In February 2023, Mr. PVT from California visited three schools built by VNHelp a couple years ago in Tu Nang commune, Yen Chau district, Son La province. He wrote in his letter to VNHelp:
“The most memorable thing about this trip was that we were able to meet with the teachers and the local people. Everyone repeatedly told me that the students love their new school so much that they look forward to going to school everyday and they even want to have classes on Sundays. They are very proud that their schools are, in every respect, better and more beautiful than other schools built by the government. Not only that, the schools keep students cool in the summer and warm in the winter.”
It gets very cold in the central region of Vietnam. The students in the poor areas do not have the appropriate warm clothing to protect them from the cold. In December 2022, VNHelp provided 495 sweaters/jackets to the students of Avao preschool located in Dakrong district, Quảng Trị as well as the students of Điền Hòa preschool located in Phong Điền district, Thừa Thiên Huế.
Sincere thanks to the benevolent sponsors who responded to the appeal of Ms. Yên Thao and donate to provide warm clothing to the needy children. This much needed support has provided both joy and warmth to the children in these regions.
Dinh Hai commune is a poor commune in Yen Dinh district, Thanh Hoa province, away from the city. 35km from Thanh Hoa. Democrats mainly live by farming and small trade. The living water sources currently being used by the locals are digging wells, drilling wells, contaminated with clay, algae, limestone and high iron content that can cause disease and affect health.
VNHelp collaborates with Thanh Hoa Water Supply Company to implement the project “Expand the live water pipeline system for 1,000 residents of Dinh Hai commune. The project is sponsored by three talents: VNHelp, Thanh Hoa Water Supply Company, local residents. Estimated implementation period from 1/4/2020 to 1/11/2020.
Dinh Hai is a poor commune in Yen Dinh district, Thanh Hoa province, about 35 km from Thanh Hoa City. People live by farming and small trading. The source of water for daily use is water wells which are polluted by clay, alum, limestone and high iron that are harmful to people’s health.
VNHelp partners with Thanh Hoa Water Supply Joint Stock Company to implement a water project which extends the pipeline system to bring safe water to 1,000 households in Dinh Hai commune. The project is funded by three parties: VNHelp, the water company, and the beneficiary households. The implementation period is from April 1, 2022 to November 1, 2022.
#AmbassadorKnapper: “Congratulations to VNHELP and the Rotary Club of San Jose that is inaugurating a newly built school in Sơn La. It is always good to see the many contributions that Americans are making to the U.S.-Vietnam partnership!”
A heart-warming video about a VNHelp’s mission: Open a new elementary school in Son La. August 12, 2022, on YouTube.
Report from Kien Giang Television about VNHelp’s projects to create jobs and increase income for farmers: Growing Straw Mushrooms and Knitting Water Hyacinths Handicraft Products. Huge thanks to Mrs. Kim Thoa Duong for providing the fund to implement the Water Hyacinths Handicraft project. Watch on YouTube.
Minh Son is an exclusively agricultural commune in Trieu Son district, 25 km West of Thanh Hoa city, in North Vietnam. Every grain, every cup of harvested rice exacts a heavy toll of sweat and tears from its farmers. Today, rural areas face a labor shortage problem. Young people no longer care about agriculture because the work is too hard and the income barely affords them the rice to eat for the day; they have moved to urban areas to obtain manual labor jobs for a living. The village is now a shadow of its former self, with just a few old farmers still enthusiastic about the fields, together with women and children. They still use traditional methods of farming with manual labors. The farmers’ most fervent wish is to possess a motorized tiller, planter and reaper to reduce their hardships, and to attract a younger workforce to return to their hometown to start a sustainable career.
Having become aware of that wish, and with an eye toward community building and the modernization of its agriculture, on April 15, 2022, VNHelp delivered a Kubota Combine Harvester (DC70 Plus) to farmers in Minh Son commune. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Chanh & Ling Ling Cao Minh for sponsoring this machine.
From the next crop season, farmers will no longer have to stoop to cut each bunch of rice with a sickle. They will no longer be drenched in sweat and tears for bending their backs from early morning to late evening at each harvest. “The next bowl of rice we eat will definitely taste better, because it contains a lot of sincerity and sharing”, exclaimed Uncle Thong – a farmer of many years in Minh Son commune – with heartfelt passion and a bright smile!
Thanks to ongoing technology advances, the internet has rapidly changed our lives, bringing the world closer together; all available knowledge in any field can now be retrieved from anywhere with just one click. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced many of us to access the internet more often, and the need for internet-connected devices is greater than ever.
VNHelp successfully lobbied benefactors Tuan Khanh & Yen to donate 30 Chromebooks to children at two orphanages with a total value of more than 5,500 USD. In Saigon, on April 3, 2022, the Hoa Hong Shelter took delivery of 5 Chromebooks and on April 6, 2022 Tu Hanh Orphanage received 25 Chromebooks. Learning conditions at these orphanages will certainly be improved. On behalf of the children, VNHelp would like to convey our thanks to Tuan Khanh & Yen.
At the same time the construction of Na Pản school began, in March 2022, VNHelp also started the construction of Chan III Kindergarten, located about 25 km from the residential town, distant by high mountain roads and steep passes. The school is in Cay village, Ngoi Cay commune, Muong Ang district; it is at the border of Son La and Dien Bien provinces. There are 55 preschool-age children of the H’mong ethnic group. The current school site is roofed with temporary corrugated iron. The classrooms are very hot in the summer. In the rainy and stormy season, rain on the roof is very noisy, and the roof is often punctured and blown off.
VNHelp has cooperated with Truc Lam Company (Vietnam) and A Child Unchained Corp (USA), who jointly fund the construction of a new school with 02 classrooms, 01 teacher room and other facilities. The teacher’s room is where the teachers will stay at school during the week because they cannot go home every day (it’s just too far!). This school is expected to be ready for use in August 2022.
One might consider the Covid-19 crisis in Vietnam is over, but infected cases continue to rise though the number of life loss has been reduced. VNHelp continues to help people affected by the pandemic. In partnership with Missionaries of Faith Vietnam, we provide funds to help people get back on their feet after they have been unemployed for many months and have had no income during the Covid-19 crisis in 2021.
In Febuary (2/2022), thirteen families were selected to receive a fund to restore their business. Each family received an amount between $200 and $500 to seed their business. Among the successful stories are Mr. & Mrs Thai Phuong & Kim Loan in Thu Duc with their online grocery store and Mr. & Mrs. Van Phuong & Ngoc Bich in Bac Lieu with their online plants & succulents store. They report a daily income of $25-$35. Other beneficiaries reopened a machine shop, resumed a food delivery service, and reopened a food stand, etc. After their business is picked up, they will return the fund for us to assist other families. A modest amount in USA goes a long way to help a small vendor in Vietnam.
In recent days, the number of Covid-19 cases in City of Hoi An is increasing. VNHelp received a request for support from Hoi An Medical Center. To avoid overcrowding local hospitals, patients received instructions to monitor their condition at home. On Feb 19, 2022, VNHelp sent 100 oxygen meters to the Center to provide to patients. Patients measure their oxygen level twice a day and report to their doctor for further instructions. When a patient recovers from the illness, the Center will collect the device for continued use.
A spacious building was built by VNHelp at Duc Quang Pagoda Orphanage, Ben Tren Province. It was inaugurated two weeks before the Lunar New Year. The orphanage is a crowded home for 118 children. The new building is the sleeping quarter for 37 orphaned girls.
This construction project was inspired by Mr. and Mrs. Huong Van Le (San Jose, CA) who called on families and friends to contribute in 2019. The project was much delayed because of some difficult administrative procedures, then the pandemic. Finally, thanks to the determination and perseverance of the VNHelp team, the project was started in June 2021 and successfully completed in January 2022. The children have moved into this spacious and beautiful building with joys. VNHelp would like to thank the benefactors for their financial contributions and patience over the years.
On Jan 07, 2022, for the 20th consecutive year, VNHelp granted 161 scholarships to Hue University students from 11 colleges in Thừa Thiên Huế, each worth $US200. The recipients were from families with difficult circumstances who had achieved outstanding academic results. If these students maintain good grades each year, they will continue to receive the scholarship annually until graduation. This year the scholarship distribution event took on an added significance in the midst of a complex Covid-19 pandemic. Small group gathering, social distancing and mask wearing were observed at the event.
While scholarship recipients in Thừa Thiên Huế gathered in small groups, students at other locations received their grants via electronic fund transfer (EFT) to their personal bank account:
– 271 students from 6 Saigon universities, each received $250-$300 grant via EFT
– 120 students from 2 Can Tho colleges, each received $200 grant via EFT
– 75 students in Ha Noi ($250/grant) and 30 students in Ca Mau ($200/grant) will receive their grant soon, hopefully before Tết (Lunar New Year)
Over the past few weeks, Covid-19 broke out in Vietnam, many cities are in lock-down, many people suffered from hunger because they totally lost their income. From June 22, 2021 to June 28, 2021, VNHelp sponsors and benefactors contributed to VNHelp’s Covid-19 Relief Fund. Within days, we received $17,000. This entire amount was sent to Vietnam to distribute relief packages to 1,200 families of street vendors, lottery ticket sellers, disabled people, etc. Each gift is worth 350,000 VND (about 15 USD) and will feed a family for about two weeks. We sincerely thank the generous donors for their contribution in time of urgency. Thank you our partner in Phase I, the Missionaries of Faith, who works with VNHELP to carry out Phase I/2021 of our Covid-19 Relief Program. We are asking for your contributions for Phase II/2021 of the Program to bring help to more needy people. Please send your donation to VNHelp by PayPal (send to friend info@vnhelp.org), Zelle/Venmo to info@vnhelp.org, via our website www.vnhelp.org/donate, or send a check to 500 E Calaveras Blvd, Suite 235, Milpitas CA 95035
In keeping with Tet tradition and to give orphans a spring celebration steeped in the love of their US sponsors, VNHelp representatives distributed “lucky money” (new year cash gifts) at several orphanages that are part of our child sponsorship programs.
On the morning of the second day of the Year of the Tiger, Ms. Phuong Anh, VNHelp Coordinator in Saigon, went to the Tu Hanh Pagoda Orphanage and gave good wish and lucky money to 88 children and caregivers, 52 elderly people, and 24 monks and nuns. Those envelopes each contained 100,000 VND and were an expression of love from many people in the US.
Previously, in the week preceding Tet, VNHelp distributed similar gifts to 76 orphans at the Dieu Giac Pagoda and 12 orphans in the Vinh Phuoc orphanage. In separate VNHelp visits, youths at the Bo De Phuong Duy and Mai Am Hoa Hong shelters each received 1 Million VND because they were older and had been sponsored to attend vocational school.
VNHelp would like to thank our sponsors Tuan-Khanh and Yen for donating the funds to celebrate the Lunar New Year, bringing joy to the children on their New Year’s Day.
A new calamity has befallen Vietnam: in October 2020 tropical storm Nangka wreaked unprecedented destruction and misery upon the populations of Southeast Asia. In Vietnam’s central region, the provinces of Thua Thien, Hue, Quang Binh and Quang Tri have been subjected to devastating floods.
As of this writing 23 victims have been washed away by floodwaters and nearly 46,000 people have been evacuated from affected areas; 14 people are still missing, and more than 109,000 homes, 1,443 acres (584 hectares) of crops, scores of roads and bridges have been destroyed. And yet forecasters predict even more torrential rains for the next few days, maybe extending into the weekend.
VNHelp staff, volunteers, and resources have been mobilized to assist in rescue efforts for this monumental disaster. We come to you to urgently ask for assistance, in the form of financial donations, so that we can lend as significant a hand as possible to this initiative. As always we hope that you will open your hearts and generously offer desperately needed help to the hurricane victims in Central Vietnam.
Son La is a picturesque, wooded and mountainous region in the Northwest of Vietnam, bordering Laos on its South side. The population is composed of ethnic Thai, Xinh Mun, Muong, Hmong, and Kinh people, whose lives harmonize with and depend on the natural resources of the land. Many families are poor: they mostly subsist from maize crops, but lack many basic amenities such as irrigation for their farms, electricity, clean water, roads, medical facilities, and schools.
Tu Nang commune has 24 villages with 2,026 households (8,721 people). The old Ban Tin Toc school had no classroom; instead it borrowed a space from a community building, and was all that the area’s children (around 77 3-5 year olds) had for many years. While there had been many requests to build a separate kindergarten submitted to local education committees, no budget ever materialized. A fervent wish of parents and community leaders was to have a safe, hygienic school for their children.
Groundbreaking for the new school occurred on August 15th, 2020. The construction was completed for 3 classrooms and a teacher room. The school has a capacity of 75 to 100 students. It was inaugurated and handed over to the teachers and community leaders in November. They, along with the parents and schoolchildren, were elated, for now they had a beautiful, new, safe and hygienic kindergarten, close to where they were living.
Our sincere thanks go to Ms. Mai Dolch in California, who provided the fund for construction, and Gieo Tin Yeu Charity Group in Hanoi, who supplied the new furniture for the school.
We are very proud to announce the completion of yet another school building project undertaken in Vietnam, even in this difficult COVID-19 time. This is a pre-school in the commune of Vĩnh Phước B, Gò Quao district, Kiên Giang province, a remote and rural area 155 miles South-West of Saigon.
The new kindergarten has 4 classrooms, 1 teacher’s room, 5 restrooms, electricity, running water; all built and furnished according to modern standards. It’ll meet the urgent needs of approximately 155 kindergarteners, 8 teachers, and 2 support staff. The construction started in April 2020 and completed in July. On September 5th the school opened to welcome excited young children and their parents to the first day of 2020-2021 school year. Partnering with VNHelp for this project is Lee’s Sandwiches, who provided 50% of the construction cost, and VNHelp funded the rest. We are delighted and thankful to be able to provide a safe learning facility for the young of this Kiên Giang community for many years to come.
Tu An Orphanage currently supports 151 orphans, but the space is too small and overcrowded. VNHelp began to raise funds for this project in November 2018 and hopes to receive sufficient funds by January 2019 in order to implement the project in Spring 2019. VNHelp will construct a two story building to provide 16 bedrooms for teenage orphans and 2 rooms for staff.
Huyện Vĩnh Trụ, Hà Nam là một trong 4 địa điểm được khảo sát và tìm thấy nguồn nước nhiễm thủy ngân với độ đo 348 micro-gram mỗi lít, cao hơn mức chuẩn là 10 micro-gram. Nguồn nước nhiễm thủy ngân sẽ gây ra các hệ lụy như ung thư da, bướu, tiêu chảy. Trẻ sinh ra cũng bị tỷ lệ tử vong cao, bị các chứng ung thư, tim mạch, các rối loạn khác liên quan tới phát triển trí tuệ và trí nhớ. Tại những vùng trồng lúa giáp ranh sông Hồng như Chuyên Ngoại, thủy ngân sẽ len lỏi vào hoa màu, gây ô nhiễm cho người tiêu dùng.
Úc đã tài trợ các dự án đo đạc, lọc nguồn nước sạch dựa trên Khung đánh giá chuẩn môi trường của Úc. Vào tháng 5, chị Đỗ Anh Thư / VNHelp tham gia cùng với các đoàn nước ngoài khác từ Mỹ, Thụy điển, Gia nã đại đi thăm một cơ sở lọc nước sạch.
Mang nước sạch lại cho người dân để bảo vệ sức khỏe cho cả thế hệ sau cũng là một ưu tiên hàng đầu của VNHelp.
Cảm ơn nước Úc.
The Australian government funds several researches, measurements and setting up clean-water processing stations in the area. In May 2019, Thu Do/VNHelp along with other delegations from America, Sweden, Australia and Canada came to visit such a clean-water processing site.
