Quietly nurturing green border

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - On an autumn morning at the border, the sky is higher and clearer. Hearing the command whistle, the boy Giang A Phang immediately got up, folded his blanket, cleaned himself and went to the yard to exercise with his "fathers" and uncles at Trung Ly Border Guard Station. Regularly, for more than a year now, since being adopted as a "foster child" at the border guard station, he has become accustomed to the lifestyle here, eating, living and doing activities with the border guards.

Opening ceremony of the new school year 2024-2025 for students at Trung Ly commune inter-school.

Major Nguyen Van Thien, Political Commissar of Trung Ly Border Guard Station, shared: "When we took Phang home, his leg was pierced by a bamboo stake. Without treatment for a long time, he was at risk of necrosis. If we had waited any longer, he would have had to have his leg amputated. Knowing the situation, the unit took him to Thanh Hoa Children's Hospital for emergency surgery. Phang was born in 2012 and lost his father when he was 4 years old. His mother left him to get married not long after that."

It was thought that with such difficult circumstances, the boy would no longer be able to go to school like his peers. But a miracle happened, knowing his difficult circumstances, officers and soldiers of Trung Ly Border Guard Station took him into their unit as an adopted son, caring for him with the love of soldiers. It was also because he felt the love and care of the border guards that Phanh became very obedient. From being shy and unfamiliar, now the border guard station has become familiar and close to him.

"Entering the new school year, the unit bought bicycles, prepared books, school supplies, school uniforms, clothes, shoes, and school bags to serve his studies. In addition, during the past summer months, the unit assigned officers to tutor Phang to review his knowledge so that he could absorb new knowledge faster when entering the new school year" - Major Nguyen Van Thien added.

Implementing the consistent motto: "The station is home, the border is the homeland, the people of all ethnic groups are blood brothers", with affection and responsibility, Thanh Hoa Border Guard has supported and encouraged the children of the border people to overcome difficulties to firmly step on the path of knowledge. The program "Helping children go to school" and the model "Adopted children of border guard stations" have supported 106 students (including 11 students from Laos) with an amount of 500,000 VND/child/month; maintaining the support of 8 students with especially difficult circumstances so that they can continue studying at 6 border guard stations.

In the border area, children who had a difficult life and were at risk of dropping out of school now have a new life. For Giang A Do, in On village, Tam Chung commune, going to school every day is probably the greatest joy at the moment. Both his father and mother are in trouble with the law due to drug-related crimes. Giang A Do currently lives with his elderly grandparents who are no longer able to take care of their grandchildren, so Do lives in a situation of "today in this house, tomorrow in another house". Relatives take turns raising him. What Do fears most is not knowing when his education will have to stop.

Understanding the difficulties of students in remote areas, the project "Raising Children Together in Muong Lat" was launched in September 2022, creating a bridge for 831 students in 15 schools to receive support of 150,000 VND/month/student from "foster parents". The project is sponsored by the Ho Chi Minh City Banking Union, businesses and philanthropists.

As one of the first schools to implement the project, Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Vice Principal of Tam Chung Primary School, could not help but be moved by the benefits the project brings. According to Mr. Hung, Tam Chung Primary School has a total of 7 schools. The farthest school is On village, more than 20km from the commune center, with 100% of the students being Mong ethnic people. Now, every day at school for the children is a happy day thanks to the project "Together raising Muong Lat children".

Although the journey to extend education in the border area is still full of hardships, with the joint efforts of the government, the people and the community, the students here will continue to go to school, cherishing the dream of a brighter tomorrow.

Article and photos: Hoang Lan

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/tham-lang-uom-mam-xanh-bien-gioi-260582.htm