The ARC Volunteer Group recently received funding through The Nippon Foundation’s “Dream Piggy Bank” project to build two elementary schools in the Central Highlands of Kon Tum Province in Vietnam. This was accomplished with the cooperation of the Asian Education Friendship Association (AEFA).

ARC Secretary Generaｌ Ms Asazuki presents her organization’s memorial plaque

ARC volunteer members attended the opening ceremonies of the schools in Kon Tum Province. Villagers celebrated with folk dances and songs, and passed around a local brew to toast the event.

The kids said happily about one of the new schools, “It’s a bright, pretty school.” One little girl commented, “I have a dream to become a teacher or doctor.”

Happy kids at one of the new schools

ARC secretary general Ms Asazuki presented the local education director general with a memorial plaque inscribed with ARC’s logo and a message of encouragement which read “Study Well, Be Kind to Others, and Learn the Importance of Life.”

The presentation ceremony was held outdoors in rather warm weather among 200 villagers and students from the two new schools, named the Konpia School and Dakha School.

Ms Asazuki then distributed gifts – T-shirts and ball point pens -- to all the students as gifts from ARC members in Japan. She also gave the girls hair bands and showed them how to put up their hair.

Deputy Governor of Kon Tum Province Mr Dodan Kuoto said, “This area is delayed in development. Education is necessary in order to improve the economy. We appreciate this assistance in building the schools.”

Kids at the Konpia School talk about their dreams with ARC volunteer staff members

Local officials emphasized the point with visiting ARC volunteers that the government was building a new Vietnam and education is an important foundation for that purpose.

The new schools were built in an area populated by the Sedang hill tribe people. The ARC volunteers were the first foreigners for the children to meet.

Nuuenti Nok Han, a 30 year old Sedang teacher, said things are going well for the social integration of the Sedang people, but we are very happy to receive such assistance for the sake of our children,” he said.

Village people gathering to watch the opening ceremony of one of the new schools

Kon Tum province’s ethnic minorities account for 80% of the population. It is a difficult place to live, since the area was a focal point of fierce fighting during the Vietnam War, and Agent Orange was dropped in large amounts over the province. The defoliant continues to have a negative impact on harvests. Crops only yield about 3 months worth of sustenance, and the remainder must be supplied by the government.

Roads are poor, so to visit schools in the outlying villages, it takes up to two hours by car from the main towns. During the rainy season, the situation is worse with cars barely able to move on the muddy roads.

AEFA intends to eventually build 100 schools throughout Kon Tum Province, but progress is slow due to the central mountains' rugged conditions. Still, a total of 51 schools have been completed to date, and the program is on track to finish the remainder of schools.