NINH BÌNH — A two-year-old campaign in schools in the northern province of Ninh Bình which called on each student to donate at least VNĐ1,000 has helped build eight houses for poor students worth total VNĐ500 million (US$22,000).

Head of the organisation, Trịnh Như Lâm said that the “VNĐ1,000 for Red Scarf Houses” campaign that was launched by the province’s HCM Young Pioneer Organisation last year was welcomed by students, their families, local authorities, civil organisations and companies.

Lâm said that the campaign aimed to mobilise resources to help families, particularly those unable to afford housing.

The donation was used to build or improve housing for poor families of students who overcame their difficulties to study well. “The houses are considered gifts to encourage the students to go to school and study,” he said.

Schools and teachers have paid much attention to students’ conditions in order to offer timely support.

An eight-grader, Nguyễn Trung Chiến of Gia Sinh Secondary School in northern province of Ninh Bình, held his mother’s hand at the ground breaking for their new house early this month under the campaign “VNĐ 1,000 for Red Scarf Houses”.

Chiến, who lost his left arm, lives with his mother who suffers from Cirrhosis. They struggle to make ends meet, and Chiến said he hardly asked his mother for a snack or for new clothes. “Money must be saved to treat mom’s illness,” he said.

Chiến and his mother are too poor to afford a house. They are living in his grandparents’ house - a rundown roofed house.

At school, Chiến performs well and at home, after finishing his homework, he does all the housework including cooking and herding a cow, all to reduce the burden on his mother.

Chiến said that he liked maths the most and he has many dreams. Now, he wants his mother to be cured.

He said that he will keep studying to get a good job and support her.

His mother said that without aid from his school and donators, she could never have dreamed of a new house.

The house of about 60sq.m is expected to be completed early next year. At the ground breaking ceremony, the youth union of Gia Viễn District gave Chiến’s family two tonnes of cement and the union members from communes including Gia Sinh, Gia Minh, Gia Phong, Gia Lạc and Gia Trung worked to speed up the construction.

Another beneficiary, Phạm Thị Lan Trang, studying in the eighth grade of Khánh Công Secondary School, said that she was very happy to live in a new house that was much better than her old one. “For the first time, I have a bright clean corner for studying at home,” she said.

Trang’s father suffers from a mental disorder and she said that her father’s health had improved after moving into the new house. “I wish the campaign could help more poor students,” she said. — VNS