Innovation for Children by Masterise and UNICEF Viet Nam

15-10-2023

Climate change has significant impact on education, particularly in the Mekong Delta provinces, where thousands of children are unable to attend school. In order to promote education equality, Masterise Group and UNICEF Vietnam have collaborated on the "Innovation for Children" project since April 2022.    
  
Bringing innovative solutions to help children in Soc Trang

Nhu, a 10-year-old Khmer girl, lives with her grandmother and younger sister in Soc Trang, Viet Nam while her parents live in another province for work. Drought, saline intrusion, and sea level rise resulting in water shortage threaten their health and education.  
Without access to a proper latrine, Nhu uses a fish-pond latrine daily. Open defecation is still prevalent in her community.  
Nhu avoids using the toilets at school. "They're inconvenient, especially when it's dark and rainy outside. I wish they were cleaner and safer for my classmates and me," she said.
 

 

Lam Thi Diem Nhu and her grandmother, Ms. Son Thi Suong (Long Phu district, Soc Trang province, Viet Nam), from the Khmer ethnic minority, lack of a hygienic latrine at home. Credit: UNICEF Viet Nam\Truong Viet Hung
UNICEF and Masterise staff visited Nhu’s school for assessment. Credit: UNICEF Viet Nam\Truong Viet Hung

"They're inconvenient, especially when it's dark and rainy outside. I wish they were cleaner and safer for my classmates and me,ā€ said Lam Thi Diem Nhu, 10 years old, a Khmer student from Long Phu C primary school, Soc Trang.


These challenges, in addition to open defecation in the community, put the health and education of children at risk. However, there is hope with new innovative technologies. 


Innovative partnership for changes 


UNICEF, with support from Masterise Group, is striving to improve the quality of education and living conditions for children in Soc Trang.  


Under this partnership, the "Innovation for Children" project introduces innovative water, sanitation, and hygiene technologies, including a net-zero toilet device that converts wastewater into clean water using solar energy.  
 

 

Nguyen Hong Hanh, WASH Officer of UNICEF Viet Nam (in blue T-shirt, left) and Masterise staff shared the joy with children for the first net-zero toilet device shipment to their school. Credit: UNICEF Viet Nam\Truong Viet Hung
The first net-zero toilet device in Viet Nam, ā€œNet Zero Aquonic,ā€ arrived at Long Phu C Primary School for installation. It represents a groundbreaking wastewater treatment system that harnesses clean energy from solar panels to turn wastewater into clean and germ-free water, which will be reused for flushing toilets. Credit: UNICEF Viet Nam\Truong Viet Hung

Nhu's school will be the first to benefit from this technology. The goal is to scale up this initiative to other areas affected by the climate crisis. 
 
ā€œUNICEF collaborates with partners to upgrade and renovate toilets at schools, using innovative technologies and climate-resilient solutions to secure a sustainable future for children,ā€ said Nguyen Hong Hanh, WASH Officer of UNICEF Viet Nam.   
 

Nhu (left) and her friend happily experiencing a digital book for the first time. Credit: UNICEF Viet Nam\Truong Viet Hung

Sį»± hį»— trợ cį»§a Tįŗ­p đoĆ n Masterise cÅ©ng giĆŗp UNICEF thĆ nh lįŗ­p thʰ viện số bįŗ±ng tiįŗæng Việt vĆ  tiįŗæng Khmer. SĆ”ng kiįŗæn nĆ y sįŗ½ nĆ¢ng cao hiểu biįŗæt kỹ thuįŗ­t số vĆ  tăng cĘ°į»ng khįŗ£ năng tiįŗæp cįŗ­n vį»›i cĆ”c tĆ i nguyĆŖn giĆ”o dỄc cho trįŗ» em, bao gồm phįŗ§n mềm Ä‘į»c vĆ  sĆ”ch kỹ thuįŗ­t số vį»›i ngĆ“n ngữ ký hiệu dĆ nh cho trįŗ» em khuyįŗæt tįŗ­t. Nhʰ đã có trįŗ£i nghiệm đầu tiĆŖn vį»›i sĆ”ch kỹ thuįŗ­t số trĆŖn mĆ”y tĆ­nh bįŗ£ng.
"Con thįŗ„y khĆ” vui vĆ  thĆŗ vị. Con mong muốn hį»c khoa hį»c, Ä‘į»c sĆ”ch vĆ  khĆ”m phĆ” cĆ”c chį»§ đề khĆ”c nhau Ä‘į»ƒ được vui chĘ”i vĆ  hį»c tįŗ­p từ thʰ viện số nĆ y", Nhʰ nói. 


Việc hợp tĆ”c cùng UNICEF Việt Nam cÅ©ng lĆ  mį»™t trong những hoįŗ”t động trį»ng điểm thuį»™c chʰʔng trƬnh vƬ cį»™ng đồng ā€œBuild A Better Futureā€ cį»§a tįŗ­p đoĆ n, bįŗÆt đầu triển khai từ thĆ”ng 4/2022.

ChĆ­nh thức khởi động từ thĆ”ng 4/2022, chʰʔng trƬnh ā€œBuild a Better Future - Kiįŗæn tįŗ”o tʰʔng laiā€ cį»§a Masterise Group đã thį»±c thi thĆ nh cĆ“ng những sĆ”ng kiįŗæn vĆ  hoįŗ”t động thiįŗæt thį»±c.
Tį»›i nay, chʰʔng trƬnh đã vĆ  đang triển khai tổng cį»™ng 34 dį»± Ć”n vį»›i 1.148.533 ngĘ°į»i thỄ hưởng trį»±c tiįŗæp vĆ  giĆ”n tiįŗæp trĆŖn khįŗÆp cįŗ£ nước.

But that's not all. Masterise Group's support has enabled UNICEF to establish digital libraries in Vietnamese and Khmer languages. This initiative will enhance digital skills and provide access to educational resources, including sign language and reading software for children with disabilities. Nhu had her first experience with a digital book on a tablet and found it fascinating. 


I want to learn science, read books, and explore different topics from this digital library," she said.


As part of Masterise Group's "Build a Better Future" community program, cooperation with UNICEF Vietnam is a key activity that commenced in April 2022.


Since its official launch in April 2022, the "Build a Better Future" program by Masterise Group has implemented practical initiatives and activities. To date, the program has completed 34 projects, benefiting 1,148,533 individuals directly and indirectly throughout the country.