Hanoi, April 29, 2014 — On April 22 in Hanoi, to acknowledge The Asia Foundation’s contribution to promoting education in Vietnam, Foundation partner Vietnam Association of Education Promotion (VAEP) and the People’s Committees in the provinces of An Giang, Can Tho, Hau Giang and Nam Dinh awarded medals and certificates of merit to Foundation staff members in Vietnam. The ceremony honored Deputy Country Representative William Taylor, Office & Educational Resources Program Manager Dinh Kieu Nhung, and Accountant & Grants Officer Dam Thanh Nga, and highlighted the 10th year of the Secondary Scholarship Program for Disadvantaged Girls, a program established by the Foundation in 2004 to provide educational support to 1,300 girls across Vietnam.
Foundation staff members received medals and certificate of merit from VAEP presented by Prof. Dr. Pham Tat Dong, Vice President and General Secretary of VAEP on April 22, 2014 in Hanoi.
Education is a critical means of rising out of poverty. Yet, many Vietnamese girls face serious challenges that prevent them from pursuing educational goals. Without an education, girls are vulnerable to being trafficked or forced into other exploitive and abusive situations with few options for a better life. These challenges perpetuate a vicious cycle of female poverty, ill-health, and illiteracy.
The Foundation’s Secondary Scholarship Program enables girls to complete their upper secondary education, providing them with the best chance for attaining a higher education and better paying jobs. Since 2011 over 80% of Asia Foundation scholars have enrolled in university or college after graduation from the program.
Ly Canh, chairman of the Hau Giang EPA said: “The scholarship program supported by The Asia Foundation is of great significance for the liberation of women, helping them to overcome difficulties in learning, and to enhance their roles and social status. We greatly appreciate this meaningful program of The Asia Foundation.”
The Foundation implements this important program in partnership with The Center for Raising the Intellectual Standard of People (CRISOP) under the VAEP and the provincial Education Promotion Associations (EPAs) in the provinces of Nam Dinh in the North and An Giang, Can Tho, Hau Giang in the South. The program relies on the sponsorship and generous contributions from its donors Jerome and Thao Dodson; The Estée Lauder Companies; The Friends of The Asia Foundation Korea; The Barrett Foundation; Chun Kyung Ock; and a large number of individual donors.
“The Education Promotion Association (EPA) in An Giang greatly appreciates and is delighted to receive the valuable support from The Asia Foundation and Estée Lauder Companies to implement this scholarship program,” said Le Thi Hien, vice chairwoman of the An Giang EPA. “The program has contributed to gender equality, improving education for poor women, especially in rural and remote areas.”