“Library of Flowers” is a charity organization of flower lovers with the dream of collecting books for poor students in the highlands. On the occasion of the opening of the 2024-2025 school year, the group visited three schools in Lao Cai to present three new libraries and many meaningful gifts.
On September 4, the loving bus of “Library from Flowers” rolled from Hanoi to the remote district of Si Ma Cai in Lao Cai province, carrying more than 2,400 new books, some sets of tables and chairs, cakes, and milk to give to students at three schools: Lung Than Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities No. 1, Lung Than Commune, Lung Than Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities No. 2, and Nan San Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities.
This is the result of nearly three months of tireless efforts by the team members, along with the support of the Hanoi Professional Chefs Association, the Second Yilan Taiwan Skills Development Association (China), Vietnamese Craft Village Culinary Culture Artist Tran Phuong Nga and the Vietnamese King program (produced by VTV3). In addition, in this journey of "Chap Wing Lao Cai", the project also has the support of Z Holding Joint Stock Company with gifts: scholarships and milk.
Organizing Committee of "Chap Wing Lao Cai" and students of Nan San Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities.
Artisan Tran Phuong Nga was born in the highlands so she has special feelings for a project for children in the highlands.
It is known that in order to have enough funds to build three libraries at three schools, in addition to selling flowers and receiving support from benefactors, the group also participated in and raised funds from two major events. In the first International 3D Artistic Jelly Exchange program, the chefs auctioned 39 artistic jelly works to donate the entire amount of 54,550,000 VND to the "Chap Wing Lao Cai" fund. Close to the opening day, the group members had the opportunity to join VTV3's Search for the King of Vietnamese and received an additional 13,680,000 VND from the community's affection.
Artists and chefs at the first international 3D jelly art exchange event.
Library members guide guests in flower arrangement at the Vietnamese King Search Day.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien - Head of the Flower Library group, emotionally shared about the past journey: “We always try to sell fresh flowers, organize events and collect books from everyone to create funds. There are children who bring a few books, and the companionship of many organizations with thousands of books. The Library is very appreciative of all the kindness. We always remind each other to believe in good things, good things will come. Although every path is thorny, we do not expect things to be easier, we just hope that we will always persevere to maintain and develop the project.”
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien (pink shirt) joins in the joy of the children.
Not only Ms. Hien, the volunteer trip to Si Ma Cai also made all the members of the project, sponsors, and benefactors - those who went with the Library for the first time, moved to tears. Because this time to Lao Cai, the Library's loving bus carried more people, more books, more gifts, and visited more schools than the previous five times. Moreover, the bus also departed and finished on the opening day of the new school year. These special events seemed to make the members of "Chap Canh Lao Cai" and the students extremely happy. This year, the students were greeted by flags, flowers, friends, teachers, seniors from the lowlands, and many books and gifts. The joy of the students spread throughout the mountains and forests of Si Ma Cai, clearly visible on each face.
Simacai students in the sun on the first day of school.
“The baby's smile is the mother's joy/The baby's smile is a song for the father”.
Teacher Nguyen Duc Toan, Principal of Nan San Primary School for Ethnic Minorities, shared: “I am very happy and touched to receive the gift of flowers from the Library. This gift will contribute to the development of the number of books and reading culture for our school. From the books received, I will try to open more stair libraries, green libraries, and outdoor libraries to encourage and inspire students.” Teacher Toan also hopes that through the books, students will be nurtured with a love of learning, understand more about family and society, thereby helping to eliminate the problem of child marriage in Nan San.
The children were excited to learn about the pages of books about the values of Truth - Goodness - Beauty.
Up to now, the project has 13 libraries in 6 provinces and cities: Yen Bai, Hoa Binh, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Son La, Lao Cai with about 13,000 books. This is a pride that every member of the Library finds difficult to describe. From the days of "practicing" selling flowers to the days of receiving much help from benefactors, from the first orders to events earning tens of millions of VND, from a few friends who love flowers to a project with a community mission under the National Volunteer Center, it has been a long journey, with lots of laughter and tears.
“The flower library is not simply fresh flowers anymore, but the fragrant heart of each individual when joining hands with the project” – Giang Chau, the project founder confided. Thus, the project not only defines “flower” as real flowers but also more broadly as people and kindness.
Giang Chau reads books with children in Meo Vac, Ha Giang
The school opening season with three new bookcases in Si Ma Cai, the project hopes more for the beautiful seeds to blossom in the hearts and lives of each student, helping them become useful people. After leaving Lao Cai, the "flowers" of the project will continue to write more pages of loving life, expand the lands that need to be entrusted with knowledge, continue the journey of collecting books, sowing dreams, sharing the "burden" of education and community responsibility.
Thu Thao
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