Located 15 km to the south of the center of the Mo Cay district, Thanh Thoi A commune is the most remote commune of the district. The numerous natural canals split the commune into 06 hamlets which makes transportation a challenge. Over 10,000 people reside on the commune and most of them subsist on fruit, coconuts, sugar cane and other produce. Mo Cay district is in the Ben Tre province.

Like other farming communities in Vietnam, the people are very poor. The average annual income is only $150 US. Existing educational facilities for 2460 children are 10 concrete classrooms and 39 temporary classrooms made of bamboo and coconut leaves. The temporary classrooms are badly degrading and pose safety risks for the students.

To meet the urgent needs of the commune, the local people and authorities must make extraordinary efforts to replace the 39 temporary classrooms. They are raising funds in the community and asking for help from domestic and overseas organizations to build standard classrooms for the students.

In a collaborative effort, Sunflower Mission and YMCA International have jointly funded and completed 4 classrooms for Thanh Thoi A commune. Sunflower Mission's representatives were onsite to help with the completion of the project and officially handed over the new classrooms to the school officials during the completion ceremony which was held in March, 2004. Your contributions have directly afforded the children of Thanh Thoi A a safe and comfortable place to start and continue their education.

This critical project will be usable for over 30 years and will meet current demand for school facilities. Each year, these four classrooms will serve over 320 students and encourage many children who are staying home to go to school. The new classrooms will also allow the children to continue going to school during the rainy season and winter and thus will help them perform at national standards.

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