HCM CITY — CapitaLand, through its philanthropic arm CapitaLand Hope Foundation and wholly owned lodging business unit The Ascott Limited delivered gifts and scholarships to more than 1,400 students during the CapitaLand Volunteer Day organised this week at four CapitaLand Hope primary schools and kindergartens in Viet Nam. 

More than 1,400 students at four CapitaLand Hope Schools receive gifts and scholarships during the Mid-Autumn Festival

It was the fifth year CapitaLand organised the event at schools where it supported construction and renovation. 

More than 40 of its staff volunteered in the activity, which involved giving out schoolbags to students at CapitaLand Le Xa Hope Kindergarten (Hung Yen province), CapitaLand Tan Tay Hope Kindergarten (Long An Province), CapitaLand Quang Yen Primary Hope School (PhuTho Province), and CapitaLand Thanh Phuoc Primary Hope School (Long An Province) from 28 September to 1 October 2020.  

Students also received mooncakes and lanterns funded by the foundation to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival at schools.

Besides, 173 fifth graders were given scholarships with the aim of preparing them well for their next level after completing the final year of primary school.

Representatives of CapitaLand gift schoolbags to students at the CapitaLand Quang Yen    Primary Hope School (Phu Tho Province) on Oct 1

Students receive mooncakes and lanterns to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival at schools

This was for the fifth year that CapitaLand organised the CapitaLand Volunteer Day during which its employees do voluntary work and interact with students

A CapitaLand representative hands over a scholarship to the family of a fifth grader at the CapitaLand Thanh Phuoc Primary Hope School on September 28

Le Thi Dieu Linh, a fifth grader at CapitaLand Quang Yen Primary Hope School in PhuTho, said: “This bursary has given me confidence to make greater efforts to study. I promise to do my best to study well and bring joy not only to my family but also my school.”

Ho Hai Yen, her principal, said: “On behalf of the school, its teachers and students, we would like to express our sincere thanks to the organisations that have supported us in meeting the education needs of the students.”

Ronald Tay, chief executive officer of CapitaLand Vietnam, said: “We are pleased to organise CapitaLand Volunteer Day annually to provide underprivileged children and teachers living in rural communities with a better environment to learn and teach. 

“This is in line with our credo of ‘Building People. Building Communities.’, where we believe that a better opportunity will help boost the children’s desire to learn and their confidence to reach their full potential. 

“Our aim is for CapitaLand Vietnam to not just be a commercial success but also a socially responsible organisation.”

The company has built or renovated four CapitaLand Hope Schools in Vietnam, granted scholarships and provided teaching and learning tools to teachers and students.

It organises regular visits to schools  for its local and overseas employees for doing volunteer work and interacting with students.

Earlier this year CapitaLand and the foundation donated SARS-CoV-2 test kits capable of doing 40,000 tests, and valued at US$1 million, to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and Ministry of Health to support the community’s efforts against theCOVID-19 pandemic. 

The programme was followed by CSR efforts in collaboration with the Vietnam Red Cross Society to donate COVID-19 care kits to more than 1,400 students at the four CapitaLand Hope Schools. 

Each care kit contained antimicrobial fabric masks, liquid hand soap, hand sanitiser, and a pack of milk. 

The Red Cross gave the students personal hygiene tips to protect their health.