Bringing clean water to the disadvantages has always been one of the top priorities of VNHelp as we strive to project health of both current and future generations.
On December 8, 2018 we ran an article about Từ Ân orphanage in Bà Rịa province. Just 45 miles from Sài gòn but Từ Ân is in a different world. A hundred and fifty orphans are being fed and taught there in hope for a better future. This is the YouTube clip about the place. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZjVn4lad5s
We would like to share with you a few pictures taken during Thu Do’s surprise visit in May 2019. We also want to thank Huong Le, Lee’s Laundromat, a major contributor to the on-going effort to build a place for those 150 orphans to call home.
Từ Ân là một ngôi chùa đang nuôi khoảng 150 trẻ mồ côi sống trong một môi trường thiếu thốn. Vào tháng 12 năm ngoái, VNHelp có đăng một clip để gây quỹ xây dựng chỗ ăn ở cho các cháu.
Vào tháng 5 năm nay, chị Đỗ Anh Thư có ghé thăm đột xuất. Chúng tôi xin gửi lại một số hình ảnh chụp trong chuyến đi, và cũng nhân dịp này cảm ơn anh Lê Hưởng, Lee’s Laundromat đã là nhà đóng góp chính cho dự án xây nhà cho các cháu.
We are proud to share with you some rewarding stories from the VNHelp’s Nguyen Trường Tộ Scholarship Program. Please see the English translation at the end of this post.
– From Dược sĩ Nguyễn Tấn Đức, nhận học bổng Nguyễn Trường Tộ của VNHelp tại Đại Học Y Dược Cần Thơ năm 2007, hiện đang sống tại Tiền Giang và làm việc tại một công ty Nhật Bản: “Mỗi lần về quê nhìn bảng certification của VNHELP là thấy mình có thêm động lực để phấn đấu… Con xin đóng góp cho quỹ VNHelp 10 đô la mỗi tháng.” 1/2019
– From Nha sĩ Trần Thế Thọ, nhận học bổng Nguyễn Trường Tộ của VNHelp tại Đại học Nha Saigon năm 1992, hiện đang sống tại Saigon:
“Kính gửi Chị Thư cùng VNHELPers,
Em lại về đây gấp gáp trong hành trình cùng đoàn nha sĩ Việt Nam đi tu nghiệp tại Đại học Columbia (New York) trong vai trò là phiên dịch viên khách mời của chương trình.
Một đêm nghỉ lại ở vùng Bay Area, đúng mùa Lễ Tạ Ơn nhắc nhớ cho em bao kỷ niệm với VNHELP và những ân tình VNHELP đã mang đến cho cuộc đời em.
Từ một cậu sinh viên miền Trung vào Saigon học, nhận được học bổng Nguyễn Trường Tộ VNHELP, cho đến những cơ hội góp sức cùng các anh chị VNHELPers trong các dự án của VNHELP tại VNHELP, chuyến đi đầu đời đến Mỹ năm 2006 để dự Lễ kỷ niệm 15 năm thành lập VNHELP, mối dây liên kết ấy lớn dần để em hôm nay khi không còn làm việc hàng ngày với Chị và anh chị VNHELPers nữa, em cảm thấy rất tự hào khi mình luôn luôn được anh chị xem như là một VNHELPer.
Từ năm học tới 2018-2019, em xin đóng góp 1 suất học bổng Nguyễn Trường Tộ cho Quỹ mình chị nhé.
Em chúc Chị và gia đình VNHELP cùng gia đình Mùa Tạ Ơn sum vầy hạnh phúc.
Viết tại khách sạn Crowne Union City lúc 4h40 phút sáng 24/11/2018.
Trần Thế Thọ
TB. Nhân đây em báo cho chị tin vui của em. Tụi em vừa dọn về nhà mới của chính mình vừa làm phòng khám vừa làm nhà ở rộng rãi và khang trang hơn chỗ em đã mướn làm phòng khám mà Chị đến thăm năm nọ, và tụi em không còn phải mướn nhà để làm phòng khám nữa. Em mời các anh chị về Saigon ghé chỗ em chơi! ”
Translation #1: From Nguyen Tan Duc, Pharmacist, who received VNHelp’s Nguyen Truong To scholarship at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy in 2007, currently lives in Tien Giang and works at a Japanese company: “Every time I look at the scholarship certificate, I am motivated to strive … I would like to donate to VNHelp 10 dollars monthly. ” 1/2019
Translation #2: From Tran The Tho, DDS, who received VNHelp’s Nguyen Truong To scholarship at School of Dentistry, Saigon University, in 1992. He currently lives and works in Saigon.
“Dear Ms. Thu and VNHELPers,
I came back here in a hurry to travel with a group of Vietnamese dentists to study at Columbia University (New York). I am a guest interpreter for the program. Spending the night at the Bay Area during the Thanksgiving Holiday reminds me of sweet memories of VNHelp and the love and care VNHelp has given me.
As a young student from the central region coming to Saigon to study, I received VNHelp’s Nguyen Truong To scholarship. Then I had opportunities to join the VNHelp Team to implement projects in Vietnam and to make the first trip to the US in 2006 to attend the 15th Anniversary of VNHELP’s establishment. The VNHelp bonding was growing so strong that I always feel very proud to be part of the organization even though today I no longer work with VNHelp on a regular basis.
I would like to contribute for one scholarship grant, starting from the 2018-2019 school year moving forward. I wish you and VNHelp family a happy Thanksgiving.
Tran The Tho, writing at Crowne Union City Hotel, 4:40 AM, November 24, 2018.”
Song Nguyện clinic at Thiên Bình monastery was founded in 2010 by Father Philippe Minh Vu Ngoc Tuy, providing medical assistance, check-ups and herbal medicine to the disadvantaged in Dong Nai, Vietnam.
Thanks to your donation, Song Nguyện clinic has treated more than 8000 patients in 2017 and provided more than 6000 cubic meters of clean water in an effort to prevent waterborne diseases.
…Chân thành cám ơn Chị Giám Đốc Đỗ Anh Thư và Toàn Thể Quí Vị trong Hội VNHELP, đã rộng tay, rộng lòng với Đan viện chăm lo cho các bệnh nhân nghèo tìm lại niềm vui và hy vọng tại phòng khám Song Nguyện… trong suốt những năm qua.
Trong năm (2017) phòng khám từ thiện Song Nguyện đã đón tiếp các bệnh nhân nghèo đến xin chữa trị và bốc thuốc là 8,488 bệnh nhân.
In August 2018, VNHelp started a project to help Stiêng farmers – a minority group in Vietnam. We raised $13,500 USD (VNHelp 90%, local partners 10%), then gave cows, calves, paddy seeds, farming technique training to 28 households in Phước Cát 2, Cát Tiên, Lâm Đồng Province.
In March 2019, we came back to evaluate the project’s impact and ROI. New calves have been born (3 calves, 3-month-old now) and farming productivity has been increased between 70% and 100% (6000 kg/acre and 6200 kg/acre). The best part is about those farmers’ willing to sell new-born calves at half price to neighbors, carrying on the help-me-help-others spirit. They also request no further help from VNHelp regarding cattling & farming. Yes, we gave fish and taught them how to fish as well!
Trường Mầm non Nà Coóc nằm ở huyện Lâm Bình, tỉnh Tuyên Quang, cách Hà Nội 200 km và cách biên giới Trung Quốc 100 km. Đây là vùng hiểm trở của phần cuối dãy núi đá vôi với nhiều ngọn núi cao hơn 1000 m. Đây cũng là nơi người Kinh là người thiểu số và người Tày là nhóm đa số.
Trường Nà Coóc chưa hề có bếp ăn nên việc nấu nướng, phân phối thức ăn cho 51 trẻ tại đây luôn là vấn đề của sức khỏe và an toàn thực phẩm. VNHelp sẽ tài trợ 100% để xây dựng bếp ăn đúng tiêu chuẩn an toàn thực phẩm. Chúng ta sẽ có nhóm Tình nguyện viên từ Úc tài trợ Nà coóc bàn ghế, quạt, các dụng cụ máy móc khác. Từ nay nhờ vào sự ủng hộ của quý vị, 51 trẻ sẽ có những bữa trưa được nấu tại chỗ một cách an toàn và sạch sẽ.
Trà Camellia Hakoda – Ninh được khám phá bởi Lê Nguyệt Hải Ninh (lúc còn là Thí sinh Tiến sĩ), Trần Ninh (Phó Giáo Sư, Đại Học Khoa Học Hà Nội), và Naotoshi Hakoda (Nhà nghiên cứu tại Đại Học Nông Nghiệp và Kỹ Thuật Tokyo). Loại trà này thường được gọi là “Trà hoa vàng Hakoda-Ninh” ở Việt Nam, một loại trà mang lại lợi ích sức khỏe và tinh thần cho người sử dụng.
Với sự hỗ trợ về tài chánh từ VNHelp do bà Mai Dolch, người hỗ trợ duy nhất trong công trình này, các nông dân ở Sóc Sơn, Hà Nội, đang canh tác 1.5 mẫu đất để gieo hạt vào tháng 3 năm 2019. Công trình này đã tạo nên rất nhiều việc làm cho dân địa phương. Bằng cách trồng trọt loại Trà Hoa vàng có nhu cầu cao, cộng với Viet Nam đứng hàng thứ 5 trên thế giới về xuất khẩu trà, chúng tôi hy vọng dự án này sẽ đem đến sự phồn vinh cho nông dân địa phương.
80% of diseases in Vietnam are caused by polluted water resource which causes cholera, typhoid, dysentery, malaria… Disease check-ups and treatments cost about $20 million USD, so prevention is a no-brainer.
Thanks to Mrs. Mai Dolch’s support, 1592 people from 375 households in Ha Vinh commune, Ha Trung district, Thanh Hoa province start getting clean water flowing to their houses for the very first time.
For folks like Tuan who had to borrow 50,000 VND (~$2000 USD) for disease treatments, this VNHelp clean water project shields him and 1591 others from financial disaster and secures a healthy future for their loved ones.
Kindergarten Nghĩa Đồng in Nghĩa Hưng District, Nam Định Province was finished constructing in 08/2015. The construction is funded by Helen & Antoine Duong with a matching fund from VNHELP. See photos here.
On November 13, 2018, VNHelp held the inauguration ceremony of A Chau Phong Primary School, Chau Phong Commune, Tan Chau Town, An Giang Province with 4 classrooms, and a teacher room. Attending the ceremony were Mr. & Mrs. Truoc Do & Phuong Lan from California – the main sponsors for the project, VNHelp representatives, and local guests. Having learned that Tan Chau was her mother’s hometown, Phuong Lan was very moved by the ceremony. In her speech, she emphasized that education is very important as knowledge stayed with us forever while all material possessions could leave us at any time. She expressed her wish to continue helping disadvantaged children of her motherland to obtain better education.
The new school is ready for use as all classrooms are furnished with furniture, and equipment. The facility also includes 4 newly built restrooms.
With a generous grant from the Rotary Club of San Jose, in October 2018 VNHelp purchased and installed 10 water treatment systems at 10 elementary schools in Nam Dinh Province targeting areas where water is contaminated and unsafe to drink. The clean water provided by the systems benefits 5,150 students, nearly 200 teachers and school staff during school days as it is safe to drink and free of water-borne diseases, and will help to improve overall health in the communities. Additionally, this project will reduce the financial burden for low-income parents who have to buy bottled water for their children every day, as well as the amount of discarded bottle wastes.
Good news about VNHelp projects everyday! This 4-classroom school was built by VNHelp in 2008. Ten years in good use, very well attended, well kept. We just added the kitchen and the teacher room. March 26, 2018. See photos here.
Ngày nào cũng nhận được báo cáo kết quả tốt đẹp của chương trình VNHelp tại Việt Nam. Trường mẫu giáo Tây Đô (tỉnh Thái Bình) được xây từ 2008, 4 phòng học, rất đông học sịnh, giữ gìn rất tốt. VNHelp vừa xây bổ xung thêm nhà bếp và phòng giáo viên. Công trình hoàn thành hôm qua 26/3/2018. Xem ảnh tại đây.
Cataract mission 3/2018 funded by VNHelp The mission in Ha Noi is sponsored by Vision Insight Optometry (Milpitas CA); the mission in Saigon is sponsored by David and Dana Loury Foundation and Sơn Nam Charity Group. VNHelp plans to perform cataract surgery on 180 patients in Ha Noi (patients coming from Nam Dinh) and 300 patients in Saigon (patients coming from various southern cities), free of charge. Ms. Thu-Thuy Truong, Chairperson of the VNHelp Board of Directors, is in Hanoi to observe the mission. Please click here to see the photo album.
The past few months were filled with excitement and gratefulness. You came to VNHelp with open arms and noble hearts, helping us help the disadvantaged, sponsoring orphans, building schools and bridges, providing folks with clean water, sending scholarship to poor college students, and more.
The 23rd Mùa Thu Cho Em in September was a warm, successful concert both musically and emotionally. Over 1,800 guests attended the concert in Northern CA and Southern CA. KIND Gala 2017 “Oh La La Paris” in November was a vibrant, Paris-spirited night that will be impossible for the 300 guests to forget. We would like to thank you – concert / gala attendees, volunteers and donors – for making it happen. You are the reason VNHelp continues to grow in the USA throughout the last 26 years.
Our thanks in November went to the generous sponsors of KIND Gala:
The winter holiday season is arriving with the coming of Christmas and the New Year. We are beginning to smell Christmas in the air, see Christmas in the shopping malls, and hear Christmas on radio stations. During this Season of Giving, we would like to remind ourselves that there are orphans to be loved and disadvantaged folks in need.
We have set up a website to show specific cases of the orphans in need of a sponsor as well as to allow you to make a contribution to support these children.
Please also read the heartbreaking life stories of some individuals who are selected by VNHelp among many needy people. We can change their lives with a one-time donation.
We hope you will give a life-changing gift during this holiday season and help us invite your friends to do the same. Your donation can become a meaningful holiday gift as VNHelp can issue a Donation Certificate to honor your loved ones. Please join us and sponsor a person in Vietnam today!
Support VNHelp with Our Holiday Shopping
With the holiday near us, many are going through the holiday shopping frenzy! Why not shop and give to charity at the same time?
If you shop online with Amazon, please shop at Amazon Smile and choose VNHelp as your charity. Amazon will make a donation to VNHelp on every purchase you make via this link.
Mấy tháng vừa qua VNHelp đã có đầy những hoạt động sôi nổi và đáng nhớ. Các bạn đã đến với VNHelp bằng vòng tay rộng mở và tấm lòng cao quý, hỗ trợ chúng tôi giúp những người kém may mắn, bảo trợ các trẻ mồ côi, xây trường học, đem nước sạch đến người dân, cấp học bổng cho sinh viên nghèo, và nhiều nữa.
Chương trình văn nghệ Mùa Thu Cho Em lần thứ 23 trong tháng Chín thành công rực rỡ cả về mặt âm nhạc, tài chính, và tình cảm với sự tham dự của 1800 khán giả tại Nam và Bắc California. Buổi dạ hội KIND “Oh La La Paris” tháng Mười Một tại Bắc California là một đêm mang sắc thái Paris nhộn nhịp khó quên đối với 300 người khách. Chúng tôi xin bày tỏ lời cảm ơn đến tất cả các bạn – những thân hữu đã đến tham dự buổi ca nhạc và buổi hội Paris, các tình nguyện viên và các nhà bảo trợ. Các bạn là những hỗ trợ viên giàu tình cảm đã giúp VNHelp đứng vững và phát triển trong suốt 26 năm qua.
