Street Children & Orphans

Each day, thousands of children roam the streets of Vietnam, unsure of where their next meal will come from.

By no fault of their own, these children have lost the chance to continue their education. Most have no home to return to at night. Many are orphans, and some are doubly marginalized because they lost their parents to HIV/AIDS, or have a physical or mental disability. Lacking familial support and social protection, these children constitute one of the most vulnerable demographics in Vietnam, often falling prey to trafficking, abuse and labor exploitation.

For a child who has lived life on the streets or felt the isolation of orphanhood, simply providing food and shelter is often not enough to help them regain a footing in life. These children and adolescents need to be assured of their self-worth. The opportunities they were so deprived of early in their lives need to be restored. Our goal at VNHELP is to not only give these children the chance to succeed through education and livelihood support, but also a reason to believe. That’s where our Sponsor A Child program figures in.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Together with our local partners, the Dieu Gac Orphanage & Thien An Institute, we strive to create a warm and welcoming environment where street children and orphans can find comfort and flourish mentally and physically. The guardians at our partner institutions provide emotional and educational support, in addition to caring for the children’s living needs, while our compassionate donors provide the financial support that makes these children’s livelihood possible.

VNHELP donors sponsor around 200 street children and orphans each year.

Trung Nguyen, a donor, shares a bit of his story traveling to Vietnam and meeting the little girl he sponsors, Bich Tran, for the first time.

As soon as Bich Tran came out, I gave her a big hug and the tears just began pouring out of my eyes unconsciously. It was like the reunion of a father and child seeing each other for the first time after years of separation. Frankly, I was a little embarrassed: here I was, this grown man who couldn’t stop his tears from streaming out. I stepped aside, wiped my tears, took a deep breath and once again scooped Bich Tran up in my arms. She is only six years old, so she there is still much she doesn’t understand in this world…she is innocent like all other children with a fresh and sweet face. Compared to the pictures of her I had received 6 months prior from VNHELP, it seemed like she had been raised well by hearts of boundless compassion thanks to the caretakers here. I was extremely happy to meet her…

I want to thank VNHELP for giving me an opportunity to do what I’ve long wanted to do: help orphans and street children find homes so they don’t have to wander the streets, wondering where their next meals will come from. Being able to sponsor a child has made me a happy person. Each and every one of us can extend a hand, no matter how small, to help less fortunate children escape poverty, and make our Vietnam motherland a much better place.

(translated by VNHELP staff)

be part of the HELP

Want to make a difference in a child’s life? Become a sponsor by filling out a form and returning it to us through post or email. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Sponsor A Child Application (Word Document) | Sponsor A Child Application (PDF)