The building and the opening of a school always mean that steps are being taken towards liberty and democracy.’

André SAINT-GEORGES
vice-president of ANAPI,
former chief inspector of schools

 

The school is located 12 kms north of Diên Biên Phu in the village of Huoi-Loi.

In addition a road and a bridge were built so as to access the school.

On March 17th, 1999 in Nam Dinh, Diên Biên Phu’s mayor had lunch with French ambassador in Hanoi and the French minister for war veterans. Once the two officials had gone he expressed his wish to meet with ANAPI representatives and invited them to the city hall where he was joined by all local councillors.

A little later the mayor of this big city (Diên Biên Phu has 200 000 inhabitants and is the administrative capital of Vietnam) invited Jack BONFILS to follow him with his closest colleagues. After half an hour the group reached a big hill and followed a trail for the next forty minutes.

 

Then the cars had to stop because they were faced with a ravine at the bottom of which a stream flowed. The group had to walk on a tree trunk to reach the other side and get to the village of Huoi-Loi where they were greeted by the mayor.

The ANAPI representatives were told that in the winter the stream rose three or four metres and that farmers had to make a very long detour to reach Dien Bien Phu’s market. They also found out that there was no school in Huoi-Loi.

ANAPI appealed for funds to its members, to Foreign Legion veterans and to other veteran associations. Thus the Huoi-Loi school, as well as its bridge and a five-metre wide road, were all built.