Over a thousand school kids from rural communities surrounding Animals Asia's Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre have learned to say 'no' to bear bile products.

In the first 10 months of 2014 alone, 1,062 pupils learned about the cruelty of bear bile farming at their primary and secondary schools.

Animals Asia's Education Officer Vu Minh Huyen said:

"We've worked hard to educate young people about bear bile farming and also tell them about our work at the sanctuary to rehabilitate rescued bears. The kids are 100% behind the campaign to end bear bile farming and you can be sure they are going home to tell their families what they've learned."

The school presentations were the culmination of long negotiations with the Tam Dao district Department of Education, the principles of the five participating schools and the teachers who accommodated the presentations in their timetables.

Animals Asia's Vietnam Director, Tuan Bendixsen said:

"I'm very proud of the staff who managed to get this educational programme off the ground. In Vietnam, the school curriculums are absolutely packed and a lot of people and departments had to be convinced of the necessity of such a programme. Hopefully, we'll be able expand the programme to other regions like Hanoi in the future."

Almost half of the students who listened to presentations at their school were later able to visit the sanctuary and see the rescued bears for themselves.

Clearly, the anti-bear bile message was heard loud and clear by the students with a great many of them also taking part in the Together We Can Save Vietnam's Bears drawing competition.

A staggering 866 entries were received with the organisers intending to hold a prize-giving ceremony at the end of the year.

Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:

"This is the first year of our local schools programme and we couldn't be more pleased with the results. The children are so receptive to the message that animal cruelty is wrong. The support of these children and all the family members and friends that they will go on to educate and influence will be a huge part of ending the demand for bear bile products in Vietnam."

As of October 2014, the education centre at Animals Asia's sanctuary in Tam Dao had received 2,476 visitors.

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