Chúng tôi xin đặc biệt tri ơn những nhà bảo trợ KIND Gala:
Mùa lễ cuối năm đang gần kề với ngày Giáng sinh và Tết Tây. Chúng ta thấy chung quanh tràn ngập không khí Giáng sinh, ngoài đường phố, trong các cửa hàng và trên các đài radio. Trong mùa lễ hội tưng bừng này, chúng ta nhắc nhở chính mình hãy nhớ đến các trẻ mồ côi cần được yêu thương và những người kém may mắn cần được giúp đỡ.
Chúng tôi đã lập một trang mạng về các trẻ mồ côi đang cần người bảo trợ và cũng để các bạn hảo tâm đóng góp nuôi dạy các em này.
Hãy đọc những câu chuyện thương tâm của một số người được VNHelp chọn trong số rất nhiều người cần giúp đỡ. Chỉ cần một lần đóng góp tài chính, chúng ta có thể giúp họ thoát khỏi hoàn cảnh ngặt nghèo nhất và thay đổi cả cuộc đời của họ.
Chúng tôi hy vọng trong mùa lễ hội mà chúng ta vẫn gọi là “Season of Giving”, khi các nhà hảo tâm mở lòng đóng góp từ thiện, các bạn sẽ cùng chúng tôi chia sẻ cuộc sống đầy đủ của mình đến những người kém may mắn. Hãy tặng những món quà từ thiện ý nghĩa để vinh danh người thân và cùng lúc giúp đỡ người nghèo tại Việt Nam. VNHelp có thể gửi bảng Ghi Nhận Món Quà Từ Thiện đến người thân của bạn. Xin liên lạc với chúng tôi để biết thêm chi tiết.
VNHelp hosted a Volunteer Appreciation Party on Sunday December 10th . The party was to thank those who contributed their times and talents to VNHelp throughout the year. The volunteers are indeed the reason for our everyday success. To all VNHelp volunteers: with genuine gratitude deep within our hearts, please accept our warmest “thank you”.
In September 2017, in partnership with the Gia Long/Minh Khai High School Alumni Group and with Trung tâm Nghiên cứu Phát triển Bền Vững, 60 scholarships were given to students at Minh Khai High School in Saigon and 10 scholarships were given to college students in Hanoi. Coming soon in December, about 800 additional college students will receive scholarships from our Nguyen Truong To Scholarship Program.
We believe that the opportunity to receive a college education should not be dependent on one’s ability to pay, which is why we provide four-year scholarships to university students from impoverished backgrounds. We work directly with several Vietnamese universities to screen scholarship candidates and follow their successes. We welcome donors who wish to sponsor students through their college years.
Our on-going school construction program continues to build kindergarten and primary schools in impoverished communities. In August 2017, with the donation from Son Nam Charity Group and VNHelp’s dollar-to-dollar matching fund, we completed the construction for a new kindergarten in Trà Thượng commune, Xuân Trường Town, and Nam Định Province. The school has four fully furnished classrooms and a teacher’s room. We work with locals to ensure that they can maintain the schools after our construction crews leave.
Per the popular demand for an elegant evening with dinner and dance, VNHelp once again offers KIND Gala to our supporters and friends. Join us for a delightful dinner, dancing & entertaining night on Sat 11/11/17, benefiting humanitarian programs in Vietnam. See photos of KIND Gala 2016 here.
Please check out an article about Mùa Thu Cho Em on Viễn Đông Newspaper which is based in Orange County, California. The article was published on Saturday, 09/09. Here is the online version.
Đây là bài báo viết về Mùa Thu Cho Em xuất bản ngày 9/9 từ Báo Viễn Đông tại Orange County. Vui lòng nhấn vào đây để đọc bài báo điện tử .
Người ta ví von âm nhạc là ngôn ngữ của thế giới. Với những người làm việc thiện nguyện, âm nhạc còn là cách chúng ta đùm bọc những đồng bào không may mắn tại quê nhà qua những buổi hòa nhạc gây quỹ từ thiện của VNHelp từ năm 1991 tới giờ. Trong buổi nhạc chọn lọc Mùa Thu Cho Em vào tháng 9 năm nay, Hà Anh Tuấn, Ngọc Anh và Trọng Bắc sẽ cùng nhau mang những âm hưởng như vậy tại hí viện Santa Clara, Bắc California và tại Fountain Valley, Nam California.
Đến với buổi nhạc thính phòng năm nay, quý vị không chỉ thưởng thức âm nhạc, tự thưởng mình sau những ngày làm việc hết mình, mà quý vị còn đang làm từ thiện, giúp cho bệnh nhân nghèo được mổ mắt miễn phí, giúp học bổng cho sinh viên nghèo học giỏi, giúp xây trường học, lắp đặt hệ thống nước sạch… Toàn bộ số tiền thu từ các buổi nhạc sẽ được sử dụng cho các mục đích từ thiện tại Việt Nam.
Đây cũng là buổi hòa nhạc duy nhất trong năm để các nhà bảo trợ có thể giới thiệu về cơ sở thương mại của mình tới quý khán giả. Khán giả của VNHelp là những người đang làm từ thiện, và họ cũng muốn biết, gặp gỡ các mạnh thường quân có tấm lòng với cộng đồng. VNHelp xin mời quý vị bảo trợ Mùa Thu Cho Em.
Để tránh bộ ba Hà Anh Tuấn-Ngọc Anh-Trọng Bắc gây cảnh cháy vé, chúng tôi sẽ tổ chức 2 xuất diễn tại Santa Clara, Bắc California. Xin quý vị đặt vé sớm ngay khi đọc thông báo này, để không phải hồi hộp lo hết vé trong những ngày cuối. Đặc biệt xuất diễn 2:30 chiều tại Santa Clara có “5$ coupon” cho mỗi vé, coupon sẽ hết hạn ngày 15/8/2017. Vé đang có bán với thông tin đăng tại trang events.vnhelp.org
It takes 10 minutes to drive from Piedmont Hills High School on White Road to VNHelp office on Calaveras Blvd. Jerry Yang–a Piedmont Hills graduate–co-founded Yahoo in 1994 with David Filo; VNHelp was incorporated in 1991.
In 2012, Yahoo Employee Foundation (YEF)–a charitable foundation 100% funded by Yahoo employees—wrote the very first check of $6,000 to VNHelp.
In 2014, Thu Do (Executive Director of VNHelp) and Xuan Duong (VNHelp volunteer, Yahoo employee) each had only 2 minutes to tell the charity boards at Yahoo what VNHelp could do if receiving a YEF grant. After a session of Q/A and employee-based votes, Yahoo issued a check of $50,000. Since then we–VNHELPers –continued to gain YEF’s confidence, proving that we conducted effectively and made impactful use of their funding.
In 2017, while Yahoo! is fading away in the hi-tech world from Verizon’s purchase, YEF leaves a legacy behind as one of the strong supporters of VNHelp. YEF’s up-coming paycheck of $70,000 will arrive at VNHelp office anytime this month as their last gesture of benevolence. On behalf of VNHelp beneficiaries, we would like to thank you, YEF, for your kind heart and your professional mind. You leave behind a legacy and a friendship that we cherish forever.
Charities never die nor fade away; they live on as legacies.
Per the popular demand for an elegant evening with dinner and dance, VNHelp once again offers KIND Gala to our supporters and friends. Please mark your calendar. See photos of the last year KIND Gala here .
Six orphanages in Saigon, Dong Nai, Can Tho, and Kontum continue to receive support from VNHelp. Among 450 children living in these orphanages, VNHelp was able to find sponsors for 224 children. Four health clinics funded by VNHelp effectively serve patients every day (Lien Minh Clinic in Nam Dinh, Chan Ly Clinic in Ha Nam, Phu Thuong Clinic in Da Nang, and Song Nguyen Clinic in Dong Nai). The VNHelp’s Cafeteria at the Vocational College in Kien Giang subsidizes daily lunch for 300 low-income students. Clean water systems built by VNHelp in various cities operate well to produce safe water for 50,000 villagers. Over 10,000 kindergartners and elementary school students happily go to 49 schools built by VNHelp. The Housing for the Poor Program gained new sponsors in 2016 who funded the construction of three new houses for extremely poor families with children and elders.
Nghia Dong Kindergarten – Nam Dinh Province Students’ Cafeteria – Kien Giang Province
New Water System – Thanh Hoa Province
The house of Mr. Nguyen Van Viet before and after VNHelp’s construction
New Equipment to Chan Ly Health Clinic – Ha Nam Province
VNHELP would like to thank all the volunteers, individuals, businesses and corporations who contributed to KIND Gala in November 2016. This Black Tie Benefit Night was also VNHelp’s 25th Anniversary. We especially acknowledge the generosity of the following sponsors:
$10,000
Thinh Tran – The Tran’s Family Charity Foundation (Saratoga, CA)
“Mùa Thu Cho Em” is back! This year the VNHelp’s annual concert will take place on Saturday September 23rd in Santa Clara, CA, and Saturday September 30th in Fountain Valley, CA. Please mark your calendar. VNHelp begins to accept sponsorship for the concerts now, please contact us if you would like to become a sponsor (VNHelp: 408-586-8100 or concert@vnhelp.org). Tickets will be available for sale in July. Please stay tune for more details.
With the purpose of helping the poor in Vietnam overcome hardship and become financially independent, in the past ten years VNHelp has been partnering with the Center for Women and Community Development (CWCD) in Vinh Phuc Province to lend money to women for starting a new business or scaling existing ones. The program has succeeded greatly with 100% capital returned. These women not only earn extra income but also improve their role in the family as well as in the society. In 2015, VNHelp ran a pilot program for a new initiative – Lending money to farmers to plant Gấc trees – based on the following potential benefits:
– Jobs will be created and local economy can be improved with an inexpensive capital investment. Farmers can maximize the use of their land to grow Gấc trees such as the front yard and the narrow areas around their house.
– Gấc fruits are high in vitamin and nutrition, and they have great export potential. Gấc trees continue to yield fruits in the span of 10 to 20 years.
The initial investment involves buying seedlings, building the supporting trellis, and setting up the sprinkle and drainage system. From the second year on, the plants are mature so they yield more fruits and the cost will reduce significantly to mainly the cost of fertilizers and labor.
After the successful trial program in 2015, we officially launched the program in 2016 with 52 selected farmer households in 3 villages: Dao Tu, Hop Hoa, and Duy Phien of Tam Duong District, Vinh Phuc Province. We provided training in soil preparation, planting, building trellis, and setting up sprinkler and dripping irrigation systems, etc. We also organized field trips to a large scale Gấc plantation in Bac Giang so the participants can learn directly from experienced farmers. VNHelp provided 1,000 seedlings and technical support to the participants. We also contributed 30% of the investment capital and lent the rest (70%) to the farmers.
Each Gấc crop takes around a year. Seedlings are planted in February or March and will yield fruits in October or November. After fruits are harvested, branches are trimmed and pruned. The roots are cared for and trees will grow again in the next crop season. In 2016, the farmers had a very good harvest and easily sold Gấc fruits in the local markets. Therefore, they were elated and very motivated; they wished to expand their farm to larger scale in order to generate more income. As for the future of this program, VNHelp will continue to assist the participating farmers as well as to recruit more farmers to the program. We hope with our financial and technical assistance the farmers will be able to produce a variety of Gấc products for export such as dried Gac fruit, Gac powder, Gac oil, and frozen Gac, which have high market value. VNHelp has a plan to connect the farmers to buying vendors.
As the program is entering its second year, we wish to thank the Center for Encouragement and Self Reliance (CESR) for co-funding the program in 2016. We earnestly call upon our donors and friends to provide financial support for this Gac program to increase its impact on the local economy and the lives of the hard-working farmers.
Dự Án Trồng Gấc
Với chủ trương giúp người nghèo tại Việt Nam vượt khó và có thể tự lập về kinh tế, trong 10 năm qua VNHelp đã cùng hợp tác với Trung tâm Vì Phụ nữ và Phát triển Cộng đồng (CWCD) thực hiện chương trình cho phụ nữ nông thôn vay vốn làm ăn tại tỉnh Vĩnh Phúc. Chương trình đã rất thành công, 100% vốn cho vay luôn được thu hồi đầy đủ. Các phụ nữ không những có thêm nguồn thu nhập cho gia đình mà vai trò người phụ nữ cũng được nâng cao trong gia đình và xã hội. Chúng tôi bắt đầu xây dựng ý tưởng về dự án trồng Gấc từ năm 2015, bắt nguồn từ những lợi ích thiết thực sau đây:
– Tạo việc làm, phát triển kinh tế cho các hộ gia đình nghèo tại nông thôn. Các hộ có thể sử dụng được tối đa đất vườn để trồng Gấc như những khoảng sân trống trước nhà hoặc những dải đất hẹp xung quanh nhà, vừa cho thu hoạch quả vừa làm bóng mát quanh nhà.
– Quả Gấc mang tính dược liệu quý, chứa nhiều dinh dưỡng cho sức khỏe con người do đó nó có giá trị kinh tế cao và có thị trường xuất khẩu rộng.
– Một gốc Gấc có thể cho ra quả từ 10 đến 20 năm. Chỉ mất chi phí đầu tư ban đầu cho việc mua cây giống, làm giàn và lắp đặt hệ thống tưới nước. Từ năm thứ 2 trở đi cây sẽ cho năng suất quả cao hơn, nhưng với chi phí lại thấp hơn nhiều, chủ yếu là chi phí về phân bón và công chăm sóc.
Sau dự án thử nghiệm 2015, dự án trồng Gấc được chính thức thực hiện vào năm 2016 với 52 hộ nông dân được chọn từ 3 xã Đạo Tú, Hợp Hòa, Duy Phiên, huyện Tam Dương, tỉnh Vĩnh Phúc. Các thành viên tham gia được dự các buổi tập huấn và đi tham quan công trường trồng gấc quy mô tại Bắc Giang để nhìn thấy tận mắt và học hỏi trực tiếp. VNHelp đã tài trợ 1.000 cây giống tốt, hỗ trợ và tư vấn các thành viên từ các khâu làm giàn, tưới nước, phân bón, chăm sóc phòng tránh sâu bệnh, cho đến khâu cuối là hỗ trợ kết nối thành viên với thị trường tiêu thụ sản phẩm. VNHelp hỗ trợ 30% vốn dựng giàn và cho vay 70%.
Quá trình trồng gấc trên dưới 1 năm. Cây giống được trồng trong khoảng tháng 2, 3 và ra quả khoảng tháng 10, 11. Sau khi hái quả, nhánh cây được chặt tỉa, gốc được tiếp tục chăm sóc và sẽ lại ra hoa kết trái trong mùa sau. Trong mùa vụ 2016, các thành viên đã hái gấc đem bán ngay tại địa phương. Với số lượng gấc trong đợt vụ đầu tiên này, việc tiêu thụ gấc tươi ngay tại địa phương rất dễ dàng. Do đó các hộ nông dân rất phấn khởi và ao ước được mở rộng đất canh tác trong đợt trồng gấc 2017 với hy vọng dự án sẽ quy mô hơn, mùa vụ sẽ lớn hơn để có đủ Gấc chế biến ra các sản phẩm Gấc có giá trị xuất khẩu cao vào các thị trường tại Châu Âu, Mỹ, Nhật, Hàn Quốc, v.v. Các sản phẩm gồm thịt màng gấc sấy khô, bột gấc sấy khô, dầu gấc, bột gấc tươi đông lạnh, v.v.
Với triển vọng tốt đẹp của dự án, VNHelp sẽ tiếp tục tài trợ dự án để nhân rộng mô hình trồng Gấc đến nhiều hộ gia đình và tăng số lượng cây Gấc cho mỗi gia đình. Chúng tôi trân trọng cám ơn Quỹ Center for Encouragement and Self-Reliance (CESR) đã đồng tài trợ dự án trồng Gấc năm 2016. VNHelp tha thiết kêu gọi các mạnh thường quân và thân hưũ hỗ trợ tài chính để phát triển dự án trồng Gấc 2017 và các năm kế tiếp.
