Children of the 'Land of Blossom'.

Huu Van Banh, a 44 years-old Khmer ethnic minority teacher, has already taught for 24 years. His school forms part of the Ho Thi Ky school, Thoi Binh district, Ca Mau province. The word ‘school’ is not, however, entirely appropriate. The school only consists of 4 temporary primitive classrooms. Two-thirds of the pupils attending this Elementary school are ethnically Khmer.

Huu Van Banh’s has made the same lengthy journey to school for the last 24 years. Rising early Huu walks 3km river ferry which he then uses to cross the river to the school. The journey takes him almost an hour each day. On rainy days both teacher and pupils wade arduously bare feet through the mud. For those teaching in remote areas it is common to encounter very basic facilities. Unfortunately, these difficulties are often accentuated in rural schools for Khmer pupils. Worse still, parents, preoccupied with field work, take little interest in their child’s education.

One of the biggest difficulties faced by teachers at this elementary level is that children do not understand Vietnamese. Lessons are usually taught in Viet-Khmer. Banh is also expected to clean up muddy and dirty pupils before starting school. Other duties include having to keep books and notebooks at school to prevent them from being lost and deteriorating. It is common got Banh to hear, after a book going missing, an innocent explanation such as “my brother tore them out”. Out of school, Banh has paid personal visits to each pupil’s family to encourage the parents and to discuss their children’s study. Like an old proverb says “little by little”, pupils gradually attend classes more regularly and more assiduously.

After classes, the pupils pick up snails in the river.

Teacher Banh’s family live in a far-away paddie field. His modest salary supports the whole family including his wife and two young children. His wife is Khmer. Her job is seasonal, varying from grass cutting to shrimp peeling. When unemployed, she goes fishing or laying fish traps whether it rains or not. However, the family is still living in poverty. When being asked “what he would do if he receive the fund of “Supporting remote and mountainous areas” program”, he spontaneously answered, “My greatest dream is to have enough money to re-roof the school in order for the kids to have a dry place to study during rainy days”. To receive the fund of Tan Tao Group would be a dream come true.

Brightly young eyes like sun-rays, early dewdrops

Leaving Banh at the dock, due to the impossible muddy route to school, however, we could perceive the school leaf-roof flash far-away, think of children ‘s smiles and dreams brought up from hearts, dedication and sacrifice of those teachers who has fought up to overcome difficulties and keep on teaching. Those shining eyes, pure like morning dews, will be illuminated with all their teachers’ heart in such remote Country’s front end where flow the rivers colored by the alluvial soil from which we fervently believe in this “Land of blossom”.

Teacher Banh at Lang Tram dock, the way to school