On January 4, 2025, SCI Group organized a meaningful journey to the historical Quang Tri Ancient Citadel, a site that holds significant historical importance in Vietnam's struggle for national defense.
In a solemn and emotional atmosphere, delegates reverently offered flowers and incense at the central memorial of the Ancient Citadel to honor the outstanding sons of the homeland who bravely fought, sacrificed, and forever rest in the heroic land of Quang Tri. After the flower and incense offering ceremony, the delegation observed a moment of silence to pay tribute and honor the immense contributions of the heroic martyrs during the 81-day-and-night battle to protect the Quang Tri Ancient Citadel during the fiery summer of 1972. This battle played an essential role in the victory at the Paris Conference, paving the way for the Spring 1975 general offensive and uprising that completely liberated the South and reunified the country.
In parallel with the Journey to Historical Roots, to promote the tradition of solidarity and the spirit of "mutual support", the SCI Group charity team coordinated with partner units, BIDV Bank Ha Dong Branch and Tien Dat Stainless Steel Group, to organize a meaningful trip to Huong Hoa - a mountainous border district in the west of Quang Tri province. During the development of projects in the province, SCI Group accessed many schools and villages with very basic facilities in remote areas of the locality's economically challenged regions. The trip was part of the charity program "Support for education and community activities in Mountainous Areas 2024" with a total budget of up to 430 million VND, which contributed to bringing a new look to schools and cultural houses, while also donating many practical gifts, showing the sharing and support for the local people.
Xa Ro school, part of Ba Tang Kindergarten, is the southernmost school in Huong Hoa district, located more than 45km from the center of Khe Sanh town. Situated close to the Vietnam-Laos border with difficult traffic, Xa Ro school is separated from other schools in the commune.
Since 2018, the school has started implementing a kitchen to cater to the day-boarding needs of the children. However, due to economic constraints, the school had to temporarily set up a tin kitchen and use a classroom for the children to have lunch and store boarding items, which has caused difficulties in cooking and ensuring food safety for the children. Additionally, it has prevented the school from opening more classes for children of different ages due to the lack of classrooms. The facilities and equipment for teaching, learning, and children's activities here are also lacking. Through usage, the road to the school has been damaged, the gate and fence system degraded, and the bathroom doors and ventilation windows of the classrooms need replacing. Last school year, the school had two mixed-age classes, 3-4 and 5-6 years old, with a total of 62 children, all of whom are Van Kieu ethnic minority children. This year and in the years to come, the school plans to open an additional class for children aged 24-36 months, increasing the total number of students at the school to 80-85 children.
In September 2024, after surveying, planning, and receiving local approval, SCI Group and partner units quickly began constructing a new day-boarding kitchen and renovating and upgrading the degraded infrastructure at Xa Ro school. By early 2025, the charity team handed over the project and gifted essential equipment and supplies such as refrigerators, rice cookers, standing fans, gas stoves, water pumps, etc., to provide better living conditions and a learning environment for the students there. The inauguration ceremony of the newly renovated school was attended by school representatives, including Mr. Ho Van Vinh - Standing Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee, Ms. Le Thi Uyen Nhu - Deputy Head of the District Education and Training Office, Mr. Ho Van Bang - Chairman of Ba Tang Commune People's Committee, and other representatives from local organizations and sectors. Principal Do Thi Diem Ngoc, on behalf of the school, emotionally received the gifts and expressed heartfelt thanks to the benevolent hearts and noble acts of SCI Group and partners. She also conveyed her hope that the charity team would continue to support more students and schools in receiving such valuable and noble contributions.
Moreover, in Quang Tri province, SCI Group launched the program to support the provision of facilities for community activities in two cultural houses: Liem Cong Tay village, Hien Thanh commune, Vinh Linh district, and Hole village, Huc commune, Huong Hoa district. These are remote villages within the commune, isolated from other villages, with challenging living conditions for the residents. With the support of the government, Liem Cong Tay and Hole villages have built community cultural houses at the village center; however, they have not been able to equip these houses with facilities for community activities due to limited budgets. Understanding these difficulties, in September 2024, the SCI Group charity team and partner units donated televisions, podiums, portable speakers, standing fans, tables, chairs, statues, etc., to the locality, demonstrating the corporate social responsibility of the businesses towards the community. At the event, the representatives of the commune's People's Committee expressed their profound gratitude for the support provided by SCI Group to the people. These practical actions will foster community solidarity, contributing positively to the sustainable development of the locality in particular and society in general.
With the efforts in fulfilling social responsibility alongside business and production activities, SCI is committed to implementing more meaningful charity programs in the future.
Some photos from the 2024 Journey to Historical Roots, combining education support and community activities in the mountainous areas:
