Da Nang supporting minority tribe communities in the mountains

When CEF was told of 27 very poor minority tribe families in the mountains outside Da Nang we considered helping them with their education.

So today we went into the mountains and went to the commune and met some of the parents that we were told about.

We found that the Da Nang government had been amazingly generous and given them completely free education,  textbooks and notebooks, as well as a sum each term to make, or to buy school uniforms, allowing the children to have 4 uniforms a year.

Da Nang businesses and charities also had contributed to the community with gifts of bikes, Tet food parcels and other gifts mainly organized by DOFA in Da Nang.

This was a total surprise and new experience for us. So far we haven’t come across any children in the other areas where we work (Thai Binh or Quang Nam), receiving 100% free education including all education costs.

In the area we went today there weren't high schools, so the high school students have to go to boarding schools and all costs there also are covered.

Their homes also were good, although small. They had been built with funds from the local government. 

We were told by a Da Nang official that they try to look after the minority tribes well as they are very poor and they want to make sure the children receive an education as well, so they do what they can to make it easy.

It is true that the families we saw are poor, but they don't need help with education or housing. Their poverty is mainly because the soil is poor and they can't grow much. As it is quite isolated they can't easily get work and are dependent on local businesses for work, which for many is seasonal, such as planting in the forests and logging.

We were please to see and hear about all the support this community receives. Congratulations are due to the departments of the Da Nang government that care for the minority tribe communities and for DOFA working to ensure support goes their way. We at CEF are totally impressed with the amount of support and care they receive.