Promoting education for marginalized children

In Southeast Asia, access to secondary and higher education remains deeply unequal for ethnic minority populations, particularly in rural and isolated areas. In Vietnam, these disparities are particularly marked in the Central Highlands, around Da Lat, where young girls face a combination of economic, geographical, and sociocultural obstacles hindering their pursuit of education.

From a young age, their schooling is made vulnerable by family poverty, the remoteness of educational establishments, and the lack of suitable infrastructure. In addition to these material obstacles, social and cultural factors, such as the low value placed on girls' education or early marriages, exacerbate school dropout rates. In these regions, up to one in five children do not complete secondary school, with higher rates among ethnic minorities (UNICEF, 2022). Consequently, a significant proportion of them do not complete secondary education, thereby limiting their future prospects and perpetuating a cycle of poverty and marginalization.

In response to these structural inequalities, Opportunity for Women Development is committed to supporting these young people in their educational journeys.

Deep educational inequalities in Vietnamese rural areas

In Vietnam's Central Highlands, access to quality education remains a major challenge. Educational inequalities manifest there from an early age and worsen throughout the schooling process. Less than 60% of ethnic minority girls manage to complete secondary education, a figure that reveals a system struggling to retain the most vulnerable students.

This dropout is notably explained by the lack of adapted school infrastructure, insufficient educational resources, and the absence of individualized support. In these isolated territories, school is not always perceived as a priority, due to a lack of resources and concrete prospects. According to a UN report, on average, children from ethnic minorities have to travel 11km to get to school, which affects attendance, particularly among the youngest.

Added to this is a significant language barrier: ethnic minority children grow up speaking their mother tongue, while education is provided in Vietnamese, which slows down learning from the earliest years (UNESCO, 2019).

The structural poverty of rural families is a central obstacle to schooling. Early on, many children are forced to participate in agricultural work to support their households, at the expense of their education. School then becomes secondary to economic imperatives.

Food insecurity is another determining factor, as it directly affects children's ability to learn. A child who does not eat enough cannot concentrate or fully develop their cognitive abilities. This daily reality durably weakens their schooling. Indeed, according to UNICEF, malnutrition directly affects a child's ability to learn; malnourished children are 19% less likely to be able to read a simple sentence at age 8.

Young girls from ethnic minorities are particularly affected. In some communities, their education is still undervalued, and early marriages remain frequent. These practices lead to premature abandonment of school and significantly limit their future opportunities.

Lack of access to education fuels a vicious cycle: without training, professional opportunities remain limited, which perpetuates poverty and social inequalities. As such, it is estimated that the monthly income of ethnic minorities in 2018 was over 2 million dong per person (approximately €65), half of the national average (4.15 million dong - €135).

Thus, younger generations risk lasting marginalization with the perpetuation of the poverty cycle. Faced with this reality, it is essential to support local initiatives, rooted in cultural and social realities, capable of providing concrete and sustainable solutions.

A concrete response provided by Opportunity for Women Development

Le projet “Light Up Your Dreams” : agir dès l’enfance

Derrière ce projet se trouve une histoire profondément humaine. Celle de Patrick Kosa, jeune diplômé issu de l’ethnie Chil, qui a lui-même grandi dans un contexte de pauvreté, marqué par un accès limité à l’éducation et des défis environnementaux importants. En 2017, il décide d’agir en fondant “Light Up Your Dreams”, avec une conviction simple : chaque enfant mérite une chance de rêver et de construire son avenir.

Le projet repose sur trois axes complémentaires, pensés pour répondre aux besoins réels des enfants : d’abord, favoriser l’accès à une éducation de qualité afin de lutter contre le décrochage scolaire. Ensuite, autonomiser les enfants et lutter contre la pauvreté en offrant des perspectives concrètes aux jeunes. Enfin, promouvoir un mode de vie durable en sensibilisant les jeunes aux enjeux environnementaux, et aux pratiques durables afin d’en faire des acteurs engagés dans la préservation de leur environnement. 

