Reading Rooms

Thanh Hoa Library

Thanks to the generosity of a single donor who has been a long-time supporter of VietHope, last autumn VietHope built a library in the village of Phu Binh in the Thanh Hoa province—one of the poorest provinces in the northern part of Vietnam.

Phu Binh’s population earns their living from farming, generating an average annual income of 300 kg of rice or $43 per capita. Along with VietHope, the village minister and the Parent’s Educational Association, an organization devoted to fostering education for the village of Thanh Hoa, oversaw the project to completion.

The new library houses a reading room containing books on science, social science, and current newsprint. There are also three computers, a television, a ping-pong table, and educational CDs and videos. Auxiliary resources such as the ping-pong table will attract individuals who might not otherwise consider making use of the library. The hope is that individuals drawn by recreation will then find the library a useful resource for developing their intellectual knowledge. The computer and television will serve as tools for disseminating global knowledge to local students.

Because Phu Binh is a small, isolated village, it lacks teachers with a broad perspective. Internet, television, computer software, and international videos can fill a void for a more global education, at little to no cost to individual students. The total cost for this project was approximately $1,860. VietHope believes the new library is a worthwhile endeavor and that it will have far-reaching educational effects.

Con En Library

In the spring of 2005 VietHope provided $600 to purchase reading materials for Tan Long library in Con En, An Giang. Con En is a remote village with a population of 4000 in An Giang province in the Mekong delta. Most villagers live in extreme poverty, relying on small-scale farming and fishing in the Tien Giang river.

In 1994 a small library was built to serve the several hundred children in the area. However, due to financial difficulties, the library has never been adequately stocked with reading materials. All of the books were old, donated books, unable to meet the needs of the children.

The VietHope award allowed the library to purchase 300 children's books, 243 textbooks, and other educational reading materials.

Additional Impact

• Reading Room in Can Gio (2004): With brand-new bookshelves stocked with books and magazines, children in Can Gio are able to read and borrow numerous books.
• Project Reading Spaces (2007): VietHope along with Project Inspire supports this project to build or redesign existing library facilities. The project aims to encourage students and teachers to use libraries for learning inside and outside of the classroom.