When a child in a remote Vietnamese village begins the school day with a carton of soymilk, it may look like a small gesture. Yet behind that carton lies a story of a decade-long commitment to better health, education, and sustainability.
In September 2025, the Vietnam Soymilk Scholarship Fund and Vinasoy, in partnership with the Vietnam Red Cross Society, launched the 10th year of the “School Soymilk Program”. For the new academic year 2025–2026, the initiative will deliver nearly one million carton of Fami Calcium soymilk, worth VND4.5 billion, to primary school students from disadvantaged families in four provinces: Quang Ngai, Dak Lak, Quang Tri, and Lai Chau.
A decade of nourishing children
Since its inception, the program has reached deep into Vietnam’s mountainous and underserved regions. Over the past 10 years, more than 13.3 million cartons of soymilk have been donated to 898,000 students in 1,613 schools across 19 provinces. The total value of support has reached VND48.6 billion.
The impact is tangible. In the 2024–2025 school year alone, some 12,500 children in Quang Ngai, Lao Cai, and Yen Bai provinces received soymilk throughout both semesters. According to health checks carried out by local Red Cross branches, students showed noticeable improvements in both height and weight. Teachers and parents reported not only better nutrition but also higher attendance, greater enthusiasm for school, and improved academic performance.
“The School Soymilk Program is more than nutrition—it is an act of care,” said Nguyen Hai Anh, Vice President and Secretary General of the Vietnam Red Cross Society, at the launch ceremony. “By delivering safe, plant-based nutrition to children, we are building both healthier bodies and a stronger foundation of love and resilience for the future.”
Why soymilk?
Soymilk is a particularly suitable source of nutrition for children in Vietnam. Research from ProSoya and the National Bean Research Laboratory shows that it is rich in protein, natural fiber, and omega-3, 6, and 9 fatty acids, while containing no cholesterol. Importantly, it is also ideal for children who cannot digest lactose—a condition affecting up to 80% of the population in Asia, including Vietnam.
This nutritional profile explains why soymilk has been recommended by international organizations in school nutrition programs since the early 2000s. For Vinasoy, which has long specialized in plant-based nutrition, bringing soymilk to schools is not just philanthropy—it is a mission deeply tied to the company’s identity.
“From the very beginning, the School Soymilk Program has reflected our gratitude to the community and our belief in the power of plant-based nutrition,” a Vinasoy representative said. “Through Fami products, we hope to help children grow not only in body and mind but also in confidence and aspiration.”
Powered by community support
The program’s endurance owes much to collective effort. Beyond Vinasoy and the Red Cross, it has drawn support from local governments, schools, teachers, and even logistics providers. This year, several freight companies stepped in to help transport soymilk to remote mountain schools, where roads are rough and weather is unpredictable. Their contributions reduce program costs while embodying the spirit of shared responsibility.
Local Red Cross chapters and education departments also play an essential role, coordinating school-based activities such as nutrition workshops, extracurricular events, and life skills training. This network ensures that cartons of soymilk reach classrooms safely—and that the program delivers not just nutrition but also joy and encouragement.
Teaching sustainability through action
True to its motto, “Nourishing health, planting green futures,” the program looks beyond immediate needs. It integrates lessons about healthy habits, personal hygiene, and environmental stewardship into its activities.
A highlight of 2025 will be the nationwide expansion of the “Magical Milk Carton” recycling contest. Students are encouraged to collect used soymilk cartons and transform them into creative models—houses, airplanes, forests—that will be displayed and judged at schools. The initiative aims to nurture environmental awareness, creativity, and teamwork while giving children a tangible way to contribute to sustainability.
Outstanding classes can win scholarships, books, or school supplies, and top teams may earn study tours to Vinasoy’s factories. Through these activities, children learn that protecting the environment begins with simple actions—and that their ideas, no matter how small, can grow into meaningful change.
Looking ahead
Ten years on, the School Soymilk Program has proven that long-term social impact is possible when business and community join hands. For Vinasoy, the journey has been both a tribute to the communities that sustain the company and an investment in the country’s future.
As the new school year begins, the sight of children raising cartons of soymilk in laughter and play carries a deeper message: that nourishment, kindness, and opportunity can transform lives. And while each carton may be finished in just a few sips, the hope it delivers may last a lifetime.
