Dutch Lady starts work on 20th school in Vietnam

The major FrieslandCampina brand in Vietnam, Dutch Lady, started construction of the 20th school in the country under the long-running Den Dom Dom (firefly light) studying encouragement program.

The construction of Ham Can kindergarten in the south central province of Binh Thuan will give disadvantaged children the better learning opportunity. The school is funded by the “One pack, one brick” program of Dutch Lady which was launched in March 2016. When a customer buys a Dutch Lady milk pack, an amount of money equivalent to the value of a brick will go to a fund which is used to build Den Dom Dom schools. This is also one of activities to celebrate the company’s 20-year journey to improve people’s health and connect families in Vietnam.

Well-equipped learning place

The kindergarten will be opened this November, providing a well-equipped learning place for nearly 100 local preschool children. They will no longer have to go to shabby makeshift facilities without toilet, playground or kitchen.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony last week, Nguyen Thi Lieu, principal of Ham Can kindergarten, said children were previously sent to different places for learning, making it hard for the kindergarten to take good care of students and ensure their regular school attendance. “When this Den Dom Dom funded school is in place, we can definitely reduce dropouts and provide students with a better learning environment.”

For now and generations to come

Tran Quoc Huan, deputy general director of FrieslandCampina Vietnam, said at the ceremony that the Den Dom Dom studying encouragement program is one of FrieslandCampina’s commitments to invest and develop in new generations as well as a prosperous future in Vietnam.

Den Dom Dom program

Initiated by Dutch Lady in 2002, the program aims to prevent school dropouts and gives disadvantaged children a chance to continue schooling. It has now helped inspire a sense of sharing in the community. In addition to school construction nationwide, the program has awarded more than 25,000 scholarships.

The 19th Den Dom Dom school in Thanh An Commune of the Mekong Delta province of Long An is expected to open early next month.