A New Roof for the Liên San School in Vietnam
Funds raised so far: 5%
This project involves fully replacing the metal roof over the classrooms of the Liên San school, to ensure a safe and suitable learning environment for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. It aims to bring lasting improvements to safety, comfort, and the continuity of the school’s tutoring activities.
What is the situation at the Liên San school?
The Liên San school, in the Tam Nông district of Dông Tháp province, Vietnam, is run by the De La Salle Brothers. Since it was founded in 2002, it has carried out an entirely voluntary, free mission in service of children and teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds.
At first, the school offered free vocational training (motorbike repair, hairdressing, industrial sewing). Since 2019, it has evolved into a tutoring programme in maths and English for primary and secondary pupils during the school year, along with summer camps during the holidays. The school welcomes around 70 pupils from the surrounding villages during term time, and up to 120 during the school holidays.
Why is support needed?
The Liên San school has identified an urgent need to fully replace the metal roof over its classrooms, which has been in place for more than 24 years and is now badly deteriorated.
The climate of the Mekong Delta has caused advanced corrosion, holes, and recurring water leaks, making one-off repairs ineffective. This situation directly affects the pupils’ safety, disrupts lessons, and degrades learning conditions, particularly during periods of heavy rain and intense heat.
What is the proposed solution?
The solution is to fully replace the metal roof over the Liên San school’s classrooms, to ensure a safe, healthy environment suited to the local climate. This work will eliminate the water leaks, reduce the excessive heat, and ensure that teaching activities can continue in good conditions.
What makes this project so effective?
- Supporting more young people with tutoring throughout the year and over the summer, helping to promote access to education for children from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds.
- A direct impact on the children’s wellbeing and learning conditions: a newer, safer setting encourages their attendance and concentration.
- Preventing more serious deterioration in the future.
Who will benefit from this project?
70 pupils during the school year, and up to 120 pupils during the school holidays, who live in Tram Chim or the neighbouring villages.
Most are children from very poor families. The region has little economic activity and very few jobs. Families make their living from farming, fishing in the rivers, collecting waste, and selling lottery tickets. Most of these children’s parents left school in the primary years, or never studied at all.
