On 21/5, the Hope Foundation, in collaboration with Opella Vietnam, commenced the "School Sanitation" project at Khuong Tien school site, Chieng Khuong Primary School, Chieng Khuong commune, Son La province.

This project marks the construction of new sanitation facilities at one of 10 school sites during this phase. The remaining schools are located in Muong Lam, Huoi Mot, Muong Hung, and Bo Sinh communes.

The Hope Foundation and Opella Vietnam present the sponsorship plaque for building 10 sanitation facilities in Son La. *Photo: Thu Phuong*.

At the Khuong Tien school site, 144 students currently use makeshift restrooms. According to teacher Lo Thi Ha from Chieng Khuong Primary School, the current facility was built about 7 years ago. It features a corrugated iron roof sourced from local residents, lacks proper toilets, and only uses bricks for support.

"We hope to have new facilities soon so the children can study in better conditions," said teacher Ha.

Ca Thi Trang, a student at the school, expressed her desire for a new, more spacious and clean restroom. "I hope the new restroom will be nice, clean, have proper doors, and no longer smell bad so we don't feel embarrassed every time we use it," Trang said.

Old restroom at Ban Cha Huoi site - Nam Man Boarding Primary and Secondary School. *Photo: School provided*.

To improve learning conditions for highland students, the project will construct 10 new, sturdy sanitation facilities. These facilities will adhere to Ministry of Education and Training standards, with a total investment exceeding 3 billion VND. Of this, the Hope Foundation and Opella Vietnam are contributing over 2.6 billion VND, with the remaining portion covered by local counterpart funds.

The facilities are designed with 6 to 12 stalls, separated for males and females, meeting Ministry of Education and Training standards. The entire project is expected to be completed before the 2026-2027 school year.

Beyond infrastructure development, this year the program will continue to organize training activities at schools to raise student awareness. Additionally, the program includes specialized training for teachers and the production of instructional videos, aiming to foster early hygiene habits among children.

Supporting the project, Bui Thuy Trang, Head of Communications at Opella Vietnam, stated that this is the 5th year the company has partnered with the Hope Foundation on community initiatives.

"We believe that community healthcare must start with the most essential needs, especially for children in disadvantaged areas," Trang shared.

To date, Opella Vietnam has collaborated with the Hope Foundation on the School Sanitation project, constructing 90 sanitation facilities and directly supporting over 31,500 students and teachers in Son La, Ha Giang, Yen Bai, Lai Chau, and former Quang Binh provinces.

Readers can support the School Sanitation project to build more sanitation facilities for students in disadvantaged areas here:

Program name: Ten cua ban - Ve sinh hoc duong

Program ID: 145916

Thu Phuong