Mai Thi Ho Preschool is located in the district of Muong Cha in Dien Bien province, which is bordering west of Laos. The school is situated in a highland border area that is facing economic hardships, challenging geographical conditions, and limited mineral resources. The main economic activities are agriculture and forestry, but the climate here is harsh, with long winters, making the economy very challenging. The district relies heavily on state funding to sustain its economy. Unfortunately, the literacy rate of the population is distressingly low, with over 80% of households grappling with poverty, and a significant portion of the population lacking basic reading and writing skills.

Presently, there is a temporary classroom accommodating 40 children that are learning out of a storage room.  Recognizing the pressing need for change, the Lotus School Foundation is committed to building a school with 2 spacious classrooms that will provide a nurturing and conductive environment for learning and development. The cost of the new school is estimated at

Dien Bien stands as one of the most remote locations where LSF has built schools. Following a nearly 20-hour journey to reach Ma Thi Ho School, we experienced firsthand the challenges posed by the unforgiving climate and rugged terrain. Despite it being January, the temperature had already soared to 80 degrees. Upon our arrival at the school, we were warmly welcomed by the villagers, teachers, and students. The villagers expressed their excitement in receiving visitors, making the grand-opening ceremony a truly memorable occasion for them. Witnessing the storage room where the children had been studying in, our team felt immense joy knowing that they would now have proper classrooms to learn and thrive in.