Da Nang school gets kitchen through charity project

Since its construction in 2014, Lang Kindergarten has operated without a kitchen, forcing its young students to walk home every day for lunch. For those living in distant areas, the trek was often too taxing, leading many to skip the afternoon session entirely. Principal Tran Thi Thu Thao noted that this lack of facilities had long been a barrier to consistent attendance and proper nutrition for the children under her care.

The school's "long-held dream" finally became a reality this week with the inauguration of a new, fully equipped kitchen. Valued at VND 230 million ($8,730), the facility was donated through a partnership between the Hope Foundation and Roche Pharma Vietnam as part of their "Walk for Children" initiative. The new kitchen allows the school to provide hot, nutritious meals on-site for the first time in over a decade.

The impact on the community has been immediate. With the ability to serve meals at school, parents have expressed greater peace of mind, and student attendance for afternoon classes has stabilized. To ensure the program's success, the sponsors have also committed to funding the school's meal program for an entire year, alongside broader support for classroom renovations and the construction of modern sanitation facilities.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Thao, representing Roche Pharma Vietnam, emphasized that providing these basic necessities is an investment in "sustainable development" for the next generation. The project is part of the Hope Foundation's wider School Nutrition Project, which has already established similar kitchens in other remote areas of Da Nang to improve the physical health and educational environment for students in underserved regions.