Project No. 39 – Construction of a new boarding house for Chim Vàn commune primary school (Sơn La province, Northwest Vietnam).
Status June, 2022: On June 11th, 2022, a team of LO-ANH Foundation (LOAN Stiftung// Isabelle and Stephan Müller) visited – on own expenses and not on the expenses of the foundation – the commune of Chim Vàn, Bắc Yên district, Sơn La province (Vietnam).
Sơn La is a remote province in the Northwest region of Vietnam. It borders Laos to the south. The province covers an area of 14.123 square kilometers and has a population amounting approximatively 1.250.000,00 people. Sơn La is subdivided into 12 districts.
Bắc Yên district is a particularly difficult rural district of Sơn La province. Most locals belong to Black Tai or White Tai ethnic minorities. The majority of the students come from poor households. The distance to the main school in Bắc Yên town is 27 kilometers. The terrain is difficult and the roads are in very bad conditions.
In order to reach Chim Vàn commune, people first have to use a boat on the Da river, drive about 90 minutes to Ta Khoa bridge and then continue their way by foot or motorcycle. Children have to continue walking to school if their relatives cannot bring them further by motorcycle. This is a reason why many children have to stay during the week in a boarding house on the school site.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Völker_Vietnams
The main school has 12 classes for 360 students (190 boys, 170 girls, school-year 2021-2022). There are 6 subsidiary school points. The longest distance from the subsidiary school to the main school is about 15 km. The furthest distance from home to school of some students is 25 km, going by boat and by foot.
The total number of students staying at the central school site amounts 157 students (89 boys, 68 girls), including students from 3rd, 4th and 5th grade at subsidiary schools coming to eat, study and stay at the main school.
Until now, the school has 1 semi-boarding house with 3 rooms accommodating about 60 children. The remaining boarding students have to spend the rest of the day in the classrooms and overnight there temporarily.
Looking towards the future, Chim Vàn commune primary school is in need of following:
- 1 additional semi-boarding house with 4 rooms (about 96 square meters) with adequate lighting and ventilators for the hot season. A piece of land with 120 square meters is available directly on the school site. Overall funds needed: approx. USD 20.000,00
- 16 double bunk beds: Overall funds needed: approx. USD 1.600,00
Total amount of both positions (1 building and 16 double bunk beds: approx. USD 21.600,00
As a turnover foundation, the LO-ANH Foundation (LOAN Stiftung) can provide help directly. We would like to carry out this project, but are dependent on every financial donation. We remain optimistic that we will be able to collect the necessary funds.
In cooperation and in continuous contact with our Vietnamese partners, we will as always supervise and guide this project personally and on site. We will report on the progress regularly.
We would be delighted if you were to provide us with moral and financial support in this endeavor. Thank you very much!
Status January/February, 2023: The construction work in Chim Vàn started shortly after the Tet holidays. The building material was brought ashore in a small boat and taken to the site by truck. The foundations have been finished and the first walls have been raised.
