On 20th March, at the Bình Dương Integrated Administration Center, the launch ceremony of the “Educational Development Project for Under-served Students in Difficult Circumstances in Bình Dương Province, 2023 – 2028” project took place. This initiative, carried out by the Bình Dương Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, is coordinated by Saigon Children’s Charity CIO (saigonchildren), and sponsored by SC Johnson for the first year of the project.
At the ceremony, 17 disabled and orphaned students facing tough circumstances were gifted laptops to improve their educational quality, lighten the economic burden on them and their families, and motivate them to continue their educational journey.
Phạm Thị Như Ý, one of the 17 students receiving a laptop shared: “With these laptops, we will be able to study more comfortably. Students like us, who come from difficult backgrounds, are very grateful for gifts like these. It will be a great source of motivation, encouraging us to dream bigger, aim higher, and go further in our journey of knowledge acquisition.”
The laptop distribution is one of three components of the “Educational Development Project for Underprivileged Students in Difficult Circumstances in Bình Dương Province, 2023 – 2028” project. The other two components include providing scholarships for under-served students and raising awareness among nursery teachers and parents about autism spectrum disorders.
Specifically, 100 students from financially struggling families, particularly children of under-served immigrant workers attending public schools in Bình Dương Province, will receive scholarships for up to five years (until the end of their current educational level). Moreover, the project will organise training sessions to equip them with essential skills such as communication, cyber safety, self-defence, and effective learning techniques, among others.
In the final component, the project focuses on supporting local people with knowledge and skills about autism spectrum disorder. Specifically, it will organise training courses to improve awareness among nursery teachers and parents in the area about autism spectrum disorder, as well as the critical role of early intervention for autistic children. This component is expected to be implemented over a year, benefiting 100 nursery teachers, 100 parents, and 100 preschool-aged children.
“The project aims to develop education for students in difficult circumstances in Bình Dương Province and also to raise awareness among parents and teachers about educating children. This educational development project has opened up cooperation between Bình Dương Province and non-governmental organisations, international sponsors in today’s global integration, and also highlights the significant attention of Bình Dương’s leaders in caring for children in general and especially those in particularly difficult circumstances,” Ms Nguyễn Ngọc Hằng, Deputy Director of the Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Bình Dương Province – Head of the project management committee.
During his speech, Mr Damien Roberts, Executive Director of Saigon Children’s Charity CIO, emphasised “Thirty-two years of experience means that saigonchildren has grown and developed along with Vietnam. Our goal is to help every child to become safe, secure, happy, and successful. We know that the economic development of a child means the development of the family and the community, and with tens of thousands of such cases over decades, the development of Vietnam. Today, because of all of you, we took another huge step forward together.”
SC Johnson, the sponsor of the project for the first year, has been in Vietnam for nearly three decades, locally known for brands such as Duck®, Raid®, Mr. Muscle®, Glade®, has employees and manufactures products at Bình Dương. SC Johnson Vietnam began a partnership with Saigon Children’s Charity in 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when the local team recognised a need in the community where they operate. SC Johnson supported Saigon Children’s Charity’s expertise and networks to provide food aid and back-to-school kits for neighbouring families affected by the movement restrictions.
