Joining hands for the future generation

Dieu Hau, a 7th grader from Class 7A1 at Bu Dop Secondary School in Thien Hung commune, Dong Nai province, was born into a disadvantaged family. His father suffers from an illness that prevents him from doing heavy work, while his mother has yet to secure stable employment, making his path to education fraught with difficulties. However, good fortune came to Dieu Hau when, from his grade 4 onward, he was selected to receive sponsorship and financial support under the “Military officers and soldiers supporting students to go to school” Project implemented by Regiment 717 of Army Corps 16. Just one academic year later, through determination and perseverance, Dieu Hau made remarkable progress and has continued to achieve strong academic results over several consecutive years.

Officers and soldiers of Regiment 717, Army Corps 16, encourage and visit ethnic minority students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the area where the unit is stationed. Photo: Vu Thuyen

Dieu Hau is just one of hundreds of ethnic minority students from disadvantaged families in the border areas of Dong Nai province who have received sponsorship, financial support, school supplies, and learning tools through the Project “Military officers and soldiers supporting students to go to school” implemented by the armed forces. This initiative is part of the Government’s 2021–2030 National Target Program for the socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

A solid foundation

Bu Dop Secondary School has over 900 students, 20 percent of whom are ethnic minority students from challenging backgrounds. Most of these students’ parents work as hired laborers and live far from the school. Therefore, beyond the care and support provided by the school, these students also receive regular the attention and assistance from army officers and soldiers through the project, providing a stable foundation that enables them to strive for academic success.

Dieu Hau’s grandfather, Dieu Hien, from Village 7, Thien Hung commune, Dong Nai province, shared: “Both of Dieu Hau’s parents lack land and stable employment, relying mainly on the elderly grandparents for support. However, as if by a miracle, Dieu Hau has not only received care and assistance from military officers and soldiers to help his progress in studies, but his family has also been selected by local Party committees and authorities to receive support for the construction of a Great Solidarity House. These have become solid sources of support enabling my child and grandchild to rise up and move forward in life.”

Tran Thi Liem, homeroom teacher of Class 7A1 at Bu Dop Secondary School, noted that many ethnic minority students from disadvantaged backgrounds receive material and emotional support from the Party, State, and military officers. “This support, alongside the school’s guidance, motivates students to strive for excellence in their studies, a solid foundation to help them achieve their future dreams,” she said.

Le Ky Au, Principal of Bu Dop Secondary School, emphasized the humanitarian significance of the “Military officers and soldiers supporting students to go to school” project, highlighting the unity between the military and the community. “Through this program, many disadvantaged ethnic minority students receive timely support, especially at the start of each school year. Military officers even work with the school to persuade students at risk of dropping out to return to class,” he explained.

The project is not limited to Bu Dop Secondary School; it is implemented in many schools in disadvantaged border areas. At Hung Phuoc Primary and Secondary School in Hung Phuoc commune, where over 40 percent of students are ethnic minorities facing difficulties, many students have received financial support and learning materials from officers and soldiers of Regiment 717. This has provided a strong foundation for students in challenging circumstances to continue pursuing their dreams.

“So many of my peers have more stable families, but my family faces special difficulties. Fortunately, officers from Regiment 717 support me with financial aid and school supplies. Receiving this care has inspired me to promise myself that I will study hard to build a bright future and become a useful person for society,” said Dieu Thi Nhi, a student from Class 7A1 at Hung Phuoc Secondary School.

Far-reaching impact

Since 2022, Regiment 717 has implemented the Project “Military officers and soldiers supporting students to go to school” across its stationed areas, covering eight border communes in Bu Dop and Loc Ninh districts of Binh Phuoc province. Each year, the program allocates financial and material support to 58 ethnic minority students facing particularly difficult circumstances.

For the 2025–2026 academic year, Regiment 717 provided financial and material assistance to 58 ethnic minority students under the project, totaling over 627 million VND. Among them, 12 students were fostered within families and received meal allowances of nearly 22 million VND per student per year, while 46 students received meal support at the rate of 5.4 million VND per student per year. In addition, the students were provided with transportation, essential needs, and school supplies, with a total value of 116 million VND. Since its inception in 2022, the “Military officers and soldiers supporting students to go to school” project has mobilized more than 2.1 billion VND in total support.

Students of Bu Dop Secondary School during class

Colonel Vu Huu Viet, Secretary of the Party Committee and Political Commissar of Regiment 717, emphasized that the “Military officers and soldiers supporting students to go to school” project carries profound humanitarian significance. It has a far-reaching impact, instilling confidence and motivation in ethnic minority students and children from disadvantaged families to attend school and strive for academic success. The project also reinforces civil-military solidarity, helping the unit maintain stability and ensure political security in its stationed areas.

Beyond implementing the project effectively, Regiment 717 has, over many years, collaborated with local schools to encourage dozens of students at risk of dropping out to return to classes. The regiment also allocates funds from its production and business activities to provide hundreds of gifts to students from difficult backgrounds. As a result, many students have shown remarkable academic progress, achieving high performance and becoming inspiring examples of perseverance and diligence. These successes have provided tremendous encouragement to both the regiment’s officers and soldiers and to the teachers and staff of the schools involved.

In recognition of its achievements in promoting education and nurturing talent, the Regiment 717 Education Promotion Committee has received numerous prestigious awards, including a Certificate of Merit from the Vietnam Central Association for Promoting Education in 2025. The meaningful and practical contributions of the regiment’s officers and soldiers have actively supported the socialization of education and equitable access to learning. These efforts not only provide a solid foundation for students to succeed academically but also foster long-term engagement and loyalty among workers and contracted households, contributing to the unit’s collaboration with local authorities in safeguarding national border sovereignty.

Alongside other armed forces units, the provincial Border Guard has also dedicated efforts to support hundreds of ethnic minority students and children from disadvantaged backgrounds in border areas. Under the “Military officers and soldiers supporting students to go to school” project, from 2022 to the present, the unit has sponsored 53 students with funding from the Ministry of Defense. Notably, with contributions from the unit’s officers and soldiers, since 2014, the provincial Border Guard has maintained the “Supporting students to go to school” program, sponsoring 63 students and supporting 10 students through the “Adopted by border posts” model. Financial assistance, school supplies, transportation, and other learning tools, along with moral encouragement, have motivated hundreds of ethnic minority students in difficult circumstances in border areas to attend school and excel academically.

By Vu Thuyen – Translated by Hong Van, Thu Ha