The letter below is written in English by Nghi Nguyen, a scholarship recipient. VNHelp recognizes many English errors in the writing, but we intentionally leave it as is to show readers the student’s effort in learning and practicing English, which should be encouraged. We hope you understand its true meaning.
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Jim Orton and To Nga Orton!
I’m very glad when receiving your help. It is a great money and meaningful gift to me. This will help me to solve difficulties in my life and studying. I will use it to cure my illness and pay for tuition fee to reduce the burden for my family. There are five members in my family. My grandfather is over 80 years old, my parents work as gardeners with low income, my brother is sophomore studying Nursing at Ben Tre College. My major is biomedical engineering, I studying this major because I’m interested in engineering and electronics, especially in medical field. Besides, there is a private reason is that I want to invent the equipment which can treat my eyes cancer. I’m really grateful for your help. This is a strong motivation helping me strive for mastery myself in life. I have reached a cumulative score of 6.66 for the past semester. The score not higher than the efforts and goals which were proposed but I did not feel disappointed because of what I learned very valuable and helpful in my knowledge, and in this semester, my determination and effort must be performed more and more strongly to get a high score and learn more new and wide knowledge. I will try my best to make my dream come true to reciprocate your kindness. I wish you good health and success in life.
Love!
Nghi
Chú Jim và cô Tố Nga mến,
Em rất vui mừng nhận được sự giúp đỡ của chú và cô. Đây là một số tiền lớn và rất có ý nghĩa đối với em vì nó giúp em giải quyết những khó khăn trong cuộc sống và học tập. Em sẽ dùng nó để chữa bệnh mắt của mình và đóng tiền học phí nhằm làm giảm bớt gánh nặng cho gia đình. Gia đình em gồm năm người. Ông em đã ngoài 80. Ba mẹ em làm nghề chăm sóc vườn tược, lương thấp. Còn em trai em hiện đang học y tá tại Bến Tre. Em đang theo học ngành kỹ thuật y sinh. Em muốn trở thành một kỹ sư y sinh giỏi sau này vì ngoài ý thích ra em mong rằng mình sẽ có những phát minh mới có thể chữa bệnh ung thư mắt của chính mình. Em chân thành cảm ơn chú và cô! Sự giúp đỡ của chú và cô là một động lực lớn giúp em phấn đấu trong cuộc sống. Khóa học vừa qua em đạt được điểm trung bình 6.66. Tuy điểm không cao nhưng em cũng không nản lòng vì em học được nhiều kiến thức quý giá trong mùa này. Em tin rằng lòng quyết tâm và sự cố gắng sẽ giúp em đạt được điểm tốt hơn và sẽ học được nhiều kiến thức mới và rộng hơn. Em sẽ cố gắng hết khả năng mình để thực hiện được ước mơ và đền đáp lòng tốt của cô chú. Kính chúc chú và cô được dồi dào sức khỏe và thành công trong cuộc sống.
Kính mến,
Nguyễn Hữu Nghi
(Translated to Vietnamese by LeVan Tran)
Dear Mrs. BichTien,
My name is Nguyễn Thị Lai. I’m a student at Sai Gon University of Engineering. I major in Printing Technology, Department of Printing and Communication. I just recently received your scholarship. I would like to express my deepest gratitude for your support. Currently my dad has Schizophrenia Disorder, and my mom has poor health with low blood pressure. My family faces financial difficulties and other hardships. My GPA in the last semester was 7.13/10; it was not as high as I expected. I did well with most subjects, except one and I failed it. I am telling you honestly about my studying result. I hope you are not upset about the failed course. I will try my best in the next semester. In order to retake the failed course, I will work a part time job to pay for it because it was my fault when I failed the class. I promise I will try my best for myself, my family and for you who support me. I hope to meet you in person in the future. Once again, thanks so much for your support. Sincerely yours, Nguyễn Thị Lai
(Translated to English by Ngọt Hoàng)
Em chào cô Bich Tien,
Em tên Nguyễn Thị Lai, là sinh viên của trường Đại học Sư Phạm Kỹ Thuật Sài Gòn, học ngành Công Nghệ In thuộc Khoa In và Truyền Thông của trường. Em vừa mới nhận được học bổng từ VNHelp do cô bảo trợ. Em rất cảm ơn cô đã tài trợ học bổng cho nhiều sinh viên khó khăn và học tốt. Hiện nay ba em vẫn còn mắc bệnh chưa khỏi (bệnh tâm thần phân liệt thể không biệt định), mẹ thì hay đau ốm,hay bị tụt huyết áp, nên nhà em còn nhiều khó khăn. Học kỳ vừa qua, em đạt điểm trung bình 7.13, nó không được cao như em mong muốn. Các môn học của em vẫn ổn, nhưng có 1 môn duy nhất bị thấp điểm và rớt (em nói thật, cô đừng buồn). Em sẽ cố gắng để học kỳ sau được tốt hơn. Phần học phí môn em rớt sẽ do em tự đi làm để trả vì đó là lỗi của em. Em sẽ gắng học vì gia đình, vì em và những người đã giúp đỡ em. Em chỉ biết nói như vậy. Hy vọng em sẽ gặp cô trong một tương lai không xa. Một lần nữa em xin cảm ơn cô.
In March 2017, VNHelp organized 3 rounds of free cataract surgery for 360 patients at Trung Vuong Eye Central Hospital (Sai Gon). There were 178 patients on March 9th & 10th and 182 patients on March 23rd. Besides providing free surgery and medication, VNHelp also sponsored transportation and lunch for patients during the surgery days. Without our assistance, these poor patients could not afford the cost of cataract surgery and suffered the loss of eyesight. This surgery mission was made possible with the generous sponsorship of Son Nam Charity Group (San Jose, CA), David & Dana Loury Foundation (Nevada) and Vision Insight Optometry (Milpitas, CA). To date, 6,135 poor cataract patients have benefited from VNHelp’s Vision for the Poor Program.
Trong tháng 3/2017, VNHelp đã tổ chức 3 đợt mổ thay thủy tinh thể miễn phí cho 360 bệnh nhân nghèo tại bệnh việt mắt Trưng Vương (Sài Gòn). Ngày 9 và 10 tháng 03, có 178 bệnh nhân; ngày 23 tháng 03 có 182 bệnh nhân. Ngoài chi phí phẫu thuật và thuốc men, chương trình cũng tài trợ toàn bộ chi phí đi lại và ăn ở trong ngày cho bệnh nhân. Các bệnh nhân đã tìm lại ánh sáng sau những ngày tháng chịu mù lòa vì không có điều kiện tài chính thay thủy tinh thể. Các nhà bảo trợ chính cho các đợt mổ mắt kỳ này gồm Nhóm Thiện Nguyện Sơn Nam (San Jose, CA), David & Dana Loury Foundation (Nevada) và Vision Insight Optometry (Milpitas, CA). Tính đến nay, tất cả 6.135 bệnh nhân nghèo đã được mổ mắt trong chương trình Đem Ánh Sáng Cho Người Nghèo của VNHelp.
VNHelp, Milpitas CA: In Februrary 2017, VNHelp received a gift of over $115,000 from family and friends of the late Mrs. Cuong Thi Phan of Oakland, California. Mrs. Phan passed away on February 9. She was 92 years old and survived by 10 children, their spouses, 24 grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her eldest son and a daughter. According to the wish of Mrs. Phan, her family requested donations to be made to VNHelp or IRCC/Viet Museum in San Jose to commemorate her life. As the result, donors have contributed over $115,000 to VNHelp and $101,000 to IRCC/VietMuseum.
VNHelp has received in memoriam donations in the past, but never this large. The donations were welcomed gifts to the receiving charities and a great surprise to the family, including Mrs. Phan’s daughter Thu Anh Do, VNHelp’s Executive Director. “My entire family was surprised and tremendously moved by the outpouring of love from our friends and community. We especially thank Mr. De Huynh and Mrs. Chanh Que On, our family friends who donated $200,000 in memory of our Mother. We are very pleased to be able to direct this gift to the charities of my mother’s choice,” said Ms. Do.
An immigrant from Vietnam who survived decades of war and hardship, Mrs. Phan arrived in the U.S. in 1991. After the Vietnam war ended in 1975, her husband spent ten years in a reeducation camp. During this period, Mrs. Phan dedicatedly supported her husband and twelve children through the difficult times and separation until the family reunited in the USA. Family members recalled that she led a frugal but generous life, preferring to give what she had for others, particularly those in need. Mrs. Phan promoted charity work throughout her life and encouraged her children to do the same. “My mother is a true role model for me in her commitment to charity. The donations are a wonderful way to honor her kindness,” said Ms. Do. She hopes that the gifts demonstrate the power of giving when a community comes together to celebrate the life of a loved one.
VNHelp is non-profit that assists disadvantaged people in Vietnam to achieve self-sufficiency through sustainable solutions in the areas of education, health, children and economic development. The organization is based in Milpitas with branches in Vietnam. Contact VNHelp at: (408) 586-8100, thu@vnhelp.org
We recently visited three families who received a new house from VNHelp in October 2016. The house construction was sponsored by Mr. Huong Le (Lee’s Laundromat) and Mrs. Mai Ngoc Ly, both live in San Jose. These “poorest of the poor” families in Kien Giang Province used to live in a dilapidated thatch house which could collapse anytime. Please find below some photos of the three houses before and after construction and a video of a beneficiary.
Unsafe housing condition is a common problem for the poor in the country side of Vietnam. Each new house as you see in the photos cost about $2,000. Whenever VNHelp can find a sponsor, we will build a house for a family. In order to qualify for our housing program, the applicants must be from poor families with children or elders. In 2015, we built five houses by the sponsorship of Mr. Mike Fulton, San Jose.
On January 13, 2017, VNHELP staff visited Chan Ly Health Clinic in Ha Nam Province. This clinic received medical equipment from VNHelp in 2013. The equipment was purchased by a grant from the Rotary Club of San Jose which included a ultrasound machine, a blood testing machine, a urine testing machine, desktop computers, and a printer, etc. All equipment has been used effectively to serve patients and is in good condition. In this recent trip, VNHelp also donated a new autoclave sterilizer, which is much needed. VNHelp often conducts visit to places where we provided help in the past to evaluate the long term results of our projects. Check out the photo of the visit here.
Vietnamese people are saying goodbye to the Monkey and welcome Year of the Rooster, which will begin on January 28. In Year of the Monkey VNHelp exceeded our goals and expanded our services to the needy thanks for your generosity and commitment. May Year of the Rooster bring you abundance of joy and prosperity.
As we say farewell to 2016, we are sending you one more message on the last working day of this wonderful year. Thank you for your support in the past year that made our programs possible. Together, we have made lives better for many thousands people in Vietnam. And once again, thank you for accompanying us on the 25-year journey to provide humanitarian and development assistance to Vietnam (1991-2016).
We invite you to view the highlights of our achievements and to meet some of our beneficiaries in a 9 minute video, please click on this link.
It’s not too late to make your 2016 donation today. Every dollar you give will go a long way to help those in need.
VNHelp (Milpitas, CA) and Compassionate Service Society (Garden Grove, CA) co-funded a disaster relief trip to Ha Tinh, Phu Yen and Quang Binh Provinces in Vietnam from the 3rd to the 6th November, 2016. Combining with the contributions from other sponsors in Vietnam through Thien Tam Red Cross (Saigon), we handed 2,000 gift packages to the victims of these flood-damaged provinces. Each gift package includes a blanket, a jacket, clothes, note books, pens, instant noodles, milk, medicines, and cash. We focused on helping students return to schools. Providing direct assistance to people affected by natural disasters has been a VNHelp’s yearly activity. We are dedicated to helping the survivals rebuild their lives after the disaster.
Check out the photos of our trip to Ha Tinh and Phu Yen Provinces from this link.
Every year, disastrous hurricanes hit central Vietnam and it costs so many lives and properties. This October, it is reported that 42 people were killed, 30,000 houses were flooded, 1,598 hectares of agricultural land became useless, 60,000 students had to stay at home. People’ lives and livelihood were devastated by the event.
In the last two weeks, many people called VNHelp and expressed their willingness to help the flood victims. While many organizations quickly provided immediate relief such as food and water to the victims, VNHelp plans to provide assistance to schools in the effected areas. In most of these schools, text books were destroyed, furniture was broken, and classrooms were damaged. Kids had to stay home. Our relief trip to Ha Tinh is planned for November 3rd to November 5th. We will directly hand school supplies (notebooks, textbooks,..), sweaters, and blankets to 2,000 students. And if budget allows, we will help repair some schools. VNHelp will be glad to accept your donation and hope to help the children return to school as soon as possible. Please make check payable to VNHelp, or you can make donation online at this link. http://www.vnhelp.org/donate/. Your contribution is 100% tax-deductible.
The Mua Thu Cho Em 22nd annual concert took place on September 17 in Santa Clara and on September 24 in Fountain Valley, CA. Both events were a complete success! VNHelp is thankful for the generous support from our sponsors and donors, the dedicated volunteers, and all the wonderful audience. Please view the list of the concert sponsors here, the photo album of the concert in Santa Clara here, and in Fountain Valley here.
For several years now VNHelp has had a Microfinance Program which provides loans for poor individuals in Vietnam to fund good investment plans to help them generate income. One of those is the Cochinchine Gourd Plant cultivation program (Trồng Gấc) in Hiệp Hoà, Đạo Tú and Duy Phiên communes, Vĩnh Phúc province. Gấc is considered a “super food” and it has high economic value. The Gấc fruit is typically served at ceremonial or festive occasions such as Tết (New Year) and weddings. It is commonly prepared as Xôi Gấc, in which the seeds and their covering are cooked in sticky rice, giving the dish its distinctive color and flavor. The fruit is also sold in the form of a dietary supplement beverage because it is believed to be beneficial to human health and helps prevent various diseases. At this time of the year, young Gấc seed plants are growing into little trees and starting to fill their support scaffolds. They will be ready for harvesting by December and January. Along with providing Gấc plants for farmers to cultivate, VNHELP also introduces Gấc growth models, builds and supports irrigation systems, supplies planting equipment, and provides training for staff and local people about growing Gấc. All of this is to ensure the economic efficiency of the program. Here are a few images illustrating this worthy initiative; stay tuned for further updates.
“Vision For The Poor”, started in 2007, is one of VNHElp’s most successful initiatives. This program provides free cataract surgery for low-income people in Vietnam and has an almost immediate, very significant impact on their lives. With their sight restored, many of the program’s beneficiaries regain a sense of self-sufficiency. Elderly patients are less of a burden on their family and can even become fully independent, while younger patients can work towards new life goals again. Take a look at the video below to see how such a “Journey to regain vision” played out for 3 of our cataract patients (an English version will be available at a later date).
One of VNHelp’s most important and continuing initiatives is our effort to reduce suffering and improve the quality of life of the poor through the recovery of sight. In partnership with sponsors, local partners, and volunteers, our “Vision For The Poor” program has provided free eye surgery to thousands of cataract patients throughout Vietnam. In 2015, 699 cataract patients benefited from the program. In April 2016, VNHelp partnered with the charity organization (Nhóm Thiện Nguyện) Sơn Nam, the David & Dana Loury Foundation, and the Desletrez Tran & Friends group, to help 158 cataract patients regain their vision. These patients came from several of Vietnam’s southern provinces including Đồng Tháp, Cà Mau, An Giang, Long An, Vĩnh Long, Bạc Liêu, Bình Dương, Bình Phước, Đồng Nai, Tây Ninh, and An Giang. VNHelp arranged and provided for the cataract surgery, lunch, and transportation, all at no cost to the patients. The enclosed photos show patients engaged in various phases of one such surgery day.
