam to the northern mountainous provinces, Nguyen Phu Cuong (32 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) and his wife clearly felt the shortage of students there. As a bartender with nearly 10 years of experience, he decided to implement a program to sell cocktails to buy computers for children through the Cheers For Change fund he founded in 2024.

Bartenders Pham Hoai Nam and Nguyen Phu Cuong (2nd and 3rd from left) at a cocktail sale in Ho Chi Minh City

PHOTO: PHAN DIEP

Changing perspectives on the bartender profession

According to Mr. Cuong, the name of the fund Cheers For Change means people having fun together over cocktails, celebrating making positive changes in life.

"The image of bars, cocktails, or bartenders has always been associated with negative stereotypes. Through the project, I want to "go against the wind" with everyone, proving that the community is civilized drinkers, drinking responsibly towards themselves, their families and society by working together to create meaningful things," Cuong shared.

Mr. Cuong's second program includes activities such as selling fundraising cocktails in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi , calling for contributions from brands, and the companionship of 36 bars nationwide in September.

Khang and his friends supported the fundraising program for the second time.

PHOTO: PHAN DIEP

As of September 18, the Vietnamese bartender community has raised more than VND354 million. At a recent cocktail sale in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Cuong and bartender Pham Hoai Nam (champion of the 2025 Flavor Masters competition) created a menu with cocktails with typical flavors of each region. The boys' cocktails have the flavor of Ly Son garlic, Northwest herbs, lemongrass in Hue beef noodle soup and Da Lat oolong tea.

"I drank a cocktail that cost 190,000 VND and contributed all of that money to the program. This is an event that has a huge influence on the Vietnamese bartender industry," Nguyen Le Khang (22 years old, a customer supporting the program for the second time) shared.

On September 24, Mr. Cuong went to Hanoi to continue selling cocktails to contribute more to the fund. It is estimated that the amount of money raised will be about 400 million VND, equivalent to 59 computers. So far, he has chosen 5 schools in the northern mountainous region and the Central Highlands with a total of nearly 3,000 students to donate computers, and at the same time connected with sponsors to donate 700 coats to the children.

Previously, in January 2025, Mr. Cuong donated 173 million VND to buy 25 computers to give to 2 schools.

From screen to dream

Mr. Nguyen Hong Luong, Principal of Chien Pho Ethnic Boarding Secondary School ( Tuyen Quang province) said: "Last year, the school received 15 computers from the bartender community represented by Mr. Cuong, which are still in good use today. Students in mountainous areas rarely have early access to computers and the internet, so they are very excited and thank the community for this gift. With 15 computers, each class has 2-3 students sharing 1 computer, taking turns practicing."

Mr. Cuong and his wife took a photo with Principal Nguyen Hong Luong in January 2025, when they presented the computer.

PHOTO: NVCC

Ms. Hoang Le Thuy Tran (31 years old, Mr. Cuong's wife) shared: "Seeing the children practicing on the computer for the first time, looking at their clumsy hands hesitant to touch the keyboard, I feel more sorry for them. For urban children practicing with computers is easy, but for children in the mountains, it is a dream."

Mr. Cuong and his wife chose to volunteer for education because they believe that knowledge will help children change their lives, improve their family's life, and build and develop their homeland. "It's no longer just fields, hills, buffaloes..., in front of them is a new world appearing through the computer screen. That's why I named the program's slogan "From Screen To Dream" - From screen to dream", Mr. Cuong said.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ban-cocktail-gay-quy-tang-may-tinh-cho-truong-hoc-mien-nui-185250921225755514.htm