Free lunch halfway up the mountain

Lunchtime at Dak Sao 1 Ethnic Boarding Primary and Secondary School (Dak Sao commune, Quang Ngai province) is truly heartwarming. Within the school grounds, a gentle wisp of smoke rises from the kitchen stoves in the sunlight, the aroma of freshly cooked rice mingling with the laughter of children. Teachers are busy, some stirring rice, others washing vegetables, still others tending the fires… Everyone is bustling about, but their faces are radiant.

- Ảnh 1. — The students have lunch at school.

For over two years now, the teachers and students here have become accustomed to this scene. Nearly 200 students who are not eligible for the boarding program still receive free lunch at school thanks to the generosity of the teachers, parents, and benefactors.

On October 11th, Mr. Pham Quoc Viet, the school principal, shared: "Most of the students here live far away, some walking several kilometers. Previously, after school in the morning, they would go home for lunch, but many were absent in the afternoon because of the long distance and fatigue. Feeling sorry for them, the teachers discussed and decided to cook lunch for them so that the students could rest and study better in the afternoon."

The free lunch program was launched in the 2024-2025 school year with nearly 180 students and will continue into the 2025-2026 school year with 170 students. Every day, after morning classes, the teachers go into the kitchen, some chopping vegetables, some washing rice, and others portioning out the meals. The majority of the funding comes from generous donors, while the teachers contribute labor, vegetables, and other supplies.

Each lunch consists of white rice, vegetable soup, fish, braised meat or fried eggs, and for students in the highlands, it's a great joy. Y Nhu (a 5th-grade student) shyly said: "Before, I had to go home for lunch, which was very far, so I was tired from studying in the afternoon. For the past two years, the teachers have allowed me to eat at school. The rice is delicious, with soup and fish, which helps me feel full so I can study better."

In the mountainous region of Dak Sao, maintaining student attendance has never been easy. Therefore, the meals cooked by teachers not only help students feel full but also serve as a bond that keeps them coming to class every day.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bua-com-trua-mien-phi-o-lung-chung-nui-185251014190702689.htm