HCMC – Every morning before going to the forest to collect wood, Tuan checks the date on his old calendar, counting each day to the school opening day. During seven years as a student, the boy has never been more excited to go back to school like now. This is because now he has a new school, which is very clean, beautiful and well equipped.
Tuan’s new school, which was built on the premises of the old facility, was put into service at the end of the last school year. His teachers said the old school, which is the only secondary school in Thanh Tung Commune, Thanh Chuong District, Nghe An Province, was built dozens of years ago, so it had deteriorated badly, posing danger to the students and teachers during the rainy season. Not only Tuan, but also his teachers, classmates and parents were very happy when the new school was built.
This is the latest school built by PetroVietnam Gas Joint Stock Corporation (PV GAS) so far. The construction of the school, which has eight classrooms, cost VND5.2 billion, with VND5 billion contributed by PV GAS’ Social Security Fund. The company has built many other schools in remote areas across the country.
Speaking to The Saigon Times, PV GAS deputy general director Pham Dang Nam said building new schools in remote areas is put at the heart of PV GAS’ corporate social responsibility (CSR). The company spends around 70% of its social security budget on building schools and other education programs every year. Specifically, PV GAS donates some VND70 billion to help remote localities build schools annually.
“We focus on education because it brings about practical benefits and has positive spillover effects. We hope that all children have access to education and a safe learning environment,” Nam said.
Since 2009, PV GAS has funded the construction of 230 new schools in many parts across the country. In addition to building new schools, the company has also granted scholarships to students with poor family background but excellent academic performance. The company’s total donation for both building new schools and granting scholarships has amounted to nearly VND650 billion.
Besides the education sector, PV GAS’ Social Security Fund has also built medical centers in poor and remote areas, donated medical equipment to medical centers and hospitals, provided health examinations for disadvantaged people, built houses for the poor, provided relief for people affected by natural disasters, supported soldiers in remote border areas or islands and contributed to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Most recently, PV GAS donated VND3 billion to build a health clinic in Tho Hai Commune, Tho Xuan District, Thanh Hoa Province and VND4 billion to build another health clinic in Tri Le Commune, Que Phong District, Nghe An Province. The company also donated VND500 million to the Danang City Center for Diseases Control and VND3 billion to the Danang Department of Health to support the central city, which was a Covid-19 epicenter in Vietnam, in fighting the pandemic.
Up to now, PV GAS has spent more than VND1 trillion on CSR programs. “All PV GAS employees are very enthusiastic about CSR programs. They have called for donations and donated their own time and money, raising billions of dongs for charitable events. Giving back to the community through specific activities has been the deep-rooted corporate culture of our company,” said Nam.
Particularly, PV GAS has given a special focus on social security in localities where they operate. This helps not only ensure safety and security for oil and gas facilities but also develop good relationships with the localities and raise the locals’ awareness of safety and security along the gas pipelines.
By Minh Tam
