Community class on the edge of the rubber garden

For the past 4 years, the community class near the rubber plantations and sparsely populated cornfields in the two communes of Cam My and Song Ray has been regularly filled with the sounds of children studying and playing. This community class is organized by Buddhist nun Thich Nu Hue Dac, in charge of the An Nhien religious activity site (located in Song Ray commune), belonging to Hoang Mai pagoda (Cam My commune), and her younger brother, who is also a monk in Cam My commune.

Nun Thich Nu Hue Dac and children learn foreign languages ​​at a community class in Cam My commune.

This is a learning space for 140 children from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. Thanks to this class, many rural children, including those who have dropped out of school, have a place to learn foreign languages, practice Vietnamese handwriting and reading, and participate in life skills activities, especially during the summer.

One classroom - many hands working together

The classes are held at Hoang Mai Pagoda and at the An Nhien religious center, as well as at several private homes with spacious grounds in Song Ray commune. During the summer, classes take place on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. For the rest of the year, the children attend classes on weekends. In addition to the two nuns Thich Nu Hue Dac, there are also two teachers residing in Cam My commune who participate in teaching the classes.

Nun Thich Nu Hue Dac said: "Each child attending these two classes comes from a diverse family background, but the majority are children of rubber plantation workers, farmers, and those with other freelance jobs. Both classrooms are located amidst vast plantations or rubber gardens, with neighbors' houses quite far apart. Here, on days when they don't go to school, the children play at home. Older children help their parents with farming. Some work part-time in mushroom farms or pick fruit for hire… Because the area has many streams and lakes, the children easily invite each other to swim, fish, or go swimming without parental supervision. Based on this reality, the two nuns organized these classes to provide the children with a healthy place to learn and play."

Ms. Bui Thi My Dung, a teacher at Xuan My Primary School (Cam My commune), said: "The two classes are about 20km apart. I and another colleague take turns going to each class to teach the children. Because we admire the kindness of the two nuns, even though teaching the children in the class doesn't have funding, my colleague and I are all enthusiastic to participate. Organizing classes like this is very meaningful because it allows us to provide extra tutoring for local students during the summer, including some children from disadvantaged backgrounds who are, or have been, our students."

Besides learning and participating in activities, children attending these two classes also receive breakfast and three lunches per month. Nun Thich Nu Hue Dac further shared: Many parents, seeing the classes being organized, occasionally register to provide breakfast for their children. Some breakfast vendors even occasionally cook for the children. Many families who grow gourds, pumpkins, or other fruits, instead of using them all, pool a portion together to provide a shared meal for the children. In addition, local youth come to teach the children escape skills, how to prevent drowning, how to provide first aid for insect bites, and how to prevent and provide first aid related to electricity…

Speaking about the two classes currently being maintained, Venerable Nun Thich Nu Hue Dac said: "Initially, I didn't think the classes would have so much collaborative effort. The classes are no longer solely the responsibility of the founders, but have become a shared learning environment where everyone in the community contributes to caring for the children. This is a great joy for those of us who teach them, because this charitable work has spread throughout society."

Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Cam My commune, Tran Anh Kiet, said: "During the course of the classes, the local authorities regularly visited, encouraged, and monitored the situation. Through this, it can be seen that in recent years, the community classes conducted by monks and volunteers at the two locations have been very active and highly appreciated by parents for providing students with a place to socialize after school, cultivate morality, and promote a healthy lifestyle."

A cultural center for rural children.

Thanks to the collective efforts of the community, over the years, the children participating in the two classes have received much care and love.

Children participate in group activities at a community school in Song Ray commune.

Phan Thanh Trong (from Song Ray commune) is the eldest of five siblings. Every day, Thanh Trong and his three younger siblings go to school to study and play.

Thanh Trọng recounted: "I just finished 9th grade. My mother left home. My father works far away, so he left my five siblings and me with our grandparents. My grandparents are struggling financially and can't support all five of us. So, I'm going to drop out of school to work and help them support my younger siblings. When she heard this, Venerable Nun Thích Nữ Huệ Đắc advised me to continue going to school because I'm too young; if I work, I won't earn much money and it will jeopardize my future. But I only asked the nun to allow three of my younger siblings to continue attending school to study, play, and help with their studies. As for me, I will work as a hired hand for local gardeners because my family needs help. When I have free time, I will continue attending school."

Nguyen Ngoc Truc My (from Cam My commune) shared: "My sister and I have been attending this class for four years. Our family is Catholic, but when we learned about the class organized by Venerable Nun Thich Nu Hue Dac, our parents brought us to enroll. Here, I've learned many good things, especially how to cultivate patriotism, love for my family, and to do good deeds while avoiding evil."

For Nong Tuong Vy (from Xuan Dong commune) - one of the ethnic minority students in the class - attending school is a great joy. Because her house is nestled amidst vast cornfields, the nearest neighbor's house is very far away. And there are no neighbors her age to play with, so after finishing her schoolwork and chores, she goes to class to study.

The good reputation of the community class spread far and wide, and many parents from remote communes such as Xuan Dong, Xuan Loc, and Xuan Que, some even from neighboring communes in Lam Dong province and Ho Chi Minh City, dozens of kilometers away, still bring their children to class every day.

Literature

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202508/lop-hoc-cong-dong-ven-vuon-cao-su-b370e7e/