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| Pham Quang Nam (R), deputy general director of KFC Vietnam Joint Venture Co. Ltd., hands over a symbolic cheque worth VND140 million to Associate Professor Dr. Ha Thanh Toan, president of Can Tho University at the tenth anniversary of the Saigon Times Foundation in Can Tho City - Photo: Huynh Kim |
A scholarship award ceremony and music show was held at Can Tho University last Friday to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Saigon Times Foundation (STF).
The event was co-organized by STF and Can Tho University with the participation of over 1,500 students.
Since the STF’s inception, Can Tho University has been a loyal partner and supporter of the foundation’s community programs, with over 1,000 students from the school granted scholarships or given interest-free student loans from STF.
At the STF-KFC Vietnam Long-term Scholarship Award Ceremony, Pham Quang Nam, deputy general director of KFC Vietnam Joint Venture Co. Ltd., said KFC has been present in Vietnam since 1997, with over 100 restaurants at present and this is the first time KFC has joined hands with STF to grant scholarships to students.
Bac Lieu-born Ho Thi Kim Ngan, who is a business administration student of Can Tho University, hopes that KFC will continue to grant scholarships in future school years to help more disadvantaged students like her.
The program will award VND2 billion to students in the north, central, HCMC and the Mekong Delta in the school year 2011-2012, with each scholarship worth VND7 million. In the Mekong Delta, 40 students of Can Tho University and An Giang University have been given the scholarships.
Chairman Vo Anh Tuan of Van Phat Hung Joint Stock Co. handed over to Associate Professor Dr. Ha Thanh Toan, president of Can Tho University, a symbolic check for VND655.2 million for the Mekong Program under STF’s interest-free student loan program for 312 students this year.
The program was launched in September 2009 and lent interest-free loans to students in the Mekong Delta with a primary budget of VND4 billion sponsored by Van Hung Phat Co.
Since then, VND3.4 billion has been given to 961 students of Can Tho University, Cuu Long University, An Giang University and Ca Mau Community College.
Vo Anh Tuan said: “Ca Mau and the Mekong Delta have brought us up, so now we want to repay our homeland by sharing and assisting the students born in the Mekong Delta.”
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, former president of Can Tho University and chairman of the sponsorship council for the Mekong Program, said the program has helped hundreds of students pay tuition until graduation. He expected the program will be expanded and the students will soon pay their debts so that their successors will be able to access such loans.
After the scholarship award ceremony and Mekong Program 2012 launching ceremony, the two-storey hall of Can Tho University crowded with students enjoying a music show thanks to HCMC’s singing businessmen group.
The group members come from TTT Corporation, SOCO Vietnam, Minh Phuc Ltd., V-Home Group, MPU Music School and Quang Minh Advertising Co.
