Cargill launches five new schools in Vietnam’s economically challenged northern mountain zones
Xem Tiếng Việt 
Cargill’s flagship Cargill Cares program today announced five new schools in Vietnam’s mountainous north. Completing its 111th school Cargill, the agricultural pioneer forges ahead on its mission to bring 150 schools to remote and rural Vietnam by decade’s end. Today’s announcement sees the addition of two new schools in Dien Bien, and one each in Cao Bang, Yen Bai and Ha Giang respectively.
The northern mountains, heavily populated by ethnic minority groups, have long been a focus for the company, with its Country President in Vietnam, Mr. Luan Nguyen noting that these four provinces represent four of the nation’s five lowest in terms of per capita GRDP for the nation[i], offering limited opportunities for education and the better opportunities that a solid educational grounding brings to future generations of kids from these communities.
“Education is essential to raise the quality of life for kids and their families in places like Tay Nguyen where the average income is a third lower than the national average,”[ii] Luan said. “Additionally, data from the local authorities tells us that eight of the Vietnam’s poorest nine provinces all lay within our mountainous northern regions.”
“This has led Cargill to geo-prioritize this zone for schools in the years to come, and our announcement of five new schools today sees us delivering on our promise to these communities.”
The new facilities include Cao Bang’s first school under Cargill Cares, the Dan Chu Kindergarten, which provides adequate education infrastructure for 150 children in the province’s Hoa An District, with six new classrooms and a playground for the kids to make the most of their recess breaks.
Yen Bai also received its first school, with the Che Tao Kindergarten welcoming 80 kids from the Mu Cang Chai District into its four classrooms in a facility that further includes a kitchen, playground and restroom block.
Nearby Ha Giang opened its second Cargill Cares school in late February, with the Huu Vinh Kindergarten operating three classrooms, restroom facilities and a new fence and gate to ensure the kids’ safeguarding while in the school’s care.
Joining these established schools this week will be two new openings in Dien Bien Province. March 16 will see 80 kids fill the three new classrooms of the Phin Ho Kindergarten in the Nam Po District, while the following day will see the inauguration of the Muong Nhe Kindergarten in its eponymous district, which also includes three classrooms for 80 children from the community.
These five new schools follow the agricultural leader’s central Vietnam school opening in Quang Nam’s Que Phong primary school late last year, which saw the 150 students take to their desks in their new library and four classroom facility located 30 kilometers south-west of Hoi An.
Cargill’s announcement today sees a total investment of more than 10 billion VND into some of Vietnam’s neediest communities, and sees the total schools opened under the program rise to 111 since the program’s commencement in 1996.
“Now into its 27th year, the Cargill Cares program has improved more lives and enriched more communities via the education of their young than we could possibly count. Our commitment and renewed focus – particularly in the norther mountains – see us working tirelessly to continue to improve the prospects of Vietnam’s future generations,” Luan concluded.
