BASF and Nippon renovate schools in Mekong Delta

On September 19, the two partners inaugurated a kindergarten renovation project in Tap Ngai commune, Tieu Can district in Tra Vinh province. This remote area is approximately 220 kilometres away from Ho Chi Minh City.

Aimed to enhance learning facilities, hygiene and safety conditions at Tap Ngai kindergarten, BASF and Nippon have built a total of three classrooms, a teachers’ office, a playground and hygiene facilities. Upon completion, the revamped facility can now accommodate 75 students per year, an increase from 50 before refurbishment.

This project is part of a three-year joint initiative named “Painting for a good cause”, under which BASF and Nippon Paint fund school renovation and painting projects in needy areas of Vietnam, including the Mekong Delta.

This year, the initiative also offers painting sponsorships to two other kindergartens and one primary school in Kien Giang and Hau Giang province. A combined area of over 1,000 square metres at the four facilities will be painted with low-odour products to minimise impact on health and the environment. Approximately 275 students from these four schools will benefit from the initiative every year.

The initiative is facilitated by Saigon Children’s Charity CIO, through which the School Building and Learning Environments programme has built more than 350 classrooms for thousands of students since 1992.

Petrus Ng, managing director of BASF Vietnam, commented that as part of BASF’s 150th anniversary celebration in 2015, the company would develop activities that extend into the future.

“The three-year partnership with our valued customer Nippon Paint has underlined our commitment to create chemistry with local communities for a sustainable future. By providing disadvantaged school children with better access to education, we believe that we can prepare them for a better future,” said Ng.

Likewise, general director of Nippon Paint Vietnam Ee Soon Hean also expressed a desire for a project that gives back to the local community, as well as building pride and participation among Nippon Paint employees.

“We believe the best way to give back is to link philanthropic investment with our painting solutions and expertise, as well as the skills and passion of our employees. This distinction validates our efforts toward making a substantial and lasting impact in communities,” said Ee.