Bài luận của Nguyễn Văn Dương – SV Khoa Công nghệ kỹ thuật hóa học thuộc Trường ĐH Sư Phạm Kỹ Thuật SG khóa học 2015 – 2019
Em muốn kể cho mọi người nghe câu chuyện của chính em. Khi em lớn lên ở tuổi vừa mới biết nhận thức thì em được nghe những người hàng xóm và trong gia đình kể lại rằng: ngày trước, khi em chào đời được khoảng 20 ngày thì mẹ bỏ em ra đi không biết vì lý do gì. Rồi sau đó, ba em cũng như mẹ em, bỏ con ra đi, bỏ cả cha mẹ ra đi cũng không hiểu nguyên cớ từ đâu.
Từ đó, em luôn có một câu hỏi. Câu hỏi này em đã hỏi chính em, hỏi bà nội em, hỏi cô em, hỏi những người xung quanh em trong mười mấy năm qua là: “Tại sao cha, mẹ lại bỏ con?”. Tới nay câu hỏi đó vẫn chưa có câu trả lời. 18 năm qua, cha mẹ em chưa hề quay lại, em cũng không biết là cha mẹ em còn sống hay là đã mất. Em không có một tấm hình nào của cha mẹ, không được nhìn thấy cha mẹ dù chỉ một lần. Hình ảnh của mẹ chỉ xuất hiện trong giấc mơ và trí tưởng tượng của một đứa trẻ luôn khao khát được hưởng tình yêu thương của cha mẹ như bao đứa trẻ khác.
Sau khi cha mẹ bỏ đi, em sống với bà nội. Rồi đến khi bà đã già yếu quá, không còn đủ sức để cho em nương tựa thì em được một người cô nhận nuôi. Song cái khó bó cái khôn, hoàn cảnh của cô em cũng chẳng khá giả gì, cô lại phải nuôi một đàn con thơ nên mặc dù cố gắng hết sức, cô cũng chỉ có thể nuôi em ăn học hết lớp 12. Ngày em đi thi tốt nghiệp phổ thông cô nói với em rằng: “Từ nay cháu phải tự lo cho cháu, cô đã làm tất cả những gì có thể”. Em thực sự rất biết ơn cô! Nhưng trong lòng thì không khỏi buồn, tủi và tuyệt vọng. 18 năm qua, để có thể đến trường, em đã đi bán vé số. Đây là công việc và nguồn thu chính của em và bà nội.
Điều mơ ước duy nhất của bản thân em là được đến trường để học như bao đứa trẻ khác và có một mái ấm gia đình để em không còn lo nghĩ và tập trung cho việc học của mình. Hằng ngày em phải đối diện với thực tế là nhìn bao đứa trẻ khác được ba mẹ đưa đón đến trường, được ba mẹ ôm ấp trong vòng tay yêu thương trìu mến. Em rất buồn và tủi thân, em tự hỏi vì sao mình lại không được hưởng những điều đơn giản nhất, những điều mà hầu như ai trong cuộc đời cũng có được. Song, nghĩ lại em vẫn thấy mình còn chút may mắn khi vẫn còn bà nội, còn cô để em có thể nương tựa được. Suy nghĩ này chính là động lực, nó giúp em vượt qua khó khăn về vật chất, thiếu thốn về tình thương và đặc biệt là sự buồn tủi, mặc cảm với bạn bè, để em vươn lên trong cuộc sống. Muốn thay đổi số phận, muốn đền đáp công nuôi dưỡng của nội, của cô, trong 12 năm học phổ thông em luôn cố gắng học tốt nhất có thể. Thành quả thi đậu vào trường Đại học Sư Phạm Kỹ Thuật ngành Công Nghệ Kỹ Thuật Hóa Học, đối với những người khác có thể là bình thường nhưng đối với em đó là cả một chặng đường dài đầy gian lao mà ở đó em đã chiến thắng số phận nghiệt ngã, chiến thắng chính bản thân mình.
Hiện tại em rất lo lắng vì không có người thân nào có thể tiếp sức cho em trong 4 năm học đại học. Em đang phải đối mặt với thực tế khó khăn là em sẽ phải làm những gì để có thể trang trải cho việc học trong 4 năm mà vẫn có thể đi học đều đặn, không phải bỏ học để đi làm kiếm tiền? Em rất mong nhận được sự giúp đỡ từ quỹ học bổng VNHelp để em tiếp tục con đường học vấn của mình, để có thể thay đổi số phận, phụng dưỡng bà nội, trở thành một người công dân tốt có ích cho xã hội, đặc biệt là em có thể tiếp sức cho những mảnh đời kém may mắn, gặp nhiều khó khăn như em vươn lên trong cuộc sống.
Em xin chân thành cám ơn quỹ học bổng VNHelp đã mở ra cho em và những bạn bè kém may mắn một cánh cửa như trong truyện cổ tích, ở đó chúng em được thấu hiểu, được quan tâm và chắp cánh ước mơ.
Trân trọng!
Nguyễn Văn Dương
Essay by Nguyen Van Duong, submitted with the application for VNHelp scholarship, 2015-2019
I would like to share with you the story of my life. This is the story that I was told by my family and neighbors when I was old enough to grasp the meaning of my origin. Shortly after my birth, when I was about 20 days old, my mother abandoned me without giving any reason. Then my father followed my mother’s footsteps and also left me and his own family. Again, no one understood the reason for his departure.
Ever since, I have been haunted by a single question. I ask myself, my grandmother, my aunt and everyone around me all these years: “Why? Why did my parents leave me?” Until now, I still have no answer. After eighteen years, my mother and father have never returned. I do not know if they are alive or dead. I have no photo of my parents. I have never seen my parents, not even once! The image of my mother appears only in dreams and my imagination… only in dreams can I pretend to enjoy the parental love that I never had.
After my parents left, I lived with my grandmother. Then when my grandmother was too old and weak, one of my aunts took me in and cared for me. Like one torn leave that tries to cover another, we had little to share among ourselves. My aunt already had her hands full with her own children. She did the best that she could when she took me in, but she was only able to take care of me until I finished high school. On the day of my high school graduation, my aunt told me with tears in her eyes, “I have done everything that I can for you, and now you must take care of yourself going forward.” Truly, I was so very grateful for my aunt! But at the same time, I felt a deep sadness and quiet desperation swelling inside. For 18 years, to support myself through school, I have been selling lottery tickets. This has been my work that generates the main income for myself and my grandmother.
My one and only wish is to be able to attend college. I always dream of having a family love and support so that I could concentrate on my education. Every day, I see other children who are dropped off and picked up at school by their parent. I see other children cared for and embraced by their families. I often wonder why it is that the simplest things in life, things that everyone can take for granted, are simply not in my reach. Nevertheless, when I think more deeply, I come to realize that I can still be thankful to have my grandmother and my aunt, someone that I can lean on. This thought gives me the driving force and the courage to carry on with my daily life. It helps me to overcome so many obstacles, particularly the emotional challenges that I face when I compare myself to my friends. To change fate and to return the love from my grandmother and my aunt, I must carry on with my education the best that I can. Passing the entrance exam at the [Polytechnic University] is probably considered a normal feat for most people. But for me, this is a huge achievement after a long journey and bitter struggle against my own fate. It is no small victory against the weaker side of my own self!
Presently, I am full of worry because I have no family to support me during the 4 years of college. I will need to encounter the practical challenges so that I can afford the 4 years of education. Will I need to drop out to earn a living? I very much hope that I will receive assistance from the VNHelp scholarship so that I can continue on my journey and change my destiny. I would like to be able to support my grandmother, become a productive citizen who contributes to society and, in particular, help other unfortunate people so that they can better themselves.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to VNHelp for making scholarships available to myself and other poor students. May it be a door that will allow us to transform ourselves and make our most fantastic dreams come true.
On Saturday April 02, 2016, the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) at Mipitas High School, CA (MHS) had their annual cultural show. It was heart-warming to hear them speak about VNHelp and the orphan they sponsored through VNHelp’s Sponsor A Child Program. A few dollars from each student, they raised enough money to sponsor 4-year old Nguyen thi Bao Nhi for the third year! Congratulations to VSA at MHS for a successful show and thank you for your kind support for Bao Nhi. You are young people with a big heart!
Teacher, advisor of VSA & President of VNHelp MHS students attending the donation table
VNHelp’s gifts – key chains made by mute & deaf children Donations for Baby Bao Nhi
On Feb 20, 2016, VNHelp opened another school – Giuc Tuong Kindergarten in Kien Giang Province. VNHelp’s Executive Director, Thu Do, Mr. Huong Le of Lee Laundromat and Rotary Club of San Jose attended the opening ceremony. There were a a hug e crowd of students and parents joining the ceremony and they were all so excited about this new school.
Children performing at the ceremony Cute faces!
Sponsors handing out backpacks to students Ribbon cutting ceremony
VNHELP’s Executive Director, Thu Do, attended the opening ceremony of the water filtration plant in Ha Vinh Village, Ha Trung District, Thanh Hoa Province on Friday, Feb 26, 2016. Thu also visited many beneficiary’s homes to see people enjoyed the crystal clear water right at their home. The entire water system includes wells, many function tanks, water tower, machine room, main pipeline network, and mini-pipelines that connect more than a thousand families to clean water.
This project was made possible with the combined grants from Yahoo, Vibrant Village Foundation and Mrs. Mai Dolch.
Many villagers attending the ceremony Clean water to every household
Recognition of the water plant’s sponsors Thu Do (blue shirt) cutting the ribbon
VNHelp aims for rapid growth in the next few years and is looking for talented individuals with a passion for public service. We currently have three openings for Communication & Public Relations Director (USA), Vietnam Program Development Director (VN), and Executive Assistant (USA). Salaries are negotiable depending on the experience of the candidates. We also welcome volunteers for the positions.
Position: Communication and Public Relations Director
On Feb 19, VNHelp opened one new school, and on Feb 20 VNHelp opened another one. The constructions of these schools were funded by Mr Huong Le with the dollar-to-dollar matching fund from VNHelp. The furniture, internal equipment, and playground equipment were purchased by the fund from the Rotary Club of San Jose. Mr. Huong Le represents Lee Laundromat, of which he is the owner. Mrs. Jean Rose represents the Rotary Club of San Jose. The students, teachers, parents, and local officials were so happy and appreciated the new schools.
Huong gave backpacks to students Thu is handing out a cash gift to 12 teachers
VNHelp logo at the roof of the school Excited about the new school!
VNHelp built a bridge nearby the school we constructed in Thới Quản Village, Gò Quao District, Kien Giang Province. It provides students a safe way to cross the river to go to school. The construction of the bridge was sponsored by Mr. Huong Le (Lê Văn Hưởng) of Lee Laundromat in northern CA. Per the local tradition, the bridge was blessed by a Buddhist priest (most people in the area are Buddhist). On Feb 19 2016, VNHelp’s Executive Director, Thu Do, attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new bridge.
The bridge was blessed by a buddhist priest Walking on the new bridge
Group picture with local people Ribbon cutting ceremony
On Feb 24, VNHelp’s Executive Director, Thu Do, visited Vinh Phuc Province to check out the VNHelp’s micro-finance project in Hop Hoa Village, Tam Duong District. In the last five years, this project lends money to women who have a good investment plan and have demonstrated the ability to execute their plan to generate incomes. The loan amounts range from $100 to $500. During the visit, Thu Do met with a group of borrowers and listened to their stories. She also visited the candidates for the Trồng Gấc Program in An Hoa and Dao Tu villages. Trồng Gấc Program is planned to begin this Spring (March-April 2016) for the first harvest in October -November 2016.
Discussing about Trồng Gấc Program Handing money to the Loan Officer
Meeting with micro-loan recipients Group pictures with micro-loan recipients
VNHelp continues to support Lien Minh Clinic in Nam Dinh Province in 2016. VNHelp’s Executive Director, Thu Do, visited the clinic on Feb 23. She met with doctors, clinic workers, and 14 family nurses and observed their operations. The clinic provides services including medical examinations, maternity care, and pediatric care. It serves a population of 10,000 people.
Medical check for local people Meeting with clinic staff
In 2015, five orphanages continued to receive support from VNHelp. These orphanages cared for 422 children. VNHelp was able to connect sponsors in the US to 282 of these children. Besides providing the fund for food and education, we also funded regular English and computer classes at the orphanages.
Computer classes for orphans Children from Dieu Giac Orphanage
Children from Thien An Orphanage Children from Tu Hanh Orphanage
In November 2015, 328 patients received free eye surgery at Saigon Eye Hospital. The patients were from low-income families in Cà Mau, Đồng Nai, Đồng Tháp, Long An, Tây Ninh, Tiền Giang, Vĩnh Long, An Giang, Bình Phước, Bình Dương, Đồng Nai, and Vũng Tàu. Most of them suffered from cataracts while some had pterygium. Besides free surgery, the patients also received free lunch, transportation and post-op care. This surgical mission wouldn’t have been possible without the generous contribution from Mr. & Mrs. Thomas & Trang Nguyen (Orange County) and Son Nam Charity Group (San Jose). In total, 699 cataract patients were benefited from the VNHelp’s Vision for the Poor Program in 2015.
Patients gathering at the waiting room Pre-surgery
629 students in all over Vietnam are granted four-year scholarships by VNHELP for the 2015-2016 school year. The Nguyen Truong To scholarship program has helped thousands of university students from impoverished backgrounds complete their bachelor program. Below are some photos of the scholarship award ceremony that just happened at Sai Gon University of Theater and Film (Truong Dai Hoc San Khau Dien Anh), where 254 students from six universities gathered to receive the grant. Other scholarship locations are Ca Mau (30 recipients), Can Tho (120 recipients), Hue (150 recipients), and Ha Noi (75 recipients).
Performance by students from at Sai Gon University of Theater and Film at the ceremony
Tôi viết thư này gửi đến các bạn trong lúc mọi người đang háo hức đón tết Bính Thân. “Ông Táo” vừa được tiễn về trời; nhìn hình ảnh từ Việt Nam gửi sang thấy chợ tết thật đông vui; tại vùng San Jose các bánh chưng, dưa món, bao mừng tuổi… đang được bày bán nhiều nơi. Năm nay đối với tôi dường như không khí tết có phần vui hơn mọi năm, có lẽ vì lòng tôi cảm thấy hân hoan khác thường.
Tôi cảm thấy hạnh phúc vì mấy hôm nay VNHelp nhân được rất nhiều email của các sinh viên từ khắp các tinh Cần Thơ, Sài Gòn, Huế, Hà Nội… viết những lời cám ơn và chúc tết; tôi thấy phấn khởi vì một số ân nhân bảo trợ đang chuẩn bị cùng đi Việt Nam với tôi một tuần sau tết để khánh thành 2 trường học và nhà máy nước; tôi mừng vì năm 2016 sẽ đánh dấu 25 năm hoạt động của VNHelp!
Nhìn lại những thành quả tốt đẹp của VNHelp trong năm 2015 cũng như trong suốt 25 năm qua, tôi xin được bày tỏ lòng biết ơn sâu sắc nhất đến các ân nhân ủng hộ tài chính, các thiện nguyện viện góp sức góp công, các đối tác tại Việt Nam nhiệt tình hợp tác, và các thân hữu luôn khuyến khích tinh thần. Nhờ mỗi người một tay mà VNHelp đã lớn mạnh không ngừng và đã tạo được nhiều thay đổi tích cực trong cuộc sống của người dân nghèo.
