Meaningful gifts for students in mountainous regions.

Library bookshelves, essential learning materials and equipment… are meaningful and practical gifts that organizations and businesses have donated to students in the mountainous commune of Cuc Phuong (Nho Quan), helping them to study in more adequate conditions.

Although the library at Cuc Phuong Secondary School is not large, it is arranged and presented in a scientific , logical, and engaging manner. The collection of books, newspapers, and magazines is quite diverse, suitable for the reading needs of the students in the school.

According to teachers and students, this small library is very meaningful. It is not only a place to store books and newspapers, but also represents the affection and valuable source of knowledge that the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of the Vietnam News Agency has donated to the school since 2018.

The bookshelves in this small library are named after Dinh Huu Du - a talented and passionate journalist from Ninh Binh province. Journalist Dinh Huu Du passed away while reporting from the scene of the 2018 floods. While he was alive, the young journalist Dinh Huu Du had a strong desire to bring books to children in mountainous areas.

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of the Vietnam News Agency—the agency where journalist Dinh Huu Du worked during his lifetime—chose Cuc Phuong Secondary School to fulfill the young journalist's unfinished wish. At that time, the school library had received approximately 5,000 books. The books were also very diverse, including textbooks, reference books, comic books, etc. This donated collection of books and newspapers enriched and diversified the school's book collection.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Dung, Principal of Cuc Phuong Secondary School, was deeply moved: "In Cuc Phuong, children haven't had much access to a rich source of books and newspapers that suit their needs. Therefore, the Dinh Huu Du book collection donated by the Vietnam News Agency is truly a precious and meaningful gift for the teachers and students of our school over the years. This collection of books and newspapers has helped the children have better conditions for learning. The books donated, from the heartfelt dedication of the late journalist Dinh Huu Du to bringing reading culture to students in the highlands, also tell a touching story that encourages students to appreciate, utilize, and effectively develop this special book collection."

Currently, although the school still faces many difficulties and lacks sufficient funds for regular book updates and adequate facilities, the number of students seeking out books is increasing. To bring books closer to the students, the school has placed books in the classrooms' bookshelves, making it convenient for them to read during breaks and whenever they come to class.

There, students can search for books according to their needs or borrow them to take home. In the library's Zalo group, the librarian collects digital copies of books so that students can read them online or borrow them to take home. In addition, the school regularly awards prizes to students who are avid readers and remember and read many books during the flag-raising ceremony.

Currently, Cuc Phuong Kindergarten has 8 classes with a total of 195 children, of whom 184 are from the Muong ethnic group. A survey revealed that the school lacks the necessary equipment for nurturing, caring for, and educating children according to the minimum list of teaching aids, toys, and equipment for preschool education.

Recently, through the connection of the Provincial Red Cross Society, a volunteer group from Samsung Electronics Vietnam Co., Ltd.   The delegation visited and donated equipment to support the nurturing, care, and education of children at the school. Specifically, the delegation donated 350m2 of artificial grass, 4 water heaters, 10 sets of tables and chairs, 100 sets of learning materials, 6 air conditioners, 200 gift sets including cakes and milk, and 54m2 of wall paint… with a total value of over 180 million VND.

Mr. Choi Joo Ho, General Director of Samsung Electronics Vietnam Co., Ltd. and head of the volunteer group, said: "For young children, school is considered a second home, a place where they live, study, and play to develop comprehensively both physically and mentally. Visiting and donating equipment to preschool students in Cuc Phuong is a meaningful program of Samsung Vietnam, aiming to support the construction of a quality learning environment, helping students study in better conditions to build a solid foundation for their future."

Receiving these meaningful gifts, Ms. Dinh Thi Thu, Principal of Cuc Phuong Kindergarten, shared her joy: "Cuc Phuong is a locality in the province that still faces many difficulties. Over the years, the school has received great attention from the Party, the State, the province, and the locality in building and improving facilities to serve teaching and learning. Especially, in this journey of striving for progress, the school has also received the attention and support of businesses, organizations, and philanthropists."

On the day of receiving gifts from Samsung Electronics Vietnam Co., Ltd., after directly carrying out meaningful tasks such as repainting walls, installing grass, laying garden tiles, and installing tables and chairs, the members of the volunteer group also personally prepared lunch for the children. The affection and special care shown by the volunteer group from Samsung Electronics Vietnam Co., Ltd. to the teachers and children of Cuc Phuong Kindergarten not only contributed to improving the infrastructure, supplementing equipment with modern facilities, and creating a good environment for children to learn and develop, but also served as a great source of encouragement for the teachers and children to continue striving for even greater achievements in childcare and education.

Mr. Dinh Van Xuan, Chairman of the People's Committee of Cuc Phuong Commune, said: "In recent years, Cuc Phuong Commune has achieved many outstanding and comprehensive results in socio-economic development. Schools at all levels have been invested in and built in a spacious and solid manner, basically meeting the teaching and learning needs of teachers and students. In addition to the commune's efforts, the joint efforts and support of organizations and businesses through meaningful gifts such as libraries and teaching equipment have contributed to improving the infrastructure, creating the best environment for students to study and train, and providing a 'driving force' for the comprehensive and sustainable development of education in the locality."

Text and photos: Dao Hang

Source: https://baoninhbinh.org.vn/nhung-mon-qua-y-nghia-cho-hoc-tro-vung-cao/d2023120414397775.htm