Cargill's School Building Project Creates a Lasting Impact through Education for More Than 15,000 Students in 50 Provinces of Vietnam

6:17:15 PM | 11/25/2020

Cargill’s Vietnam School Project, started in 1997, was created to build schools across rural and remote villages to make a positive impact on local communities at a time of economic and social transformation in Vietnam.

To date, 99 schools have been built, with the company realizing its goal of building 100 schools in Vietnam by 2020 when it inaugurates the final school in Nghe An Province in December 2020. With this, Cargill has achieved its objective of increasing access to education, improving enrollment and teacher retention and supporting stronger learning environments in Vietnam, according to an independent impact study published by Think Through Consulting. The investment in education across Vietnam directly translates to improved employment, health and nutrition for the country’s students and their families.

Nguyễn Bá Luân, country president for Cargill in Vietnam, said: "At Cargill, supporting local communities is fundamental to fulfilling our purpose. In Vietnam, we have focused our efforts on improving education facilities to those who had no or limited access to it. We are grateful to see the impact it has created already and will continue to create for future generations. Spanning three decades, the objectives of the project continue to be relevant in the current context, addressing the infrastructural gaps and challenges to support quality in education. In the 99 schools inaugurated to date, we see the future of Vietnam in the faces of the 15,000 school children we reach each year. Cargill is committed to continuing our support of Vietnamese communities, creating jobs and remaining an integral part of the culture and success of this country for years to come."

Sin Ngọc Tiến, principal of Che La primary school in Ha Giang, spoke at the inauguration ceremony of the 94th Cargill Cares school on 27th June 2020: “With help from Cargill, our longing for safe and conductive school facilities for Coc Cang commune has been realized. We are grateful for this kind support from Cargill and we will ensure best use and maintain the school so that it can best serve the children in the long term, helping them improve their early education and access for better life”.

Positive Impact of Cargill's Vietnam School Building Project:

Increased access to education:
For those living in rural communes, accessibility to schools is low due to rugged terrain and lack of transportation. The School Building Project has built 99 schools across Vietnam and ensured improved access to education for children in those areas, especially for female children.

Improved learning environment:
Through the project, Cargill has built larger classroom, with modern concrete structures, ventilation systems as well as natural sunlight. These classrooms are safer, require less maintenance and repair due to reduced wear and tear. In addition, the project also focused on building gates, playgrounds, and green patches in several schools.

Enhanced classroom effectiveness:
As a result of Cargill’s additional classrooms, the learning environment has been greatly improved due to fewer students per class. This reduced ratio enabled higher teaching effectiveness, student participation, and overall interaction between teachers and learners. After the infrastructure was provided and set up by Cargill, other sources invested in soft components and classroom equipment, contributing to students' improved and enjoyable learning experience.

Higher student enrollment:
An increase in student enrollment has been recorded across kindergarten and primary schools. In the 21 schools studied in this report, student attendance jumped from 1,054 students pre-intervention to 5,278 post-intervention, with enrollment increased by around 401%.

Increased teacher effectiveness and retention:
Teachers have shared that upgraded facilities at Cargill-supported schools ensured more productive and worthwhile teaching time. After Cargill's intervention, the People Committees in most areas became more attentive to school development needs and recruited more qualified teachers to work in facilities with better infrastructure.

Impact on employment, WASH, health & nutrition
As Cargill provided affordable schooling facilities for children 15 - 18 months old, women from rural village households could join the formal workforce to add to their family income. Many schools now have daycare services, clean drinking water, and nutritious meals to improve students' health. The upgraded infrastructure also brought improvements in the hygiene and sanitation habits of children.

Cargill’s most extensive community support programme in Vietnam envisions a brighter future for rural communities

Cargill's Vietnam School Project was established in 1997 to support students in agricultural communities in rural Vietnam. It provides students access to quality education in a safe and conducive environment. Since then, the project has become the most extensive community support programme by Cargill in Vietnam. The strategic intent of the project is to invest in the future of Vietnam, with an aim to contribute to the Vietnamese Government’s efforts in reviving the social and economic pillars of the country. The program has inspired seamless participation from employees, dealers, suppliers, and the community in the execution and continued expansion of the initiative.

After the reconstruction of the first two classrooms in Dong Nai Province's Giang Dien Primary school in 1997, Cargill expanded the project’s geographical reach over the North, Central, and South regions of Vietnam, with consistent support from all stakeholders. By November 2020, the programme has already supported the infrastructure development of 99 schools in 50 provinces as well as the academic needs of over 15,000 students annually. Nghiên Loan 2 boarding school for ethnic minority students is the 99th school that was inaugurated in Nghiên Loan commune, Pác Nặm district, Bắc Kạn province on 20th November 2020. In addition, Cargill plans to transfer the 100th facility named Văn Thành primary school in Văn Thành district, Nghệ An province, on 11th December 2020.

Click here to view the full report.

D.B (Vietnam Business Forum)