Xin thay mặt những người nhận sự trợ giúp của VNHelp tại Việt Nam, kính chúc các bạn năm mới An Khang Thịnh Vượng.
Đỗ Anh Thư, viết trong ngày 24 tết
Welcome the New Year
I am writing this letter while Vietnamese from all over the world are getting ready to welcome Year of the Monkey. As Tết is the most important holiday in Vietnamese culture, through pictures I can feel the festivities on the streets and in every home in Vietnam. In the San Jose area, where VNHelp is located, Vietnamese Americans also keep the tradition; new year food, flowers, and red envelops are displayed in almost every store. This year I feel Tết is more joyful than previous years. The mood of Tết seems to be more delightful to me personally, and I know exactly why.
I am happy to receive so many emails from our scholarship recipients expressing their gratitude and new year wishes to VNHelp and our donors. I feel encouraged because some VNHelp’s sponsors are preparing to join me in my upcoming working trip in Vietnam. And I am proud to see VNHelp celebrating its 25th anniversary this year; step by step the organization is growing strong and continues to create positive impacts in Vietnam.
Recounting the VNHelp’s achievements in 2015 and in the past 25 years, I am thankful for the support VNHelp has been receiving from so many people. We wouldn’t have accomplished what we set out to do without the generosity of our donors, the dedication of our volunteers, the collaboration of our local partners, and the kind words of support from many friends. Everyone has assisted us in different ways, but all share the same goal to help the needy in Vietnam. Your special ways and generous heart make a beautiful difference. Thank you!
May Year of the Monkey bring you good health, happiness, and prosperity. Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!
For a person with a physical disability, Vietnam’s traffic is immobilizing. The lack of basic infrastructure can make commuting a daily struggle for those with disabilities, and public and private facilities have no accommodations for those who need it. We distribute free wheelchairs to disabled individuals so they can get their lives going. In 2014, VNHELP and ABS Foundation distributed wheelchairs to 20 disabled individuals in Hue Province and offered 3 months of vocational training in sewing, embroidery and carpentry. See photos here
In 2015, 209 women in Hop Hoa Village, Tam Duong District, Vinh Phuc Province took out small loans from VNHELP’s micro-finance program. Check out some successful case stories and please join us to make a change for poor women in Vietnam.
A restaurant sponsored by VNHELP was opened at the Kien Giang Vocational College in 03/2014 to serve students from low-income family. The restaurant opens 5 days a week. Each day it serves 300 meals and students pay only 2,000 VND (about 10 cents) for a meal. See photos here.
You’ve probably heard of Black Friday and it’s digital cousin Cyber Monday, but have you heard of Giving Tuesday?
Giving Tuesday first began in 2012. It was started by 92Y, a community center and nonprofit organization in New York City. The folks at 92Y observed that in the U.S., there’s a day to celebrate thanksgiving and two whole days to indulge in shopping, but no day to celebrate generosity. Why? Generosity has been a backbone of culture and society, but rarely does it receive the limelight. So Giving Tuesday aims to change that by dedicating a day to giving. It’s a day to encourage one another to give to charity and think about how we can best put our dollars to use helping others in need. Giving Tuesday always falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving Thursday, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. This year, it is December 3rd, 2013.
At VNHELP, we hope you’ll give to your favorite charities, both ones doing work locally and globally. We hope you’ll consider making a donation to VNHELP as part of your Giving Tuesday plans too. We sincerely appreciate it.
Now that the 2013 Mùa Thu Cho Em concert series has officially wrapped up, we’d like to send a big thank you to the sponsors who were part of making the concerts possible. Please check out their information after the jump!
Congratulations to the 30 youths who took part in our third motorbike vocational training cycle! The 30 youths underwent 390 hours of practical training and 150 hours of theoretical training as part of an intensive mechanics training course. All 30 students made it through the course and many of them have already secured employment with their new-found skills. Big props to these youths for their patience and hard work. We’re wishing them a bright future while keeping up with the fourth cohort of students who began their training on September 15th! See more pictures after the jump!
On Oct.1, the new An Phu Primary School officially opened its doors to students and community members after construction was completed in September. The new school has five classrooms for students from grades 1 to 5, a staff room, lavatories (which, unfortunately, are still lacking in manyVietnamese schools), and new furnishings.
An Phu is located north of Saigon, close to Vietnam’s border with Cambodia. Many of the students are ethnically Cambodian, which makes them ethnic minorities in Vietnam. Our hope is that this new school will play a part in closing the education gap between Vietnam’s ethnic minorities and the majority Viet Kinh population. We want these children to be able to pursue early education, helping them succeed later in life.
A big thanks goes out to the Nepheli Foundation for their generosity in supporting this project. Check out some of the photos below:
Meet Nguyen Thi My Linh, a second year student at the University of Agriculture and Forestry in Saigon majoring in Information Technology. My Linh also happens to be a 4-year recipient of the Nguyen Truong To Scholarship.
My Linh was chosen among hundreds of applicants for her amazing fortitude and optimistic attitude. She grew up in a coastal town, where her father supported the family doing various seafaring jobs. But the nature of his work was unstable, so her family’s economic situation was never very secure. Meanwhile, her mother’s health was poor, and there are still two younger siblings (one now in 10th grade and one now in 2nd grade), to take care of. In a chat with VNHELP, My Linh admitted, “When I received my scholarship, I tried to give that money to my mother so she could use it to take care of our family. But my mother sent the money back to me telling me to use it for my tuition and living expenses.”
Being the smart girl that she is, My Linh realized that the best path towards ensuring a brighter future was through education. She worked hard in high school and made her way to university in the city. She dreams of becoming a university lecturer in IT in the future, improving her life and defying gender stereotypes as a woman in technology at the same time.
With this kind of determination and kindness, it’s hard not to root for a girl like My Linh.
Follow the jump to the Vietnamese translation of this article.
On June 8, the VNHELP Board of Directors held a special gathering to acknowledge the contribution of a few individuals who have consistently supported our Vietnam programs in the last five years: Mai Dolch, Van-Hanh Nguyen, Golden Pacific Investments LLC, Hop Duc Bui, and the Hitz Foundation. We especially paid tribute to Ms. Mai Dolch for her contributions to our causes since 2007. Her generosity has changed many thousands of lives in Vietnam. Nine schools were built for 1,400 students; three health clinics were funded to serve 50,000 patients annually; safe drinking water systems were installed for 37 schools with 10,000 students; and cataract surgeries were performed on 1,000 low-income patients to name a few projects that were made possible by Ms. Dolch. Mai Dolch shared her thoughts on her philanthropy and what keeps her giving. Her speech is excerpted below. We hope her message will inspire you as well.
We’re excited to report on three cataract surgery missions that were completed in quarter 2! The first two missions took place in Hanoi at the Vietnam-Japan Eye Hospital for 197 patients from Nam Đinh and 177 patients from Thái Bình. They received food, transporation, medical care, free cataract surgeries, and post-op care. These missions were made possible by the generosity of Mr. Bui Duc Hop and Son Nam Group (San Jose, CA) and Mr. Bui Van Vien (Hanoi, Vietnam).
Thanks to the support of Mr. Thomas Nguyen (Orange County, CA), the third, ongoing surgical mission is currently taking place at the Thu Duc Hospital for patients from Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan. Our plan is to provide free surgery to another 200 patients by the mission’s end. As of this printing, 163 patients have been served and regained their vision.
The patients were very diverse, including both males and females. So far, the eldest patient was born in 1934, and the youngest patient was born in 1993. That’s a 59 year age gap, which just goes to show how cataracts are a pervasive problem that can affect a range of people in Vietnam.
(Click “Read the rest of this entry” below for the Vietnamese translation!)
As a diaspora community matures, its relationship to the homeland inevitably grows more tenuous. Second and third generation diaspora members, born overseas, don’t experience their culture the way their parents or grandparents did. Instead, their identities are shaped as much—if not more—by their adoptive culture.
But in an age where multicultural competency is proving to be an invaluable asset, how can we encourage younger generations to retain the culture of their homeland as well? At least one student group has found the answer in philanthropy.
Each year, the Union of North American Vietnamese Student Associations (UNAVSA) hosts what they call the “Collective Philanthropy Project” (CPP). It’s a yearlong-fundraising initiative that brings a decidedly democratic twist to philanthropy, and it’s brought in north of $50,000 for select nonprofit organizations.
Before the fundraising commences, students offer various nonprofit organizations the chance to submit a proposal (full disclosure: VNHELP has submitted proposals to CPP in the past), and then caucus and vote on which organizations they want to fundraise for the year. This allows budding philanthropists to get involved at all levels of the philanthropic process, from selection to strategy and development. It also allows students to learn of an array of causes pertinent to their motherland while building that personal tie to their culture.
To learn more about this initiative, I caught up with Lisa Nguyen, a pharmacy student at the Virginia Commonwealth University and this year’s CPP Selection Director.
Q: To get readers caught up to speed, can you give us the lowdown on what UNAVSA and CPP are?
Lisa: UNAVSA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan, community-based organization, founded in 2004 consisting of leaders of Vietnamese Student Associations (VSAs) across North America, regional umbrella Vietnamese youth organizations, and young professionals. CPP launched in 2005 as an initiative for Vietnamese-American students and community organizations to collaborate toward a charitable cause. The CPP campaign raises awareness and collectively fundraises for non-profit organizations that serve the broader Vietnamese community. CPP’s goal is to further UNAVSA’s mission of networking, developing leadership, preserving the Vietnamese heritage, and creating a unified national effort to help those in need.
Q: How do you see philanthropy’s role in connecting younger generations to Vietnam?
Lisa: Philanthropy helps Vietnamese-American youth reconnect to Vietnam by reinforcing culture and traditions. The mission of selected nonprofits must relate to helping the Vietnamese community or purpose in some way. Therefore, philanthropic efforts by UNAVSA raise awareness of Vietnam’s current conditions among the younger Vietnamese community and as a result, help connect our generation back to our motherland without actually being there. Through CPP and UNAVSA, we learn more about our past to improve the future.
Q: Do you think there is a difference between how younger generations and how past generations approach philanthropy?
Lisa: It is more difficult for younger generations to truly understand the hardships that our parents and past generations endured. However, we have heard many stories which help reinforce how fortunate we are to be in America, the land of opportunity. Therefore, philanthropy is one way for us to show appreciation for what we have.
Q: Beyond funds CPP has raised for different NGOs, what are some of the other effects of CPP you’ve observed?
I have observed numerous friendships develop, leaders being made, culture and traditions upheld, and generosity arise from around the country. Personally, I have also seen changes in myself. By being heavily involved with CPP and UNAVSA, I have seen personal development where I take pleasure in volunteering my time and efforts for a great and selfless cause. There is no doubt that many other UNAVSA members have also had their eyes opened by being involved with CPP. They have learned to put others before themselves and be empathetic towards the less fortunate.
Q: Five, ten, fifteen years from now, what role do you see philanthropy having in Vietnamese American culture?
Lisa: Philanthropy will maintain a strong presence in the Vietnamese-American culture. There are many Vietnamese Americans who are successful in fields such as business, medicine, engineering, etc. As evidenced by the amount of donations the CPP has received these past 8 years, many of these Vietnamese professionals have no problem giving back. As role models, these charitable professionals create a future cycle of philanthropy by illustrating to younger generations the importance of selflessness. In addition, working together for one Vietnamese-related charitable cause encourages our generation to appreciate what we have and strengthens the bond with our culture.
Q: How can someone contact you if they want to be part of CPP?
Lisa: If you or someone you know would like to donate to this year’s CPP beneficiary, please contact cpp.campaign@unavsa.org for more information. Online donation tools are currently being set up to make donating even easier!
To all our dear friends and supporters, please join VNHELP again this year for our 19th annual Mùa Thu Cho Em benefit concerts!
The concerts are a great chance to catch up with good friends, feature a line up of entertainers who are sure to delight, and will raise funds for our many poverty-alleviation projects in Vietnam. They will be on October 5th in Santa Clara and October 12th in Fountain Valley. See the concert page on our website for more details.
Performers for the night include:
Mỹ Linh
Blessed with a precise yet rich and emotional voice, Mỹ Linh has been singing professionally since she was sixteen years old. Her musical talents were recognized when she was still just a little girl performing at various children’s music contests. Since then, she has gone on to win numerous prizes domestically and internationally, the most noted being “The Golden Voice of Asia Award” in 1999. In 2006, she became the only Vietnamese artist to sing at Asian Divas night in Nagoya, Japan.
A masterful stylist, her elegant and accessible music blends funk, soul, R&B and jazz. Mỹ Linh’s music is firmly entrenched in Vietnamese culture while remaining open to international influence. Mỹ Linh made her debut in America on the VNHELP stage in 2002, came back to perform for VNHELP for a second time in 2011, and is back again by popular demand this year.
*Mỹ Linh will only be appearing in the Northern California show this year.
Bằng Kiều
Bằng Kiều was born into a musical family with the love of performance arts running through his veins. He began playing music when he was a child and took up studying the Bassoon at the Hanoi Conservatory of Music in 1989, but eventually switched to becoming a vocalist after realizing his passion for singing.
Bằng Kiều has produced a number of popular songs, including Neu Ðieu Ðo Xay Ra, Trai Tim Khong Ngu Yen, Mua Tren Ngay Thang Do. With his eloquent voice, stage charm and many talents, Bằng Kiều always makes his stage appearances exciting and full of delightful surprises. Bang Kieu sang for Mùa Thu Cho Em in 2004, 2010 and 2011, and requests from our audience has brought him back for the fourth year.
*Bằng Kiều will only be appearing in the Southern California show this year.
Trần Thu Hà
Trần Thu Hà is known as a vocalist with a colorful and eclectic performing style, singing with ease in everything from electronica and alternative rock to pop and indie.
At the age of 10, Thu Hà joined the Hà Nội School of Art and then studied Vocal Music at the Hà Nội Conservatory of Music. Her music has been well-received and recognized with a number of prestigious awards. In 2000, Thu Hà was voted favorite singer at the Golden Orchid Awards, and she has been consistently voted among the top ten singers in Vietnam by music critics and audiences since 1998. Trần Thu Hà joins Mùa Thu Cho Em for a third time this year after making her debut in America on the VNHELP stage in 2002 (with My Linh) and appearing in Mùa Thu Cho Em 2007.
Quang Tuấn
Quang Tuấn grew up in Da Lat, Viet Nam and is a popular singer among the Vietnamese overseas community. He began studying modern and classical guitar at the age of 13, but never considered himself a singer. Then the support he received from audiences for his sweet and melodic voice encouraged him to pursue singing as a professional career.
Quang Tuấn studied music performance at Golden West College. In 1992, Quang Tuấn took first place “Golden Voice,” a singing contest organized by renowned musician Duy Khánh. Quang Tuấn has released 4 albums, which includes Gửi người em gái (2000), Huyền (2001), 10 ca khúc Thanh Trang (2002) and Cánh Hoa Duyên Kiếp (2004). All of these albums have been highly successful and appreciated by both Vietnamese and overseas communities. Quang Tuấn’s especially admired by his fans for singing “Nhạc Tiền Chiến” (beautiful classic songs written before 1954)
Teresa Mai
A native of California, Teresa Mai is a second generation Vietnamese American soprano singer. Mai earned her Bachelor of Music degree from California State University of Long Beach where she performed with the Opera Institute. She later went on to earn a Master of Music degree at The Boston Conservatory of Music in Voice Performance and spent time studying and singing in Los Angeles, Austria, and Italy.
