"Sprouts of the Forest" Journey: 10 Scholarships gifted for Chu Yang Sin Rangers' Children

Over four months, the community fundraising campaign "Sprouts of the Forest" has achieved significant success. This campaign, organized by WildAct Vietnam, aims to support the children of rangers facing difficulties in Chư Yang Sin National Park. The campaign attracted widespread community attention, raising over 100 million VND in both cash and in-kind donations.

Chư Yang Sin National Park (Đắk Lắk province) is one of Vietnam’s four major biodiversity centers, home to rich and rare ecosystems. However, illegal wildlife hunting here is becoming increasingly severe, putting many species at risk of extinction. In response, the rangers and specialized forces have been tirelessly working day and night to protect the forest and its wildlife. Nevertheless, the dangerous nature of their work, coupled with the hardships of daily life, has posed many significant challenges.

The "Sprouts of the Forest" campaign was launched to partially support the lives of ranger families, particularly in covering the educational costs for their children. After four months, the campaign has received nearly 75 million VND from over 400 contributions. Of this, 32.4% (24,183,329 VND) was donated via the MoMo platform, and 67.6% (50,000,000 VND) was received through the organization’s bank account.

Ceremony from the "Sprouts of the Forest" fundraising campaign at Chư Yang Sin National Park.

The campaign garnered over 18,000 organic reaches through posts on WildAct’s official fanpage, spreading awareness about the stories of ranger families in Chư Yang Sin National Park. These posts not only highlighted the rangers' efforts to protect the forest but also deeply portrayed the hardships their families face. Due to the dangerous and demanding nature of their work, rangers are often away from home, causing their families, especially their children, to suffer in terms of both emotional and material support.

These genuine stories about their harsh lives touched the hearts of the community, generating deep empathy and encouraging many to contribute. WildAct not only succeeded in connecting the community to its mission of forest protection but also helped people better understand the silent sacrifices of ranger families.

Speaking at the closing and awarding event on September 15, 2024, Mr. Lộc Xuân Nghĩa, Director of Chư Yang Sin National Park, expressed: "Most of the rangers, who are from ethnic minorities, face economic difficulties, and their children in buffer zones do not have the same learning conditions as their peers. We hope that the support from the community and businesses will help these children study better, while also allowing rangers to feel more secure in carrying out their duties."

Mr. Lộc Xuân Nghĩa, Director of Chư Yang Sin National Park, speaking at the event.

WildAct would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to the campaign’s sponsors: GaiA Co., Ltd., La Pomme, Nhất Thống Agriculture Company, artist Đinh Kiều Dương, Pèn Pen Pén Cafe, the campaign’s partners - MoMo E-wallet, Chư Yang Sin National Park Management Board, iVolunteer, and the generous donors who contributed to the "Forest Seedlings" campaign. These contributions have provided meaningful scholarships to the children of rangers, offering them better opportunities to learn and grow despite the challenges their families face. This also contributes to the protection of forests and wildlife in Vietnam.

Watch the video below and revisit some of the most memorable moments from the event.