BASF and Think Playgrounds develop fifth public playground in Vietnam

BASF and Think Playgrounds build 5th public playground in Vietnam

The charity is initiated and operated by YWAM Mercy Vietnam, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which also runs two other charities in Ba Vi district, Hanoi taking care of 62 underprivileged children in total.

The playground and outdoor toys are built using child-friendly materials including wood, rope, and reusable materials, such as old tires. The project will provide the young generation an opportunity to have an engaging interaction with nature and instill the habit of reusing and recycling. The facility also aims to promote exploration, inspire creativity, and develop different skills among the kids.

Erick Contreras, managing director of BASF Vietnam says, “Despite the challenges of COVID-19, our endeavour is to continue providing support in the area of educational development. We are pleased to build the fifth playground for underprivileged children in partnership with Think Playgrounds. The pandemic has prevented our children from exploring outdoor learning and playing, which can unfortunately impact their physical, emotional, social, and mental health. We hope this facility can help them reconnect with nature and boost their spirit. With this initiative, we aim to provide children a positive experience and create memories that they can cherish.”

Nguyen Tieu Quoc Dat, co-founder and vice director of Think Playgrounds adds, “We have partnered with BASF since 2019 and appreciate the efforts to jointly revitalise public spaces and offer playgrounds for children. The new facility in Ba Vi district demonstrates our continuous partnership as well as our joint commitment to contribute to community development. We look forward to partnering with many more organisations like BASF, who care about the development of children in cities lacking public spaces, which are essential for children’s mental and physical development.”

Roslyn Jackson, representative of YWAM Mercy, says, “With over 20 years of experience in supporting Vietnamese underprivileged kids, we truly understand the importance of total development, both physical and mental, for each child. Therefore, this playground is a great place to play and interact with each other and supports total development not just for our kids but also those children living in the neighbouring areas.“

In 2019, to celebrate the milestone of 25 years of operations in Vietnam, BASF had partnered with Think Playgrounds to build four public playgrounds for over 12,000 school kids in Yen Bai province, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City. The project enables safe and high-quality play facilities for children, especially the underprivileged ones.

Apart from the collaborative playground donation initiative, BASF Vietnam has been active in multiple community projects. For instance, BASF has partnered with Saigon Children’s Charity to renovate schools to enhance facilities and improve hygiene and safety conditions. Moreover, BASF has provided scholarships to disadvantaged university students for four years of their studies and holds the interactive education programme BASF Kids’ Lab on an annual basis for primary school students. The company also offers BASF Virtual Lab, a website for primary students to do fun online chemistry experiments from the comfort of their homes or schools.