TEACHER PHAN AND THE CHILDREN OF THE MOUNTAIN
Thom teaches at a small village school in Vietnam’s remote region of Ha Giang. She faces the task of bringing education to the mountain-dwelling communities while respecting their traditional way of life.
The remote mountain region of Ha Giang in northern Vietnam remained isolated from the modern world for many years. Here, the minority Hmong people continue to live according to the age-old traditions of their ancestors. Thom is a teacher at a small village school.
Education in Vietnam is centrally organised by the state. Ethnic minorities in the mountain regions receive special support, schooling is free and children later have the opportunity to attend state-run boarding schools. However, teachers in these remote mountain schools are often left to fend for themselves. Every day, Thom has to ride her motorbike along a steep mountain path to reach the village school, where she is responsible for ensuring that every child attends class. She prepares lunch for her students, cleans the school building, coordinates repairs and visits families at home to convince them of the value of education. For Thom, teaching is more than just a job – it’s a personal mission. This year, however, her work is more challenging than ever, as a typhoon threatens to bring heavy rains and severe flooding to the region.