Ka Sen School - Vietnam

Thanh Lang Primary School is seeking $13,000AUD ($230 million VND) to build facilities in Ka Sen to support their indigenous students (14 pictured above): "We want to ensure our kids don’t miss out on school.”

This call for funds for this project is inspired by a dedicated campaigner in Nha Trang, Ms Thanh Binh Ton Nu, a career journalist, from Quang Binh herself.

Setting an example, she is donating 1 month's salary; and has tirelessly, on Facebook and in person rallied everyone and anyone that she has met, reaching over $70 million VND ($4000AUD), and counting. She is now on the hunt for contacts, suppliers for books and uniforms, on top of the principal's wishlist of amenities her students to be built in Ka Sen:

1) A kitchen and a rest room so her students can stay after their morning classes, reducing the chances of kids going home, a long trek for them, and not coming back for afternoon classes. This requires $140 million VND ($8000AUD) to fix the much rundown 2 existing rooms comprising 100sqm including fixing the roof (tin or alternative), putting in concrete flooring, and fixing the walls amongst other much needed repairs.

2) A patio of 200sqm for the kids to safely play on $50 million VND ($2800AUD)

3) Appliances to make a kitchen: gas stove, rice cooker, kettle, crockery & cutlery ~$10 million VND ($570AUD)

4) A toilet for students and staff ~$30 million VND ($1,700AUD)

These amenities -that would be taken for granted in most schools- would make a significant difference to keeping the kids school.

Ms Thanh Binh Ton Nu explained, “It means they don’t need to go home for lunch, where home is up in the hills far from school, and they can't come back for afternoon classes. The teachers go out of their way to personally escort the kids to and from school. All these simple things mean the kids a) can go to school and b) can stay in school.” As the principal emphasised in her letter, “we don’t want any absent days, we want to ensure 100% attendance for the 14 students”.

The aim for this fundraising round is $4000AUD, a friendly challenge set my Ms Thanh Binh, for a good cause to match the same level of funds she herself has raised.

If you would like a handmade thank you drawing, by my children, for your donation please put your email in the comments (and I'll contact you) or send an email with your name and address to t.tran[at]latrobe.edu.au

THANK YOU - YOUR KINDNESS MAKES A DIFFERENCE

For a sample of the Facebook campaign, see: https://www.facebook.com/thanhbin...

LIVE UPDATE 3 July - Ms Thanh Binh has almost reached her fundraising target of $230M VND. She is just $4.5M VND shy! Almost there!

About me:
I have over two decades of experience (professional and volunteering) in international and community development. I moved from Australia to Vietnam to immerse my family in my Vietnamese culture, particularly to give my kids the chance to grow into global citizens. In choosing projects to support, I look for sustained support by the local community, accountability to the beneficiaries, and real positive impacts. 

Professional profile: linkedin.com/in/trantt/