Sponsor

Ephemeral Gifts
Mr. Bang's humanism is manifested above all by the signs of affection he shows to children, and which we enrich by other means. So first there are hiss ballons, then our footballs, badminton rackets, finally our photo prints on paper with a portable printer or our filmed sequences which make them happy. Joy increases tenfold when they are offered long plastic ribbons, ink supports recovered after printing. Tied to the end of the bamboo stems, they become banners that the children brandish, waving their arms and running towards us until the buses leave, shouting at the top of their voices.

Mr Bang’s Stamp

Xa Linh's kindergarten 

Mother happier than child

Xam Pa elementary school 

This is our lunch!

In the kindergarten of Pa Co where a long track begins, our guests and we distribute treats; the little girls offer us a show of songs and dances in traditional dress, hesitant, look turned towards their teacher who beats the rhythm while smiling!

At noon, unable to follow Mr. Bang and the friends for a long hike in the sun to meet villagers he knows, the driver and I stayed in front of the school. By our side, calm and wise children.

– Aren't you coming home?

– No, Uncle. We wait for the mistress to reopen the gate.

– But you don't have lunch?

– This is our meal ..., the oldest answers, opening her hands full of sweets.

We were going to ask an indiscreet question...

– But you know, sometimes people around here give us food when they have leftovers.

– How are you going to get home?

– On foot! Our mothers come to pick us up... They are still up there in the mountains.

(…)
A dialogue interrupted by our silence mixed with respect and admiration for these little children already grown in their minds.