Three times a week, the small classroom within the Ecoka Joint Stock Company premises is filled with the sounds of children studying and laughing. This free computer and English class was conceived and maintained by Mr. Ha Anh Truong since September 2023.
Mr. Ha Anh Truong shared: “When I returned to this rural area, I saw that the educational opportunities for young children were limited. There was a shortage of English teachers and computer science teachers, so I and the company members opened these classes. This also aligns with the company's development direction, which is to develop in an ESG (environmental, social, governance) and sustainable direction.”
According to Mr. Truong, there are currently about 70 students, all children of artisans in the water hyacinth weaving village in Vinh Thuan Dong commune, participating in the program. The computer class is held on Wednesdays, while the English class is held on Tuesdays and Fridays. Thanks to his pedagogical background and IT expertise, Mr. Truong teaches the computer class himself. For the English class, he hires a foreign teacher to teach online and a Vietnamese teacher to assist the students.
Besides English and computer skills, Ecoka's educational project for children in the craft village of Vinh Thuan Dong commune also includes a free library. This provides children with an active learning environment, access to diverse knowledge, and fosters a reading habit from an early age, while also creating a safe learning space within the craft village.
The children enjoy learning English.
“Children who are passionate about handicrafts will have the opportunity to learn and receive guidance. In addition, they will learn how to run a business from an early age. The library is open daily from 5 PM to 8:30 PM, so children can come whenever they like,” shared Mr. Ha Anh Truong.
The initial success of the community project was remarkable. However, when the project first started, Mr. Truong faced challenges as many parents and artisans didn't understand its purpose and were hesitant. Gradually, however, they began to trust the project and brought their children to learn more. In addition, Mr. Truong had to rearrange his work schedule to personally teach the computer classes, ensuring the children received the correct curriculum.
Ms. Truong Kim Chi, a craftswoman at Ecoka Joint Stock Company, said that her youngest son is attending free classes there and is making good progress. “Besides computer skills and English, the teachers also teach macrame tying to the children. We live in the countryside with low incomes, so we can't afford to send our children to extra classes outside. Thanks to these free classes, the people around the craft village are very happy,” Ms. Kim Chi shared.
In addition, every year Mr. Ha Anh Truong also awards scholarships to underprivileged students who are children of artisans in traditional craft villages. Annually, the company also provides assistance to employees in difficult circumstances to build houses. Seeing the significance of these projects, many people in the company voluntarily contribute and support the activities to make them more complete.
"In educational projects, I am very passionate about changing the perspective and mindset of young children, but their own efforts are what truly matter. They should have a higher purpose in their studies, rather than just studying to earn money or get a job," Mr. Truong expressed.
Currently, Mr. Truong and Ecoka Joint Stock Company are focusing on developing their ongoing projects, especially the education project, where he is passionate about nurturing critical thinking and a desire to learn in children in traditional craft villages. Once the project is stable and he has gained experience, Mr. Truong will continue to expand other community programs, multiplying opportunities for change for many people.
Text and photos: MONG TOAN
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/lop-hoc-mien-phi-o-lang-nghe-dan-luc-binh-a195460.html
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