Reaching Out joins Vietnam Volunteer Network, Angela Rauscher and Artists for Orphans at the Thanh Xuan Peace Village in Hanoi
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Today was our first visit to meet the Director of the Thanh Xuan peace village, just north of Hanoi. The peace village is a special facility set up to treat some 130 children who have been affected by Agent Orange, between the ages of 2-18 years old. Many of these suffer from mental and physical disabilities, including Down-syndrome.
When we reached the peace village we were met by director of the peace village, as well as the onsite doctor who treats the children. The facility offers a home for the children as well as providing education and vocational training.
Before we were taken on a tour of the facilities, we all sat around the table so that the director could explain the purpose of the peace village and explain a little more about about Agent Orange and it’s devastating effects.
Today after over thirty-five years after the war, there are still people including young children who are still suffering from the toxic effects of Agent Orange. As hard as the people work at the peace village, it’s very expensive for them to diagnose those who may have come into contact with the chemical. There are tests they can perform which will determine the level of the dioxin in their system, but this costs about $100.
We also learned that it is also possible for the effects of Agent Orange to skip a generation, because it can lay in a hidden gene. This means I whilst a second generation may be affected by the chemical their children could still affected by Agent Orange.
During our tour we had the chance to visit some of the children in their classrooms where the children were being taught mathematics. It was amazing to see how disciplined they were, and also how incredibly neat their handwriting was; much, much neater than my own. But what amazes me about this, is that these are children with learning difficulties and down-syndrome!
Opposite the classrooms were the vocational training rooms which were filled with sewing equipment and looms. In the room we had a chance to meet and chat to some of the older children who were hard at work making scarves and embroidery. The items they were making would be sold to visitors and the market so that the money received can be used to buy much needed items for the peace village.
Later in the day, after our first visit to the peace village, we took a trip into Hanoi to visit a stationery wholesaler so we could purchase suitable and supplies to take back to the village tomorrow. We were able to buy 160 notebooks, 100 pens, crayons, coloured pencils, pencil cases and lots of other useful things that would make a huge difference for the children for their schooling. We have also ordered another 650 notebooks for us to pick up tomorrow.
The visit to the peace village was an an amazing experience, and I was glad to have meet with the people who have dedicated themselves to work so hard to care for these children. Many of these children would have not chance in life here in Vietnam, and yet here they are being treated, educated sand given vocational skills.
The only thing that amazed me even more, was the children themselves. Despite their disadvantage in life, these children were living their lives to the full, enjoying themselves and so full of life and character.
We will be returning to the Peace Village tomorrow with our stationery supplies and have been given the opportunity to teach a small group. I’m very much looking forward to seeing the children tomorrow and introducing them to Wales!
Last night I went to support Kim Browne as she went to the VTV TV studio in Hanoi, for the hour long chat show interview on Talk Vietnam. Kim had the opportunity to talk about Vietnam Volunteer Network and the work they are doing in Vietnam and also highlighted the partner projects such as Artists for Orphans and Reaching Out
It’s a bright and sunny start to our first day of the mission here in Hanoi, Vietnam. The temperature is a nice cool twenty-two degrees or so, and it’s very pleasant as long as you don’t stand still to long.
Bec, Karen and Sue have arrived joining myself (Lê Thanh) and Matt who arrived last night, so the whole Reaching Out team are finally together!
We have joined Vietnam Volunteer founder Kim Browne and well as some of her other volunteers Angela and Ronnie. Everyone is getting on greatly well, which is great as we all have a lot of hard work ahead of us and need that support between us.
Tonight we are going to the support the Kim who has an interview on TV, to promote Vietnam Volunteer Work and the work they are doing.
Tomorrow is a big day for us, as we head out to Thanh Xuan peace village to meet the director to see how we can help out and will be there for a few days volunteering and working with the kids there…
This is it… too late to change my mind now!
After twelve months of hard work, we’re almost there!
Over the past twelve months our Reaching Out team has been working hard to raise awareness, money and aid for orphans living in Việt Nam. The total we have raised to date is a staggering £6,687.42! So a massive thank you to everyone who has supported Reaching Out, your support will make a world of difference to children living in poverty and with disabilities in Vietnam. Due to you generosity we have already been able to fund the following projects in Vietnam:-
Volunteer Care Packs
Each Reaching Out volunteer traveling to Vietnam will be taking a care pack to help the younger children at the orphanages, consisting of large tubs of Sudocrem and Chewable Vitamins.
Aid Supply (Nha Trang)
We have been able to fund the supply and delivery of much needed Milk, Rice and Christmas Toys for the children at the Buddhist Orphanage in Nha Trang for some 100 children.
Christmas Gift Drop
All children deserve gifts at christmas, so we’re proud to say that we have been able to fund the gift drops over 350 children at orphanages and peace villages in Thanh Xuan (Hanoi), Nha Trang, Go Vap (Saigon) and Tu Du.
Sewing Equipment
We are able to fund a project to purchase sewing equipment which can be used to help teach skills and make their own cloths etc.
Aid Supply (Da Nang)
We are helping to provide Milk and Toys for Children at the orphanages in Da Nang
Christmas Gifts
We are happy to help Company of Grace who are working with children with special needs in Ho Chi Minh City
These are just some projects we as pleased that the money we have raised can go towards, but there are more projects which we hope to fund too!
Vietnam Mission
In less than a week Reaching Out Volunteers Rebecca McGrane, Matt Carter, Karen Phillips, Susan Hector and Lȇ Thanh will be joining Vietnam Volunteer Network and will be visiting orphanages and peace villages in Thanh Xuan (Hanoi), Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh and Tu Du. All Reaching Out volunteers have funded their own travel and accommodation for the Vietnam Mission to ensure the money raised through Reaching Out can be used to its full potential.
You can follow the progress of the Reaching Out team on our blog or follow us on Twitter @reachingoutvn
The Reaching Out team includes: Rebecca McGrane, Sarah Wright, Mark Brightman, Carla Ponsford, Matt Carter, Karen Phillips, Susan Hector and Lȇ Thanh. I’d like to say a big thank you to the Reaching Out team who have worked very, very hard over the past twelve months to make Reaching Out happen!
Keep watching this space!
View the highlights of our first fundraising event, an amazing Elvis Tribute Night with live music from Kurt Tallon and his band ‘In Memory of the King’.
Many thanks to all of you who came and supported the Reaching out Charity night at the Oyster Catcher and thanks to those who donated but couldn’t be there. It was an amazing success – and a good time was had by all!!! – The total raised on the night is an amazing £2200 thanks to the superb auction and raffle prizes donated by lots of kind people!!!!!!! Thank you everyone for your kind generosity – much love Reaching Out xxxx
Having spent the last twelve months working towards our goal of travelling out to Vietnam to deliver and and work at some of the projects and orphanages in Vietnam, I can’t believe we’ll be in Vietnam in just under a week’s time!
Watch this space, as we update you on our progress as we travel to Vietnam!
Our first stop will be at the Thanh Xuan Peace Village in Hanoi where we shall be spending a few days helping out at the Peach Village. We then head over to the Buddhist Orphanage in Nha Trang where we will be supplying much needed food aid and gifts for the children.
Once we have completed our supply run in Nha Trang we head south to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon and my birth place) to visit the Go VAP Orphanage and the Tu Du Peace Village.
