Roche Vietnam donates 2 clean water systems to support children in Quang Ngai province

On February 2nd, 2023, Roche Vietnam and VinaCapital Foundation (VCF) handed over 2 clean water filtration systems to 2 remote kindergartens in Tra Bong district, Quang Ngai province. Roche Vietnam’s 353 million VND donation to VCF’s Clean Water program will provide safe drinking water to disadvantaged children to improve sanitation at school and ultimately improve the overall health status of the population in these rural areas of Vietnam.

The donation handover ceremony is pleased to welcome Mr. Nguyen Huu Dung – Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Quang Ngai province; Mr. Dinh Duy Long – Director of Quang Ngai Children Sponsoring Association; Mr. Do Dinh Phuong – Vice Chairman of Tra Bong District People’s Committee; Dr. Qadeer Raza – General Manager of Roche Vietnam; Mr. Hoang Anh Huy – People and Culture Lead of Roche Vietnam, and Mr. Rad Kivette – CEO of VinaCapital Foundation.

Located 40km northwest of the center of Quang Ngai province, Tra Bong is a mountainous district with extreme climate conditions that create frequent droughts in the dry season and heavy floods in the rainy season. Many areas of Tra Bong experience a shortage of fresh surface water while the underground water is polluted with a high percentage of alum. Clean water is fundamental to good health, especially for children and sick people. It is crucial to bring safe water to underserved communities like Tra Bong district.

With support from Roche Vietnam, the Clean Water program installs water filtration systems at 2 Tra Son and Tra Tan commune kindergartens with 86% of students being ethnic minorities. The Clean Water program also provides training on using clean water and the importance of good hygiene for children. The system maintenance expenses including all replacement parts for the systems are guaranteed for 2 years. The installation of the water systems will allow 508 students and 42 teachers in Tra Tan and Tra Son kindergartens to drink clean water directly from the tap at school. This will help reduce water-borne diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid fever, E. Coli infection, and more, improving health outcomes and access to education for poor children in Quang Ngai’s ethnic mountainous areas. Students are welcome to take clean water home with them and community access is also encouraged.

Dr. Qadeer Raza, General Manager of Roche Vietnam shared: “We believe access to clean and safe sources of water is essential for preventive healthcare. Through the Clean Water Program, students of Tra Son and Tra Tan kindergartens can avoid exposure to countless water-borne diseases, and are able to sustain their education journey without interruptions. I hope students and teachers will continue this effort so that more lives will be changed. As you know, “Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. Mr. Hoang Anh Huy, People and Culture Lead at Roche Vietnam, added: “At Roche, our employees are not only committed to build a healthy world but also to build a resilient community. This Clean Water Program is among projects that are sponsored by our nationwide employees.”

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Roche Vietnam to provide access to potable water for underserved communities in Quang Ngai province,” says Rad Kivette, VinaCapital Foundation’s CEO. “Clean water is foundational to everyone’s health and reduces the spread of all types of diseases, especially for children from families in rural areas. This meaningful assistance from Roche Vietnam, for which we are very grateful, will implement our commitment to improved health care and living standards for our children, ensuring a more sustainable, healthier, and brighter future for all.”

VCF has partnered with Roche Vietnam since 2020 to implement the Immortal Wish program to provide quality healthcare for disadvantaged children in Vietnam. The program is a scientific series of psychological support activities in 7 hospitals across Vietnam, in which pediatric cancer patients are being treated, as well as health check-ups for 3,000 children in Nam Tra My district, Quang Nam province.

Since 2017, the Clean Water program has completed the installation and handover of 93 clean drinking water filtration systems, which benefit more than 3 million people in Quang Nam, Dong Thap, Bac Kan, Ninh Thuan, Tra Vinh, Binh Thuan, Yen Bai, Long An, Dak Lak, Quang Ngai province, and Ho Chi Minh city.