The excitement of “Happy steps” at a mountainous school in Song Ma, Son La

On October 12, over 200 students and teachers from Pao Lan and Na Un schools in Song Ma District, Son La Province, donned bright green “Happy Giga Run” shirts and joined in a joyful run along the winding path that leads them to school each day. This activity is part of the “New look for school” program, co-organized by FSOFT and the Hope Foundation.

Earlier, on the morning of October 11, the FSOFT and Hope Foundation volunteer group embarked on a journey from FPT Tower, covering over 350 km through the storm-scarred landscape left by Typhoon Yagi. The goal of the trip was not just to bring happiness through these joyful steps but also to spread the spirit of “Together, we do good”, contributing to the rebuilding efforts at schools impacted by the storm.

On the morning of October 12, the volunteer team arrived at Pao Lan School, part of Yen Hung Primary School. Perched halfway up a hill, the school is surrounded by lush forests, with 90% of its students being of Thai ethnicity and 10% from the H’Mong community. That afternoon, the team continued to Na Un School, part of Muong Sai Primary and Secondary School, where 133 students are mostly from the H’Mong and Xinh Mun ethnic groups.

Both schools are located around 45 km from the center of Song Ma District and face significant material shortages. To support the teachers and students in their education, the “New look for school” program provided resources such as a digital library, a “dream bookshelf”, educational equipment, study supplies, snacks, over 350 “Giga Run” shirts, and a variety of clothes and books collected through donations, with a total value exceeding 150 million VND.

The highlight of the program was the “Happy Giga Run”, themed “Happy steps”. For the first time, teachers and students wore matching green shirts and ran hand in hand along the familiar path to school. Each step brought joy and symbolized hope for a brighter future.

Lo Nhat Thuy Linh, a 5th grader at Pao Lan School, shared her excitement: “We were very happy to join the run together, with our teachers cheering us on. I hope there will be more sports activities like singing, dancing, or jumping rope so we can bond even more”.

Mr. Vu Van Thu, a teacher at Na Un School, also expressed his thoughts: “The school has already maintained morning exercise and folk dance activities for the students. After this program, we will consider organizing weekly runs to help the children improve their health”.

Building on the success of 2023, FPT Software will continue the “HAPPY GIGA RUN 2024” race to spread the happy steps of FPT people worldwide. In celebration of FPT Software’s 25th anniversary, the 2024 event will continue to promote beautiful values and contribute to building a happy future. Every employee, along with their families, friends, customers, and partners, will help spread the love for sports and work together to create positive change for the community in the 30 countries and territories where FPT Software operates.

In addition, the event will combine fun runs with various community-focused activities, demonstrating the company’s commitment to social responsibility. These include charity programs for children and the elderly, blood donation drives, beach cleanups, tree-planting initiatives, and more. Following the event in Son La, “HAPPY GIGA RUN” will accompany FSOFT Vietnam’s volunteer team to continue supporting children in Yen Bai Province.