The beneficiaries were selected by Saigonchildren, under the Child Development Scholarship programme.

For students in rural areas of developing countries, including Vietnam, the biggest barrier to education is oftentimes the ability to get to school. Children might not have access to or the financial means for transportation to schools far from home, or they could turn up late and exhausted after finishing household chores and having to walk a long way to school. These factors could increase the chances of them leaving schools prematurely, while keeping children in schools has been shown to have a positive effect on breaking the cycle of poverty.

“For the past 11 years, DHL Express has been working with Saigonchildren to provide disadvantaged students with bicycles to help them overcome their difficulties in getting to school. The bicycles are a long term and environmentally friendly solution that is in line with DHL’s efforts in creating opportunities for disadvantaged children and our commitment to the environment,” said Shoeib Reza Choudhury, General Director, DHL Express Vietnam.

To date, over 300 students have benefited from the contributions of DHL Express, the world’s leading international express service provider.

In addition to bicycles, Saigonchildren also provides school fees, textbooks, glasses, uniform fees and rice, depending on the needs of each child and his/her family’s situation. The programme assesses each family’s financial situation, earning ability and inpidual circumstances to ascertain their suitability to participate. Saigonchildren also encourages parents and relatives to take an active interest in their children’s education, further reducing the chances of them dropping out of school early./.