Looking at 400 students bathing in the stream every afternoon, the principal had only one wish.

Due to lack of water for daily use, more than 400 boarding students in Dien Bien have to go to the stream every afternoon to bathe and wash clothes.

At Nam Ke Ethnic Boarding Secondary School ( Dien Bien province), for many years now, hundreds of students have had to bathe in the stream because the school does not have enough water for daily use. This situation puts teachers and students at constant risk of being unsafe.

Due to lack of domestic water, more than 400 students of Nam Ke Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities (Dien Bien) had to go to the stream to bathe and wash clothes.

At the end of each school day, the Nam Ke River becomes an impromptu "public bathroom" for more than 400 students. They have to leave their clothes, school bags, plastic basins, and personal belongings on the bank.

Mr. Lo Van Tien, Principal of Nam Ke Ethnic Boarding Secondary School, shared: “We know that letting students bathe in streams is dangerous, especially during the rainy season, but the school has no other choice. The limited water source is only enough for cooking and serving the students’ essential personal activities. Drilling a well would require a huge amount of money, beyond our capacity.”

Letting students bathe in streams poses a high risk of accidents, but the school has no other choice when water resources are limited.

According to Mr. Tien, in this situation, the only solution for the school is to regularly remind students. They are instructed to choose shallow water areas and avoid dangerous areas. For new 6th grade students, the homeroom teacher must show them in person. "On days of heavy rain, we carefully advise: Absolutely do not go to the stream, for fear of sudden floods," said Mr. Tien.

Giang Thi Ky, a 6A1 student, Mong ethnic, living in Chuyen Gia 3 village, shyly shared: “On the first day of school, I was not used to it. When I saw my older siblings bathing in the stream, I followed them. The teachers told me to only go to the shallow areas. I was also afraid of slipping and falling, but if I didn’t go to the stream, I wouldn’t know where to bathe.”

Each student when going to the stream to bathe brings with them a red bucket to wash clothes.

Currently, the school has only one reservoir, while the water source is hundreds of meters away. Water is scarce, making life for boarding students even more difficult. The lack of water not only affects daily activities but also poses many risks of skin and intestinal diseases for the students.

At the end of each day, the Nam Ke River stretches hundreds of meters, where students bathe.

“In winter, in the bitter cold of the mountains and forests, seeing students shivering in the stream to bathe, my heart aches. All teachers want a private, warm place for the children to bathe on cold days, but due to lack of water, we are powerless. We can only hope that the government or kind-hearted people will support and invest in a well for the school so that the children will no longer have to go to the stream,” said Mr. Lo Van Tien.

Nam Ke’s story is not an isolated one. Many schools in the mountainous areas of Dien Bien are also facing a shortage of water, especially during the dry season.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/that-long-nhin-400-hoc-tro-ra-suoi-tam-moi-chieu-thay-hieu-truong-uoc-mot-dieu-2448476.html