Education & Training
The fundamental basis for sustainable development!
Mekong Plus helps everyone find their place in society and realize their potential.
Programs Overview
Every year, 200,000 men, women and children are the direct beneficiaries of our education and training programs:
- Health & hygiene
- Sex education and the fight against violence against women
- Environment and waste management
- School scholarships
- Second-hand bicycles
- Computer classes
- Inclusive classes
- Employment
- Agriculture
0
Secondary schools equipped with computers
+
0
%
Yield production for farmers
0
K
Smiles cleaned
0
Specialized center opened
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Education grants
Our Programs for Children’s Education
Access to Health
At Mekong Plus, we prioritize health because we believe it is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
By focusing on health education and infrastructure enhancement, we aim to create healthier, more prosperous communities.
By focusing on health education and infrastructure enhancement, we aim to create healthier, more prosperous communities.
What we do:
- Health Education Initiatives: We raise awareness about health issues in over 200 schools, teaching children good hygiene practices and empowering them to educate their families.
- Teacher Training and Support: We train and monitor teachers to ensure effective health education, and we reward the best-performing schools by improving sanitary facilities in collaboration with villagers.
- Dental Hygiene: Weekly tooth brushing sessions at schools, along with students' responsibility for maintaining clean school environments and toilets, promote better oral health.
- Vision Tests: We organize eye tests every two years for thousands of children, addressing vision issues through precise criteria assessment.
- Nursery School Expansion: Since 2008, we've extended our health program to 61 nursery schools, benefiting an additional 26,000 children.
- Infrastructure Development: We work on improving school infrastructure, including access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
Access to School
In Cambodia, school fees are free, but costly supplementary classes are essential.
In Vietnam, high school fees and long distances often lead to additional expenses, including transportation and accommodation, which can reach up to €50 per month.
In Vietnam, high school fees and long distances often lead to additional expenses, including transportation and accommodation, which can reach up to €50 per month.
What we do:
- Financial Support: We assist families in overcoming financial obstacles related to costly supplementary classes and high school fees.
- Community Fundraising: We organize an annual "solidarity race," where children, parents, teachers, and civil servants contribute donations. These contributions are then multiplied to provide small grants to 5000 children, making education more affordable.
- Scholarships: We offer scholarships of €20 for primary and lower secondary schools and €40 for upper secondary schools, helping students cover educational expenses.
- Transportation Solutions: To address distance-related challenges, we donate bicycles to children living far from school, ensuring better access to education.
Access to Knowledge
Our efforts aim to create well-rounded educational environments, promoting digital literacy and a love for reading among students.
What we do:
- Computer Access: We provide second-hand computers to rural schools in Vietnam. So far, we've equipped 69 secondary schools with around a dozen computers each. We also train two technicians at each site for maintenance. Students contribute approximately 9 euros per cycle to cover operational costs, but we exempt the poorest students. Every year, over 18,000 children benefit from this initiative, bridging the digital divide.
- Library Development: Mékong Plus helps schools establish libraries by providing books at half price, making literature more accessible to students. Additionnally, in Cambodia, we encourage students to volunteer and operate small libraries in their homes. They receive a monthly payment of €1 for their efforts. These village libraries bring reading closer to families and are open daily.
Access for Special Needs
In 2008, Mékong Plus launched an inclusive education program to ensure every child, including those with specific needs, can access quality education.
What we do:
- Early Problem Identification: We train teachers to identify challenges as early as kindergarten, allowing for timely interventions.
- "Happy Rooms" for Support: In select schools, we establish "happy rooms" with specialized activities to assist children facing difficulties in their studies.
- Specialized Centers: In Dúc Linh, we've set up a specialized center, co-financed by parents, where they actively participate in sessions and learn how to support their child at home.
- Individualized Attention: Through teacher training and dedicated "happy room" classes, we integrate children with disabilities into regular school settings, providing individualized attention that yields significant progress in just a few months.
- Home Assistance: When there are fewer than 3-4 children requiring special attention in a school, we provide home help. Mékong Plus and village assistants visit these children at home for one hour a week, delivering tailor-made lessons with the involvement of at least one parent.
Our Programs for Adult’s Education
Agriculture Training
Mekong Plus is committed to fostering sustainable agriculture practices among rural communities.
Through training and innovative approaches, they aim to boost yields, reduce environmental impact, and improve the livelihoods of farmers.
Through training and innovative approaches, they aim to boost yields, reduce environmental impact, and improve the livelihoods of farmers.
What we do:
- Training and Guidance: Mekong Plus agronomists and veterinarians work directly with farmers in villages, providing training and guidance on agricultural techniques that yield higher production. These methods are not only cost-effective but also environmentally friendly, ensuring a substantial return on investment.
- Peer-to-Peer Knowledge Sharing: The NGO promotes a peer-to-peer learning model by setting up pilot farms with partner farmers who achieve remarkable results. These farmers then share their knowledge and advise others in the community, making the training accessible and relatable.
- Transition to Organic Farming: In response to rising chemical costs and environmental concerns, Mekong Plus encourages more farmers to transition to organic farming. This approach not only saves money but also allows farmers to sell their crops at higher prices.
- Effective Waste Management: To reduce the environmental impact of farm animal excrement, Mekong Plus promotes the use of dry litter, which serves as a natural fertilizer. We also recommend biogas systems that convert slurry into methane gas for cooking, benefiting both families and the environment.
- Straw Decomposition: After rice harvest, Mekong Plus suggests spraying straw with a trichoderma solution, accelerating its decomposition on the field, saving time and resources.
- Addressing Salinization and Water Challenges: The NGO is actively working on sustainable solutions to counter the progressive salinization of waters, ensuring the land remains suitable for cultivation. This includes using varieties resistant to saltwater and reducing water consumption.
Teachers Trainings
Mekong Plus is dedicated to equipping young people with the knowledge and skills they need for a better future.
Our initiatives address critical issues related to sexuality and life skills.
Our initiatives address critical issues related to sexuality and life skills.
What we do:
- Addressing Sex Education: We train teachers to provide comprehensive sex education, helping to reduce the high rate of abortions in Vietnam and combat violence against women. This program aims to raise awareness about human trafficking among tens of thousands of students.
- Addressing Violence: In response to conflicts and violence in schools, we've established training courses for teachers and educators to reduce gender-based violence and misunderstandings. These courses, recently integrated into the school curriculum, empower students with cognitive, emotional, interpersonal, and social skills to navigate the challenges of community life.
