OneSky teachers and kids back in school as record rains relent in Vietnam

Teacher Tran Thi Huong (pictured above) thankfully lives just a couple of miles from OneSky’s Early Learning Center in Da Nang, Vietnam.

On Sunday, Da Nang, Vietnam’s third biggest city, suffered over 25 inches of rain – the worst in recorded history. With much of the city flooded and roads impassable, local authorities announced schools would be closed on Monday.

Following this guidance, OneSky closed it’s Early Learning Center (ELC) for the children of factory workers but, thanks to incredible staff cooperation, the center reopened just a day later.

Teachers at the ELC are very aware that they are relied upon by parents who need to work. For teacher Huong, it meant riding and pushing her bike through flooded roads on her way to the factory zone where the ELC is located. For many staff and parents, their journey was much further. With fatalities reported no one is taking the conditions lightly.

This city is pulling together and we are part of that.

Vietnam Program Director Vo Thi Hien commented:

“No one locally has entirely escaped the effects of the rain. From damage to property and loss of earnings to childcare problems due to children being off school. We followed the local authority ruling to close but with incredible staff cooperation, we’ve opened again after a single day.

“Without the ELC being open, the parents of children are unable to work and the potential loss of pay can hit hard. The city is pulling together and we are part of that community. If we can open, parents can get back to work and local employers can run at full capacity.”

Vietnam ranks 6th in the climate risk index ranking. In 2017 it experienced 298 reported deaths and US$4.05 billion economic loss as a result of weather extremes. Climate change is widely recognized as one of the most significant causes of rural migration.