Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Our dear colleague, the late Eileen Yee, also believed in a similar philosophy of empowering the youth in the grassroots communities we work in by encouraging them to complete their education.
Following Eileen’s footsteps and honouring her incredible legacy, we set up The Eileen Education Fund this year to provide financial assistance to disadvantaged high school students across our destinations. And thanks to the generous contributions and support from our partners, we have already handed over monetary assistance to five students in Mai Chau, Vietnam, before the start of their new school year in September 2024. This is the first small but vital step towards completing our three-year goal to sponsor the high school education of 101 students.
Chi Ngo, Discova Education Travel Regional Product & Project Leader, asserts that the financial support provided to the first five students mark a significant milestone in our commitment to empowering young minds and creating pathways to brighter futures.
Due to limited financial resources in many rural communities across Southeast Asian countries, education is one of the first things that is discontinued, simply because parents can’t afford to send their children to school anymore. This financial support has been a huge relief to the parents of these students, who know they will have access to many more life opportunities once they graduate high school.
One of the students, Ha Thi Huong Lan’s mother, feels that this opportunity will help her child escape poverty and have a bright future.
“After completing her education, I want Huong to become a teacher to impart knowledge to the children in our community,” she adds.
Ha Chi Kien is a quiet child who usually keeps to himself. His parents were delighted when his stellar academic record made him one the top five contenders to receive financial support from the Eileen Yee Educational Fund.
His mother says, “I wish this opportunity enables my son to get a higher education and become an IT professional or a teacher.”
Like all the other parents, Ngan Tuyen Duong’s mother has unequivocally thanked the sponsors for reducing the financial burden of her family and paving the way for a bright future for her child.
“We are very proud and honoured to know that our child was selected to receive this honour. I wish my son completes high school, graduates from university and becomes a good person in life,” she says.
Quang Minh, the principal of Mai Chau B High School, is also thankful for all the support the institution has received from Discova in recent years. He is certain that this new avenue of financial support will go a long way in furthering the progress of students from difficult circumstances.
“By motivating them to strive for academic excellence, the programme strengthens the school’s tradition of meritocracy and serves as a beacon of hope and opportunity,” he concludes.
You can support the Eileen Yee Education Fund by making monthly contributions or a one-off donation, which would go a long way in ensuring access to education for students from low-income backgrounds across our destinations in Southeast Asia.
To contribute click here, or to learn more about the implementation of this programme, click here.
A fund impact report will be published and shared with donors on a 6 monthly basis. For sponsors of scholarships, an individual update will be provided that gives an insight into the sponsored student’s progress. This will be suitably anonymised to align with Childsafe policies.
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