The Backpack that carries a dream
"I used to carry my books in a cloth bag," says Vietnamese student Sào. "Now that I have a backpack, going to school is so much easier and I don't have to worry about my books getting wet or damaged."
At 15, Sào is the youngest child of a H’Mông family living in Hà Giang province. Her family relies on rice, maize and livestock farming to make ends meet. Her two older brothers had to leave school early – one after seventh grade, the other after first grade – to work far away from home. Life has been hard for them, so Sào’s parents are pinning all their hopes on their youngest daughter, encouraging her to stay in school so she can have a better future.
Recovering after Typhoon Yagi
When Typhoon Yagi hit, Sào’s family was hit hard. A landslide buried part of their house, crushing the back wall, and destroyed their rice fields just before harvest, making an already difficult situation even worse. Their buffalo barn and house were left dangerously tilted and on the verge of collapse. The storm also cut off the roads to school, forcing Sào to miss a week of classes. When she finally returned, she found all her books, notebooks and clothes in the school dormitory soaked and ruined.
After thorough consultation with the affected community, Sào received a learning kit that included a new backpack as part of Plan International’s response to Typhoon Yagi. For the first time, she had a proper bag to carry her books in. “I didn’t have one before, so I had to sew a bag out of cloth. Now I have a real backpack to take to school, along with notebooks, pens and even tools like rulers, set squares and a compass.”
For Sào, having the right school supplies makes all the difference. She no longer has to worry about running out of notebooks or not having a pen when she needs one. She can concentrate on her studies. “Since receiving this support, studying has become so much easier. I don’t have to worry about my school supplies anymore.”
The support has also eased the financial burden on her family. Her father, Lần, shares his relief: “Now she can go back to school without worrying. We no longer have to sell our rice just to buy her notebooks and pens.” Sào says this means a lot – she understands how hard her parents work to keep her in
school. “I will study hard so that one day I can help my family, so that my parents and brothers don’t have to struggle anymore.”
Her teacher, Cường, recognises the importance of this support: “School supplies are a really meaningful gift for these students. They were so excited when they received them and used them right away. While this may seem like short-term support, it has a huge impact in helping them quickly regain stability after the typhoon, especially for those from disadvantaged families. In addition, our school received a new retaining wall, which is now solid and secure, ensuring the safety of our students as they learn and play every day.”
A simple learning kit may not seem like much, but for Sào it’s more than just a backpack – it’s the motivation she needs to keep striving, keep learning, and follow her dream of a better future.
About the project
With funding from European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the Humanitarian Assistance Response to Tropical Cyclone YAGI and the Aftermath in Vietnam (HARYAV) project will run for six months, from October 2024 to March 2025. The project has distributed hygiene kits to 200 households, menstrual health kits to 605 women and girls, and 300 students, including Sào, have been selected to receive learning kits. Three schools in Ha Giang and Phu Tho provinces are also undergoing repair and reconstruction. In addition, 2,300 leaflets on child protection in emergencies and 2,300 leaflets on post-disaster hygiene and sanitation have been distributed. To date, a total of 3,506 people have directly benefited from this humanitarian assistance.
Categories: Emergencies
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