As a soprano, Teresa has performed in a number of starring roles, including Adele in Die Fledermaus, Despina in Cosi Fan Tutte, Euridice in L’Orfeo and Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier. In 2011, Mai made her debut with Harmonia Opera at the Merkin Concert Hall in New York in the role of Nyobo in the Japanese opera A Story of Three Women by Sadao Bekku. Closer to home, she was crowned Miss Los Angeles Vietnam 2011 and was a top 10 finalist in the Miss Vietnam Continents 2011, where she was also won Miss Talent.
We arrived in Thua Thien Hue on April 15th. We hadn’t originally planned to visit Thua Thien Hue, but realized we could squeeze in a trip to the country’s former capital en route to Da Lat. We ended up having an extremely productive detour.
Not a moment goes to waste when we’re in Vietnam. The night before we left Hanoi, we realized that we could squeeze in one more visit to the Vietnam – Japan Eye Hospital (VJEH), where a cataract surgery mission is taking place, before we had to be at the airport for our flight to Da Nang. So we decided, why not?
We arrived at VJEH a little after 10, later than expected because of Hanoi traffic. Even though we informed VJEH that we would stop by less than an hour prior to our arrival, Dr. Nguyen Vu Thien, who manages much of the hospital’s operation, was there to greet us.
There’s never been a dull moment since we arrived in Vietnam. Tiring, very. But dull, never.
The day after our trip to Nam Dinh, we headed towards Vinh Phuc province to visit participants of the microfinance program. Microfinance is excellent in theory: give small amounts of capital to female entrepreneurs, equip them with the power to make their own economic decisions, elevate the status of women in society, and watch the local economy grow. But only after visiting the program participants in the flesh can you truly come to understand how meaningful the program is on the borrowers’ lives.
First of all, it’s not just a program that passively gives out money. It helps the women build credit history and provides them with a host of other learning opportunities. On the day that we visited Vinh Phuc, there was actually a legal clinic being held on women’s property rights. Ms. Giang, an attorney who is dedicated to women’s rights, informed the women of changes in the laws and what it meant for their ability to hold and inherit property. The room was filled with women listening assiduously to Ms. Giang speak.
The surprising thing for us was that even after Ms. Giang told them about their rights, some of the women still weren’t convinced of the new laws’ utility. It just goes to show that Vietnam is still very much a patriarchal society, especially in rural and agriculture-based communities. We have a feeling, though, that once the women are able to see the new laws in practice, they will begin to excercise their rights more assertively.
After the morning’s legal session, we began visiting some of the borrowers’ in the microfinance program. Below is Ms. Dieu, who always has a smile in her eyes and giggles after every other sentence. She’s participated in the microfinance program for multiple cycles now, as she is steadily able to borrower larger amounts after building her credit history. She explained to us that participating in the program has improved her living standards and her outlook on life. When she told us that she’d sent her husband to do the day’s cooking so she could greet guests and attend the morning’s legal clinic, we knew right then that major improvements in women’s status had come to this rural commune. Just a few years, a woman to sending her husband into the kitchen would have been unheard of.
Here’s some raw footage of Ms. Dieu speaking to us! It’s unedited, so there are no subtitles for now, but we will get them up soon!
After visiting a few more microfinance participants, we stopped by a roadside restaurant for a family-style lunch. That means no shoes, lots of greens, and sitting on your derriere around a low-rise table. The food was fresh and delicious!
Feeling replenished, we once again began another round of visits to more women in the microfinance program. Ms. Yen below is a radiant 33 year old whose good spirit was infectious.
Ms. Yen explained to us that when she first got married, her husband and her had nothing. Not even a bed to sleep on! But now, she uses her microfinance loans to run a successful small business selling goods at open markets. Asked if she would want to scale up her business, Ms. Yen responded with an enthusiastic YES! Asked what her greatest worries were for her business, Ms. Yen replied that she thought she might not have enough inventory to sell. Hearing that, we immediately wanted to invest in this lovely lady’s enterprise.
There were many women that we visited that day, and these are just snippets of their stories. Eventually, we’ll sit down and share their stories in greater details with you. Please stay tuned!
What made the deepest impression for us throughout the day was the sense of unbounded optimism many of the women in the microfinance program have. All the loan recipients we spoke to today wished to continue with the program and borrow at larger amounts, and they were all fully confident of their ability to pay back larger amounts in a timely manner. We quickly came to realize that these women are all savvy risk takers–the very kind of people who are the backbone of progress. It was humbling getting to speak with them and getting to know the new ideas they are putting into motion. We’re looking forward to expanding the program to reach new borrowers and following-up with the women we met today.
We are so grateful to our local partners, the Center for Women and Community Development and the Center for Sustainable Development Studies, for joining us throughout the day and helping us realize this microfinance project!
The past two days in northern Vietnam have been a flurry of activity. Yesterday, the VNHELP team in Vietnam started our day at 6:30 am and didn’t get back till 11:30 pm! We visited Nam Dinh province, a three hour drive from Hanoi, where we have a number of health projects.
Hello from Hanoi! The VNHELP team is currently in Vietnam, visiting and evaluating projects. The first two days have been filled with meetings, and there are more to come. We’re excited to be here to learn about new developments in poverty relief and health intervention in Vietnam! Stay tuned for more updates from our travels in Vietnam–we’ll keep you updated as best we can.
Above is a view of the busy Hanoi streets from the hotel we are staying at.
March 22 is World Water Day! What better way to celebrate one of Earth’s most precious resources than to share with you its impact in VNHELP’s most recently completed water project?
With support from our partners and community, VNHELP brought clean water to 37 different schools in Quang Ngai province. Many schools in Vietnam lack access to a clean water source, which means students either have to bring their own water to school or drink unsanitized water from a tap. If there’s no tap, or if a student forgot to bring his water bottle to school, there’d be nothing to drink. Can you imagine how difficult it must be to go a whole day at school without a drop to drink? Thankfully, students at these schools no longer have to imagine such a situation. UV filtration systems were installed in the schools, and a faculty member at each of the school was trained on how to maintain the system.
To make this project even more meaningful, there was also a water, sanitation, and hygiene campaign to create better health awareness among children, teachers, and their families. Check out a slide show of the project below!
For our second Women of Vietnam feature, we’re taking a closer look at Ho Xuan Huong, one of Vietnam’s most beloved poets often referred to as the “Queen of Nom Poetry.”
Even though her poems are widely known and there are even a number of streets named after her in Vietnam, Ho Xuan Huong has been something of an enigma. She is believed to have been born in 1772 and died in 1822. Her family history is disputed, but the general consensus is that she eventually became the concubine of a man named Tong Cuc, a ranking official of the Le Dynasty.
Despite her role as a concubine, Ho Xuan Huong showed a rejection of social norms and irreverence uncommon for women of the time. (Remember that she was living in 17th/18th Century Vietnam–an era steeped in Confucian traditions, which brought with them the exaltation of education and family values, but often the subjugation of women as well.) Her convention-defying attitudes were conveyed in her poetry. She had an uncanny ability to write of mundane subjects, but inflect them with sensual undertones (or overtones). She was a master of the double entendre, delighting her audience and providing a rare voice against sociopolitical oppression.
Her poems were later translated into English by John Balaban in a book aptly titled Spring Essence, though it’s almost always better to read the original if you can. You can view some of them here.
Are you interested in learning more about Vietnam and the social issues the country faces? Do you have a can-do attitude and believe that every individual can contribute to making this world a better place? Are you looking for a better way to get involved?
If you answered yes, yes, and yes, then VNHELP wants youto be part of our newly formed Community Engagement Committee! The Community Engagement Committee (CEC) will work closely with VNHELP to generate awareness and raisefunds for poverty alleviation in Vietnam. Beyond that, you’ll also have the opportunity to lead new initiatives, learn about various causes, educate the community, and form friendships with good people who share your values.
For more mature individuals, this is a great chance to give back to your community on a deeper level. For younger individuals, you’ll learn leadership skills and receive mentorship from your peers. (Click on “Read the rest of this entry” below to see additional details.)
VNHELP recently completed the construction of Lam Dong Elementary, and the school held its opening ceremony in March. Students migrated from their old school to the new one. The day was captured in photos. View the slideshow below to see the evolution of a school–Lam Dong from start to finish!
Happy International Women’s Day everyone! On this day, we take a moment to celebrate all the wonderful contributions women have made to society. Some people might think, “Why do we even need an International Women’s Day? I hug my mom everyday without anyone reminding me, thank you very much!”
But the truth is, sometimes, if we don’t dedicate a moment to women, many of their contributions will go unappreciated and many of the challenges they face will still go unaddressed. Here’s a prime example of why we need International Women’s Day: according to the International Labour Organization (ILO), “Viet Nam is among a few countries in the world where gender pay gap has been widening while the gap has declined in most nations in the 2008-11 period compared to 1999-2007.”
On average, women in Vietnam make 70% – 80% of what men earn in comparable jobs. To reiterate: women earn up to 30% less than men for the same type of work! In a press release, the ILO stated, “The latest Labour Force Survey Report published in 2012 showed that female workers have lower monthly incomes than their male colleagues in all economic sectors – State, non-State and foreign-invested.”
Even in jobs traditionally dominated by women, such as healthcare and social work, women continue to earn less than their male counterparts. Furthermore, the glass ceiling is very much alive in Vietnam as the majority of management posts are still staffed by men. Vietnam also has a number of structural labor issues that increase the burden of low wages on women. For instance, even though working in healthcare may require more skills, jobs traditionally held by men but require less skills will still pay more.
These reasons alone point to why we need International Women’s Day. We need to bring these issues to the fore and rectify injustices. Really, we should be discussing these issues daily until women are treated truly equally to their male counterparts.
Happy March everyone! March is a month chock full of events and activities. For the mathematicians, 3/14 is Pi Day. For the Irish and others who’ve adopted Ireland’s culture, 3/17 is St. Patrick’s Day. And for the literary enthusiasts out there, 3/15 marks the Ides of March, the date notoriously immortalized in Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar.
For us at the VNHELP office, we are happy to see March commemorated as International Women’s History Month. Why not take the opportunity to honor some of the celebrated women in Vietnamese culture through a “Women of Vietnam” series?
We’re kicking off the series with the Trung Sisters, better known to many Vietnamese as “Hai Bà Trưng.”
If you grew up in a Vietnamese household, then you are sure to have heard of the names of these two sisters floated before. If not, here’s your chance to be privy about two of the most celebrated figures in Vietnamese history.
Last week, we reported on the wrap-up of our second cycle of vocational training. As we await the final results of the students’ job placements, we took time to review how the program is going and how we can improve it.
During these discussions, our volunteer project coordinators shared a story about one very special student named Truong Van Ni.
We’d like to share his inspiring story with you today too.
During the course of participating in our Sponsor a Child program, many sponsors form a special bond to the children they support. Many even ask us if they can adopt the child, to give him or her a new life and formally make the child part of the family. VNHELP is not an adoption agency, so we can’t advise on the matter, but in recent years, we’ve often had to play the bearer of bad news. Since 2008, U.S.-Vietnam adoption has been banned due to allegations of baby-selling and kidnapping for profit following U.S. investigations.
Yes, it pained us to think that there were people who could engage in a form of child trafficking for their own monetary gain. And it also pained us to see the crestfallen faces on sponsors when their hopes of forming or adding to their family was immediately quashed.
But now there may be some silver lining. According to the Associated Press, “Vietnam and the United States are close to an agreement allowing Americans to adopt Vietnamese children again.”
US Senators and adoption lobby groups have been urging the Vietnamese government to develop tighter regulations and monitoring of adoptions to avoid profiteering. Speaking from Hanoi, U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, a Democrat from Louisiana, said, “The government of Vietnam seems to be willing to restart, and there are just some final details to be worked out with the government of the United States…We hope that it will be in the near future.”
It’s impossible to tell what “near future” actually means; it could be six months from now, a year, three years or later. But we will do our best to keep you updated.
Meanwhile, an agreement to resume adoptions between Vietnam and Ireland was signed in September last year, ending the adoption ban enacted in 2009.
Did you know Feb. 21 is International Mother Language Day? This day celebrates multilingualism and cultural diversity across the globe. It’s been observed since 2000, after UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) decided to form a day recognizing the importance of linguistic diversity.
We think International Mother Language Day is a great way to celebrate the over 6000 languages that exist in this world. It’s also a good time for us to reflect on the richness of the Vietnamese language.
Cung chúc tân xuân! Happy New Year from VNHELP! The Lunar New Year officially kicks off on February 10 this Year of the Water Snake. We hope your preparations for this joyous holiday are going swimmingly. 😉
For new celebrants of the Lunar New Year, there are quite a few traditions and customs you may be curious about. In between monitoring projects and reading poverty assessments, we’ve managed to scrounge together a list of 10 things to know about Tet for you. Enjoy!
To date, VNHELP has finished 6 motorbike training courses. More than 200 youths have completed our training and are able to make a living by providing the motorbike repair service. View the project highlights on our blog! Part I | Part II
Remember our re-launch of the vocational training in Vietnam program last year? In that first cycle, we gave 30 youth a chance to re-new their lives by participating in a 3.5 month training program to become skilled motorbike mechanics. 26 ended up graduating from the program. Following its success, we decided to continue the program with a new group of 30 youth. We are pleased to announce that all 30 participants graduated this time. Our project coordinators in Vietnam sent us printed photos of the second cycle, and we’ve scanned them to share with you!
Earlier this month, VNHELP’s Nguyen Truong To Scholarship program distributed a number of scholarships to students in Vietnam attending universities around the Saigon metropolis. It was an occasion marked by a bit of pomp and circumstance, a bit of silliness, and a whole lot of optimism for the future. We looking forward to seeing how the scholarships will help these students achieve their goal of completing university, and we have faith in the success that is sure to follow many of them.
Check out some pictures of the students in Vietnam and the scholarship ceremony below!
Many of our volunteers and supporters often ask us what role the board of directors plays in the organization. It’s a difficult question to answer because their role can be so encompassing and diverse. In its simplest form, the board of directors sets the tone and strategic vision of the organization, helping ensure that the organization stays on mission and finds new ways to more successfully achieve that mission. But more often than not, board members are much more than people who convene every now and then to answer the big questions of what do we do? who are we here to help and what can we do to help?. Board members get involved in fundraising, they help identify strategic partnerships, and they determine what program areas to expand to, among many other things.
With board members wearing so many hats–from fundraiser to event planner to consultant–it can’t be emphasized enough that having dedicated and compassionate board members is vital to an organization. Especially considering how nonprofit board members receive no compensation from the organization, finding the right board member sometimes feels like finding a needle in a haystack.
Hop Duc Bui, a retired engineer now residing in San Jose, CA, recently co-funded a water project in Pa Che with his colleagues at the Son Nam Charitable Group and the Yahoo! Employee Foundation. He compiled this story based on project reports from Vietnam and shares it with you.
Later this week, a group of world leaders and renowned economists will gather in conference rooms and workshops to discuss the state of the global economy. In particular, they will focus on the idea of “Resilient Dynamism,” this year’s theme at the World Economic Forum (WEF), happening January 23 – 27 in Davos, Switzerland.
In the context of their meeting, “resilient dynamism” refers to a country’s capability to adapt to changing conditions, withstand sudden shocks, and recover to a desired equilibrium in the event of inertia.
In advance of their annual meeting, the WEF also released the “Global Risks” report, which identifies both the global risks that have the greatest likelihood of occurring (these include severe income disparity, chronic fiscal imbalances, rising greenhouse gas emissions, water supplies crisis and mismanagement of aging population) and the risks that would have the greatest impact should they occur (these include major systemic financial failure, water supply crisis, chronic fiscal imbalance, food shortage, and weapons of mass destruction). Their conversations will be holistic, looking not just at isolated areas of concerns, but at how economic, environmental, governance, infrastructure and social systems relate and affect one another.