Le camp d’été “Light Up Your Dreams” constitue le pilier central de l’initiative. Organisé sur deux mois, de mi-juin à mi-août, il accueille des enfants issus de minorités ethniques dans un cadre sécurisé et stimulant. Depuis sa création en 2018, le camp a connu une croissance significative : de 12 enfants à ses débuts, il devrait accueillir 60 participants en 2026.

La participation féminine y est particulièrement forte, avec 38 filles sur 48 enfants en 2025, illustrant une volonté claire de réduire les inégalités de genre.

Le programme combine des cours académiques, des ateliers créatifs, des activités en plein air, ainsi que des temps d’échange. Les enfants y développent à la fois des compétences scolaires, sociales et personnelles, favorisant leur maintien dans le système éducatif. Encadrés par des volontaires locaux et internationaux ainsi que des éducateurs spécialisés, les enfants bénéficient d’un accompagnement complet, à la fois éducatif et humain.

Les résultats sont déjà significatifs :

  • 75 % des boursiers sélectionnés par le gouvernement proviennent du programme,
  • plusieurs jeunes filles ont accédé à l’université, dont deux en 2025.

Les résultats observés montrent une amélioration significative de la continuité scolaire, avec une proportion importante d’enfants poursuivant leur scolarité dans de meilleures conditions (OFWD, suivi de cohorte).

 

Le programme de bourses : sécuriser la poursuite des études


Dans le prolongement direct du projet Light Up Your Dreams, Opportunity for Women Development a mis en place un programme de bourses destiné à accompagner les jeunes dans la poursuite de leurs études.

Ce dispositif répond à un moment critique du parcours éducatif : le passage vers l’enseignement supérieur, souvent inaccessible pour des raisons financières. 

En 2025, quatre jeunes femmes — Sarah, Nora, Josie et Jessie — ont pu intégrer l’université de Dalat grâce au soutien du programme. Issues de milieux très défavorisés, elles poursuivent aujourd’hui des études, notamment en langue anglaise.

Chaque bourse représente un coût d’environ 3 000 € par an, couvrant les frais essentiels (scolarité, logement, alimentation). En 2026, l’association renouvelle son engagement en continuant de soutenir ces étudiantes tout au long de leur parcours universitaire.

Addressing the root causes of inequalities

Opportunity for Women Development's work in the Highlands is based on a progressive and coherent approach, aiming to intervene at different stages of the educational journey.

By intervening from childhood and then supporting the continuation of studies, these initiatives help to limit breaks in trajectory and strengthen young girls' abilities to build their future.

In these contexts, education is a structural lever for:

  • reducing gender inequality
  • improving living conditions
  • and promoting local development

Thus, investment in the education of young girls is a suitable response to deeply entrenched inequalities, linked to the economic, social, and geographical realities of the Vietnamese Highlands.

← Back to blog
Discover
our products
View all
To travel
with our beneficiaries!
  • Préserver les racines : l’enjeu de la valorisation du patrimoine

    Preserving Roots: The Challenge of Heritage Enh...

    Preserving and transmitting cultural riches is not merely a duty to memory. It is a profoundly living issue, at once human, economic, and societal. In many Southeast Asian countries, such...

    Preserving Roots: The Challenge of Heritage Enh...

    Preserving and transmitting cultural riches is not merely a duty to memory. It is a profoundly living issue, at once human, economic, and societal. In many Southeast Asian countries, such...

  • Promouvoir l'éducation des enfants marginalisés

    Promoting education for marginalized children

    In Southeast Asia, access to secondary and higher education remains deeply unequal for ethnic minority populations, particularly in rural and isolated areas. In Vietnam, these disparities are particularly marked in...

    Promoting education for marginalized children

    In Southeast Asia, access to secondary and higher education remains deeply unequal for ethnic minority populations, particularly in rural and isolated areas. In Vietnam, these disparities are particularly marked in...

  • Écologie en Asie du Sud-Est : comprendre, agir et transmettre

    Ecology in Southeast Asia: understanding, actin...

    In countries such as Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar, ecology is not a priority, even though populations, especially young people, are already facing the direct consequences of climate change: deforestation, soil...

    Ecology in Southeast Asia: understanding, actin...

    In countries such as Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar, ecology is not a priority, even though populations, especially young people, are already facing the direct consequences of climate change: deforestation, soil...

1 3
Discover