11 school sanitation facilities inaugurated in Son La

Hope Foundation, Opella Vietnam and BW Industrial on Oct. 22 handed over 11 school sanitation facilities across six communes in Son La Province, with total funding of nearly VND3 billion.

Opella Vietnam and its Enterogermina brand funded 10 facilities in Chieng Khuong, Muong Lam, Huoi Mot, Muong Hung and Bo Sinh communes. BW Industrial funded the remaining facility at Nam Ty Ethnic Boarding Secondary School in Nam Ty Commune.

People pose to mark the handover of a restroom facility at Dua Mon Ethnic Minority Semi-boarding Primary and Secondary School. Photo by Thanh Nga

Designed by Vietnam Construction Consulting Corporation to meet Ministry of Education and Training standards, each facility has six to 12 stalls, separate sections for boys and girls, toilets, handwashing stations, water systems and septic tanks. Signs promote proper toilet use and handwashing.

The new facilities are expected to ease overcrowding and improve sanitation for students.

At Bo Sinh Ethnic Boarding Primary and Secondary School, more than 860 students previously shared 10 makeshift toilets with tin walls that were built in 2000 and lacked septic systems. Wastewater flowed into open pits, producing strong odors that reached nearby classrooms.

Principal Nguyen Chi Cong said many students had held in their needs during school hours or gone to nearby hills to relieve themselves.

"Especially older girls often felt uncomfortable due to the lack of privacy. Now we have standard toilets, and both students and teachers feel very happy," he said.

At Nam Ty Ethnic Boarding Secondary School, the new facility will also serve more than 800 students. The old toilets were overcrowded and in poor condition, with students often jostling for space after breaks.

Students receive coloring books on hygiene and self-care. Photo by Quynh Anh

Nguyen Cong Vien, chairman of the Chieng Khuong Commune People's Committee and former head of the Song Ma District Education and Training Office, said school sanitation had become a priority after temporary classroom needs were addressed.

Since 2023, Hope Foundation has helped build nearly 200 toilet rooms in the area and mobilized additional support from other organizations.

This year's project also includes teacher training conducted by the Center for Children and Development (CCD) and sponsored by Opella Vietnam. The training equips teachers with knowledge and methods to teach hygiene and sustain the program's impact after the project ends.

A trial teaching session for students as part of the school hygiene training course. Photo by Thuy Hong

Following the handover, the project will continue working with primary and secondary schools in Son La to help students develop good hygiene habits through short videos and hands-on practice at the new facilities. Organizers will assess the program's effectiveness through surveys conducted before and after the activities.

At the inauguration ceremony, students took part in traditional folk games, including pao throwing, tug-of-war and stick pushing, as well as drawing activities. The activities were designed to encourage physical activity and reinforce daily hygiene habits.