Golf

Golfers receive prizes at the Swing for the Kids awards ceremony on October 21 in Hà Nội. Photos of VIR

HÀ NỘI —The 16th charity golf tournament Swing for the Kids featured almost 250 golfers on October 21 at the BRG Kings Island Golf Resort in Đồng Mô, Sơn Tây Town, suburb of Hà Nội.

Competing on two courses, Mountain View and Lakeside, golfers earned prizes for the overall champion and group winners, along with awards to those who make the longest drive and nearest the pin.

At the awards ceremony, oragnisers presented VNĐ300 million (US$12,200) collected from competitors and donations to the Việt Nam Education Promotion Fund. They also pledged to sponsor scholarship programmes to encourage studying activities.

“For the past 16 years, the organisers have been honoured to receive the unconditional kindness and support from the leaders of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, donators, and the business community, so that the Swing for the Kids was truly a helpful charity tournament," said Lê Trọng Minh, head of the organising board.

“Every golfer's swing today plays a role in building the best things in life,” Minh, Vietnam Investment Review (VIR) editor-in-chief said.

Golfers at the Swing for the Kids event. They have contributed hundred of millions of đống to support students.

Since it began, Swing for the Kids has raised more than VNĐ20 billion ($834,000) helping more than 20,000 students and improving schools in 40 cities and provinces nationwide.

The tournament is held annually by the VIR in collaboration with BRG Group and SeaBank with the support of many other sponsors.

After the awarding ceremony, organisers collected VNĐ70 million from an auction of a Bruno Shohnle-brand watch.

It will be used to upgrade facility for Bản Rào Tre School's camp in Hương Liên Commune, Hương Khê District, Hà Tĩnh Province.

The school for about 20 children of Chứt people is one of the smallest ethnic minorities in Việt Nam.

"Currently, teachers have to take care the students in all activities from taking them to school and bringing them back home, caring their eating, sleeping and studying," Principal Đinh Thị Thanh Hòa wrote in a letter to VIR two weeks ago.

"If we do not pick them up or prepare food and drinks, the children will not go to school and their parents do not worry much about them.

A teacher takes care of her Chứt students during their lunch at school.

 "Apart from the newly built school, the facility is not equipped as basically needed. We really hope that VIR could invite sponsors to help our teachers and student ease their difficulties."

In addition to the cash from the auction, the organisers also received donations from many golfers and enterprises.

The cash would partly assist the students in studying and living in better conditions. Further, it would push Chứt people's lives, gradually eliminating hunger and reducing poverty in a sustainable way and promoting their social integration and narrowing the gap of development among peoples. VNS