Hope Foundation presents nearly $80,000 to Lao Cai schools for typhoon recovery

The funds will facilitate critical repairs and rebuilding, benefiting one secondary school in Bao Yen District, two kindergartens and one secondary school in Bac Ha District, and three kindergartens alongside one secondary school in Bat Xat District.

Hope Foundation and the Vietnam-U.S. Alumni Club (VUSAC) donate VND220 million to Coc Ly Secondary School No. 2, Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province, Oct. 21, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Anh

Pho Rang Secondary School No. 1 in Bao Yen District received VND500 million to repaint 5,000 square meters of classrooms, repair damaged floors, and replace flood-damaged equipment.

Ban Vuoc Secondary School in Bat Xat received VND600 million on Oct. 22 to rebuild its dining hall, which served nearly 100 boarding students.

Dining area collapse at Ban Vuoc Secondary School, Bat Xat District, Lao Cai Province, Sept. 12, 2024. Photo provided by the school

According to Bac Ha District’s Department of Education and Training, 26 schools have requested relocation or rebuilding, while 13 require extensive repairs as of Oct. 23.

Bat Xat District reported damage to 34 schools, rendering many classrooms, dormitories, and sanitation facilities unusable.

Bao Yen District’s estimated damage exceeds VND1 trillion, affecting over 4,000 homes and severely impacting 31 schools, healthcare centers, and community facilities.

The "To Weather the Storm" campaign led by the Hope Foundation in Lao Cai has attracted contributions from numerous supporters, including De Heus LLC (VND380 million), the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese - Unite for Vietnam (VND250 million), Viettel Money and GiveNow (VND200 million), Home Credit (VND290 million), VUSAC (VND110 million), Ceragem Co., Ltd. (VND48 million), Lalamove, and thousands of VnExpress readers.

Nguyen Ngoc Thuy Ti, a representative from De Heus LLC who joined the field trips to Yen Bai and Lao Cai, expressed the company’s commitment to helping schools recover after natural disasters. "We witnessed the typhoon’s aftermath firsthand and understood the extent of local losses. Supporting these schools in restoring facilities and creating a conducive learning environment is part of our responsibility," Ti said.

Vu Ngoc Diem Hang from "Unite for Vietnam" conveyed her gratitude for being able to survey affected areas and deliver support on behalf of the overseas Vietnamese community. "Seeing the devastation, with schools buried in mud and classrooms damaged, we wanted to act swiftly to provide these schools with essential reconstruction funding," Hang said.

De Heus LLC representative gift warm clothes and supplies to children in Lao Cai, Oct. 23, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Anh

During the support mission, the Hope Foundation not only provided funding for repairs and school supplies but also donated Re.Uniqlo clothing to students and affected residents.

De Heus LLC contributed hundreds of gifts and nearly 9,000 notebooks, benefiting students across the eight schools.

As of Oct. 22, the "To Weather the Storm" campaign—a joint initiative by the Hope Foundation and VnExpress—has collected over VND10 billion in donations.

Earlier, the foundation allocated nearly VND1 billion for nine schools in Chi Lang District, Lang Son Province, and VND1.5 billion for seven schools in Yen Bai.

The foundation plans to work with local authorities to conduct further assessments and rebuild schools at risk of collapse or needing relocation due to storm damage.

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