Looking through the WEF’s meeting programme, we at VNHELP can’t also help but contemplate what resilient dynamism means for Vietnam, its development, and the lives of the poor people we seek to assist.
Even though 2013 New Year Celebrations have come to and end and many of us have returned to the routine of daily life and keeping up with resolutions, VNHELP is actually already at work planning another new year celebration. Tet, or Lunar New Year, will be celebrated in Vietnam on February 10th this year. Although Vietnam also uses the Gregorian calendar officially, Tet is still considered the most significant holiday in Vietnam. Many celebrate the holiday for a full two weeks, and the streets are awash in lucky red and gold. It’s a time for families to get together, friends to hang out leisurely, and children to gleefully hold their hands out in anticipation of receiving li xi (red envelopes filled with lucky money.)
The weekly news roundup brings you a recap of the latest happenings in Vietnam and international development. This week, we have bears and Buddhist in Vietnam, and jobs and money talk across the globe.
The weekly news roundup is back! In the first full week of the new year, we’ve already got a lot of interesting things to catch you up on. Check out some of our selected readings below!
Our latest newsletter is up and ready for your viewing! In it, we’ve compiled highlights of the work you helped us accomplish in the last year. Check it out in the viewer below:
It’s almost Thanksgiving–time to officially ring in the holiday season! Before you chow down on a scrumptious holiday dinner, we hope you’ll take a moment to think about what your grateful and what you can continue to do give back to your community.
On behalf of everyone here at VNHELP, our executive director would like to send you all a special greeting.
Cataracts are a serious issue in Vietnam. According to a 2011 study in the journal BMC Opthamology:
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in Vietnam, affecting 87.6 new cases per 100,000 each year and causing approximately 65% of all blindness. There is currently a very high prevalence of blindness, affecting 4,304 people per 100,000. Of even more concern is the staggering numbers who are living with low vision, approximately 18,086 people per 100,000, much of which is caused by untreated cataract.
The good news is that cataracts can be treated through a relatively simple procedure. The bad news is that the cost of a procedure, which hovers around $350 – $400 in Vietnam, can be far too expensive for many poor patients. Recognizing the need and realizing that this is a fixable situation, VNHELP decided to initiate the Vision for the Poor program in 2007 to sponsor free cataract surgeries for low-income patients across Vietnam. We also established a matching fund, where we meet donations of $5000 and above, to encourage donors to give to the program.
In the past two decades, Vietnam has made tremendous socio-economic developments and reforms. With an emerging middle class and declining poverty rate, Vietnam today is considered by many to be a cosmopolitan nation experiencing rapid economic growth and success. In addition to decreasing poverty and hunger rates, many national and international efforts have been made to increase the education, social, and economic opportunities available to women. But these efforts haven’t always worked out as hoped.
Meet Little Miss Phuong Anh, one of the latest beneficiaries of our wheelchair distribution program. Despite being born without legs and a left hand, Phuong Anh is a cheerful and bubbly four-year-old. She loves to play and move around, but it used to be painful for her to go outside because she had to crawl. The unpaved and rocky streets in Vietnam were a source of constant discomfort. With her own wheelchair, she’s now riding in style!
Special thanks to Thanh Huong Sandwiches in San Jose for donating to our wheelchair program!
Back in May, VNHELP wrote about the start of a new school construction project in Son La province. Construction actually began in March, and six months later, in September, the school was completed! The timing was perfect–just when the fall school season was about to go in session. The school is now a place where young primary-school aged children are learning writing, maths, and other important creative and critical thinking skills. We’re looking forward to seeing how the school’s presence will brighten up these children’s futures!
The school’s specific location is Pa Che Village, home to many ethnic minority groups.
It’s been nearly two weeks since we concluded our 2012 Mua Thu Cho Em charity concert series, and we’re still feeling the after effects of the fun and generosity from those two nights. To prolong the euphoria and keep us reminded of how blessed we are are as an organization to receive such tremendous community support, we love to go back and browse through photos, reminiscing about the good memories. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out our concert recap for the Northern California concert. Here’s the Southern California recap too…
Worldwide, October 17 was the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In Vietnam, October 17 was also the National Day of the Poor. Taking advantage of an apt date, the local United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) administrators used October 17 as an opportunity to present Vietnam’s new poverty reduction plans through 2015. Read the fact sheet here.
The most salient aspect of the new poverty plan is the push to alleviate poverty among ethnic minorities. As noted by several of the UNDP coordinators, poverty remains much more pronounced among ethnic minorities. Although Vietnam has successfully reduced poverty from 58.1% in 1993 to 14.5% in 2008 and malnutrition from 41% to 11.7%, poverty rates among some ethnic groups remains as high as 86%. In absolute terms, ethnic minorities make up 14% of Vietnam’s total population but 54% of its poor.
VNHELP hosted the first of two Mua Thu Cho Em fundraising concerts for this year on October 7th. The concert took place at the Santa Clara Convention to a packed house, with people of all backgrounds coming together to enjoy a night of culture and charity. See for yourself in the snapshot below!
Since Vietnam began opening up its markets in the 1980s, the country’s economy has and continues to experience rapid growth. Economic reforms, coupled with aid from international agencies, have helped Vietnam reduce extreme poverty by more than three-quarters and hunger by two-thirds since 1990. Furthermore, Vietnam’s GINI Index in 2008, a scale that measures national distribution of income (with 0 representing perfect equality and 100 signifying absolute inequality), ranked at 37.57, a slight improvement from 2006’s 37.77 and 2004’s 39.16.
As Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) increases to $320 billion in 2012 from $280 billion in 2010, the number of millionaires in the country dramatically rises as well. In June 2012, the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) reported its findings on income gap reduction in Asia for the first half of 2011. CIEM revealed that the number of millionaires in Vietnam increased by 33% from the same period in the previous year. Official statistics from the Vietnam Stock Exchange in 2011 show the 100 richest people on the stock exchange market are worth over $2 million each, with two people qualifying for the United States’ $100 million CEO club.
However, as the number of Vietnamese millionaires increases and the market expands, the economic gap between rich and poor also widens. Despite improvements in the GINI index, the proportion of population below poverty line in Vietnam actually increased from 12.3% in 2009 to 14.5% in 2010. The monthly average income per capita by residence in 2010 was 2,130,000 VND ($102) in urban areas, with the top-earning regions being in the southeast (notably the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province and Saigon [HCMC]) at 2,304,000 VND ($110). On the other hand, rural areas averaged 1,071,000 VND ($51), with the lowest-earning northern midlands, mountains and coastal regions coming in at just 905,000 VND ($43). The gap in income is reflected in spending as well, with the wealthiest spending 3.8 times more in healthcare and 6 times more in education than their poorer counterparts.
Today, the U.S. Labor Department released its annual assessment on forced labor and child labor across the world. For Vietnam, the results are grim. Along with South Sudan and Suriname, Vietnam has been added to a list of 74 countries that have serious child labor issues.
According to the report, products that could likely involve child labor in Vietnam include bricks and garments. Garment production may also involve forced labor.
Nearly all of the Southeast Asian countries, including Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, are included on the list, although the number of products with the risk of child labor production ranges in number.
The report is released in the midst of increased discussions on human trafficking following President Barack Obama affirmation that he would help clamp down on trafficking at the UN summit on Tuesday. Evoking the harshest of terms, Obama said:
It is a debasement of our common humanity. It ought to concern every community, because it tears at our social fabric. It ought to concern every business, because it distorts markets. It ought to concern every nation, because it endangers public health and fuels violence and organized crime. I’m talking about the injustice, the outrage of human trafficking, which must be called by its true name – modern slavery.
As the new president of the World Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim has been asking, “What will it take?”
That is, what will it take to end poverty when 1.3 billion people are living on less than $1.25/day. As Dr. Kim notes in this new video released by the World Bank, that’s 1 our of every 5 people in this world barely scraping by.
Vietnam fares slightly better with 17% percent of the population (a little under 1 in every 5 people) living at $1.25/day, according to the latest World Bank figures available. But when you inch that number up to $2/day, the proportion of the population living in poverty is nearly half at 43%.
So we’re just as curious as Dr. Kim. What do you think it takes to end poverty? Will it be in collective action and people combining resources for a common good? Will it be private sector growth and new job openings? Is it a world where everyone is an entrepreneur? How does the environment fit into the equation? Is it a combination of everything?
We’re ecstatic and grateful: thanks to our supporters, we met our OneVietnam challenge–and then some. With your donations, VNHELP is now one of the top three fundraisers on OneVietnam Network. These numbers and rankings change almost daily, so we don’t know how long we’ll be there, but we’ll enjoy it while it lasts. Will we ever get to the top spot? Who knows! But more important than an ranking is the fact that we have new funds to support our humanitarian and development projects in Vietnam. From money to connect poor households to clean water sources to scholarships for university students, you make it possible. Thank you!
We published an article on the blog of the International Diaspora Engagement Alliance (IdEA) about diaspora philanthropy and fundraising! Check it out. Here’s a little snippet:
Philanthropic culture evolved in different ways in the East and West. The giving instinct for many Asians, particularly those from East Asia and parts of Southeast Asia, is often rooted in emotional ties to their homeland, Confucian values (duty to family and community) or religious traditions (compassion and generosity). For these reasons, many Asians aren’t compelled to institutionalize their giving as is done in the Western world.
VNHELP is now on OneVietnam Network, a new crowfunding platform that enables you to easily donate to your favorite causes and receive timely updates on the projects you’ve helped support. Please check out our page at www.onevietnam.org/vnhelp! OneVietnam has challenged to reach 50 donations in one month–we’re currently almost half there at 21. Please help bring us to 50 and earn us a permanent spot on the network! We really appreciate your support, and the money we raise through OneVietnam will go directly into our projects to help the poor in Vietnam.
Note how some families must spend up to 70% of their income to meet nutritional needs, with the proportion raising up to 85% during times of inflating prices. This means that just 15% of income can be allocated to education, health, and other essential needs. Trade-offs are inevitable.
In Vietnam, food, prices, and hunger are complicated issues. Although many of us would like to think of Vietnam as a country abundant in cheap, delicious foods, the Global Hunger Index actually categorizes Vietnam as having “serious” hunger problems. According to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), which produces the Global Hunger Index, an average of 31% of Vietnamese were undernourished between 1990 – 1992. But just as Vietnam has been able to drastically reduce its poverty rates, it’s also been able to reduce the proportion of the population undernourished. Between 1995 – 1997, the average dropped to 22%, then 17% between 2000 – 2002, and 11% between 2005 – 2007.
Inflating food prices can also a carry an array of effects on Vietnam’s poor. THE IFPRI noted that increasing prices between 2006 – 2008 could have actually reduced poverty in Vietnam by 8% because the increase food prices benefited many rice farmers, who constitute Vietnam’s rural poor. On the flip side, a recent post on CNBC.com noted that China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam are the three Asian economies most vulnerable to soaring food prices. This, according to economists at Nomura, a financial management consultant firm, is because food prices make up a large portion of Asian countries’ Consumer Price Index (CPI), a measure that weighs the average price of basic goods for a consumer.
Tai Hui, a head economist at the Regional Research for Asia with Standard Chartered, explained to CNBC that China, Hong Kong, Vietnam are particularly vulnerable to food inflation because their CPI baskets are highly correlated with global prices as measured by the CBR/Reuters Food Index, which have been increasing in the past three months: “Hui said for every one percentage point increase in the CRB Food Index, inflation in Vietnam, and China and Hong Kong goes up 13.7 basis points, 6.3 basis points and 4.9 basis points, respectively.”
For now, though, hunger in these three economies has not hit crisis levels. We’re hoping it remains that way–and gets better.
A new blog post from the World Bank asks, “Is Vietnam’s workforce ready for the future?… Are Vietnam’s workers ready to move from low to high tech production? From rice to robots?”
These are all extremely relevant questions facing Vietnam today, and it’s something we often ponder about at VNHELP as well. While we are optimistic about Vietnam’s development, we are also tepid. A common critique leveled at Vietnam is that it’s education system is antiquated, placing too much of an emphasis on memorization and not enough on creativity and critical thinking. As true as this may be, we also think this is just one of many problems the Vietnam’s education authorities address. To have better workers, we believe that you also need good mentors. You need experienced people who are willing to cultivate younger workers, and you need young workers who are willing to share their experiences with their peers. But according to many whom we’ve conversed and consulted with, Vietnamlacks a culture of mentorship. The education structure, as well as the competitive businesses environment, promotes a race to leapfrog to the top rather than an ethic of teamwork, both vertically and laterally.
So, we believe for Vietnamese workers to be globally competitive, it is not just a matter of enhancing technical and cognitive skills, it is also a question of whether Vietnam can get into the right mindset for success.
What are your thoughts?
Video from the World Bank
Photo from the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Huyện Vĩnh Trụ, Hà Nam là một trong 4 địa điểm được khảo sát và tìm thấy nguồn nước nhiễm thủy ngân với độ đo 348 micro-gram mỗi lít, cao hơn mức chuẩn là 10 micro-gram. Nguồn nước nhiễm thủy ngân sẽ gây ra các hệ lụy như ung thư da, bướu, tiêu chảy. Trẻ sinh ra cũng bị tỷ lệ tử vong cao, bị các chứng ung thư, tim mạch, các rối loạn khác liên quan tới phát triển trí tuệ và trí nhớ. Tại những vùng trồng lúa giáp ranh sông Hồng như Chuyên Ngoại, thủy ngân sẽ len lỏi vào hoa màu, gây ô nhiễm cho người tiêu dùng.
The Australian government funds several researches, measurements and setting up clean-water processing stations in the area. In May 2019, Thu Do/VNHelp along with other delegations from America, Sweden, Australia and Canada came to visit such a clean-water processing site.
On December 8, 2018 we ran an article about Từ Ân orphanage in Bà Rịa province. Just 45 miles from Sài gòn but Từ Ân is in a different world. A hundred and fifty orphans are being fed and taught there in hope for a better future. This is the YouTube clip about the place. 
We are proud to share with you some rewarding stories from the VNHelp’s Nguyen Trường Tộ Scholarship Program. Please see the English translation at the end of this post.
Song Nguyện clinic at Thiên Bình monastery was founded in 2010 by Father Philippe Minh Vu Ngoc Tuy, providing medical assistance, check-ups and herbal medicine to the disadvantaged in Dong Nai, Vietnam.
In August 2018, VNHelp started a project to help Stiêng farmers – a minority group in Vietnam. We raised $13,500 USD (VNHelp 90%, local partners 10%), then gave cows, calves, paddy seeds, farming technique training to 28 households in Phước Cát 2, Cát Tiên, Lâm Đồng Province.
Trường Mầm non Nà Coóc nằm ở huyện Lâm Bình, tỉnh Tuyên Quang, cách Hà Nội 200 km và cách biên giới Trung Quốc 100 km. Đây là vùng hiểm trở của phần cuối dãy núi đá vôi với nhiều ngọn núi cao hơn 1000 m. Đây cũng là nơi người Kinh là người thiểu số và người Tày là nhóm đa số.
Trà Camellia Hakoda – Ninh được khám phá bởi Lê Nguyệt Hải Ninh (lúc còn là Thí sinh Tiến sĩ), Trần Ninh (Phó Giáo Sư, Đại Học Khoa Học Hà Nội), và Naotoshi Hakoda (Nhà nghiên cứu tại Đại Học Nông Nghiệp và Kỹ Thuật Tokyo). Loại trà này thường được gọi là “Trà hoa vàng Hakoda-Ninh” ở Việt Nam, một loại trà mang lại lợi ích sức khỏe và tinh thần cho người sử dụng.
Performance by students from at Sai Gon University of Theater and Film at the ceremony
Awarding the scholarships 
