Building safe schools for students in mountainous areas after natural disasters

During the period from March to September 2025, the Lao Cai Provincial Women's Union coordinated with Save the Children International to implement the Project "Building safer schools against natural disasters", contributing to overcoming consequences, equipping students with disaster response skills, aiming to build a safe school environment, sustainably adapting to climate change, and has brought positive results.

Vietnam Women's Newspaper had an interview with Ms. Dinh Minh Ha, President of Lao Cai Provincial Women's Union about this meaningful program.

PV: Based on what reality did the Lao Cai Provincial Women's Union coordinate with SCI to implement the project to build schools that are safer against natural disasters?

Ms. Dinh Minh Ha: In reality, after storm No. 3 - Yagi in September 2024, the entire Lao Cai province suffered extremely heavy damage. In particular, the school system was also seriously affected, disrupting teaching and learning, threatening children's right to safe learning.

From that reality, the Provincial Women's Union quickly developed a proposal and called for support from domestic and foreign organizations, and was very fortunate to receive the support of Save the Children (SCI), with an aid of 12.9 billion VND to implement the project "Building safer schools against natural disasters" at 22 schools most severely damaged.

Many schools in the mountainous Lao Cai region were severely damaged after Typhoon Yagi in September 2024.

PV: What results has the project achieved so far, madam?

Ms. Dinh Minh Ha: Although the project implementation time was quite short, we have completed a large amount of work, the project has brought about outstanding results, specifically as follows:

Regarding restored and upgraded facilities: 22 schools have had their playgrounds, gates, fences, and classrooms repaired; teaching equipment added; clean water systems and friendly sanitation facilities have been built and renovated, taking into account the integration factor for children with disabilities and gender.

Improving knowledge and skills: More than 300 teachers have been trained in school psychological counseling/support and disaster risk management; more than 6,500 students have participated in communication activities on personal hygiene, disaster response and mitigation.

Community outreach: Organized 22 live outreach events at schools to raise awareness of school safety and mental health among students, teachers, parents and the community.

The Working Group of Lao Cai Provincial Women's Union presented equipment to schools within the framework of the Project to Build Safer Schools Against Natural Disasters.

Specialized training courses: Organized 4 specialized training courses for teachers on disaster prevention and mitigation, school psychological counseling skills, post-disaster psychological first aid, and school safety planning. Plans are to organize 2 training courses on Disaster-Safe Schools for schools. After attending the training courses, the project also organized extended training courses for all teachers of 22 project schools.

Monitoring and evaluation mechanism: The project is monitored and supervised periodically, ensuring progress and quality according to committed requirements.

PV: What is the role of female cadres in implementing this project, madam?

Ms. Dinh Minh Ha: In this project, the role of local women is strongly promoted, women directly participate in the process of surveying needs, supervising construction, accompanying teachers and students in community communication. The grassroots women's associations have become an important bridge, ensuring that information and activities of the project are widely disseminated and close to reality. This is also a highlight in mainstreaming - ensuring that all vulnerable groups such as girls, children with disabilities, and ethnic minority children have equal access to support from the project."

PV: In your opinion, what significance does the project bring to the community, especially to children in the highlands of Lao Cai?

Ms. Dinh Minh Ha: It can be said that the greatest significance of the project is to restore the community's trust after natural disasters. For students in the highlands, the project not only repairs schools, but also provides them with a safe, friendly learning environment, with a psychological counseling corner - a place where they can go when facing difficulties and trauma after storms and floods.

For teachers, the project helps improve their capacity and equip them with skills so that they can be both teachers and companions, providing psychological support to students.

The project to build safer schools against natural disasters was implemented by the efforts of the Lao Cai Provincial Women's Union and local women's cadres.

For parents and the community, the project has created a model of "safe school - safe community", in which women play a central role in communication, supervision and companionship.

More importantly, the project clearly demonstrates an integrated approach: all activities aim for equity and inclusion, ensuring that girls, children with disabilities, and ethnic minority children – the most vulnerable groups – are protected and given the same development opportunities as their peers.

We believe that the results of the project will not only help overcome the consequences of natural disasters, but also be a sustainable foundation for schools in the mountainous areas of Lao Cai to continue to develop in a safe, comprehensive and humane direction.

PV: Thank you.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/xay-dung-truong-hoc-an-toan-cho-hoc-sinh-vung-cao-sau-bien-co-thien-tai-20250822131250207.htm