VTVFCF October 2024 Newsletter
Firstly we would like to thank all our followers, supporters and donors for 2024.
It has certainly been a big year for us. Resurrecting the fund, trying to raise money, continuing previous projects and making inroads into new ones. Our commitments at the moment are many. Firstly to our older families who, for whatever reason are still struggling, we maintain our food parcels. Some of the reasons for this is that their locations are remote and some just do not have the opportunity to advance, lack of education being one of them.
We do have success stories among them. Families that we have provided housing for have started little businesses from these homes. Sugar crushing machines for drinks to sell, shelter for small home businesses and little shops in front of their houses in local villages. In this way they have gained self respect and independence.
As mentioned in our previous newsletter we are committed to two schools, approximately 65 children in total, for accident and health insurance and the provision of push bikes to the ones that have a long distance to get to school. For those that missed it we provided 22 push bikes to underprivileged children this year. The Fund also provided 30 odd sports uniforms.
The smile on this childs face says it all! This is all the reward that we need!
Our latest project is support for the Hong Quang childrens orphanage at Phu My, about 55 kilometres north of Vung Tau and about 30 kilometres North West of Nui Dat. This was a village, now a large town, and was the dropping off point for
convoys heading North from Vung Tau to Saigon in the old days. The orphanage is run by one Monk, Ho Van Tuan, with 5 staff and 5 volunteers. He looks after 107 children, from day old to 18 years old. He has closed his books as far as anyone asking can he take children. But as he said to us “When I open the gate in the morning and I find a baby in a box, What can I do?”
The Fund has committed 5 million VND (plus a little bit) per month to the orphanage for the next 12 month’s. He has other supporters, and needs everyone he can get, as apart from all the other needs they get through 900 kgs of rice per month! Steve and
Jenny’s soccer balls were a great hit. Unfortunately they were brought under control before we could get some pictures. They were quietened by the staff and the production of a large quantity of Chuppa Chups, something they don’t see very often.
These are just some of the children and they are predominantly boys. The next stage up were still at school..
We delivered our first shipment to them on Thursday 19th of December along with a suitcase of goodies kindly donated by Steve and Jenny Taylor from Australia. Books, pens, pencils of every description, soccer balls, tennis balls and education
equipment. Apart from all the gear it must have cost them a monster in excess baggage. Thank you so much Steve and Jenny. We hope the photographs tell part of your story.
Also the orphanage is in dire need of some upkeep and repairs. There are 10 tin huts that have been erected for the older children that in the wet season must be just like ovens. The Fund is looking at providing additional ventilation and insulation to these buildings.
The room where the middle children sleep is in desperate need of further ventilation and the toilet and washing facilities for this part need a complete redesign and rebuild, they are in a terrible state, and we are also looking to see if we can finance this. The room is 22 metres long and 5 metres wide and sleeps approximately 40 children. This little chap has severe mental and physical disabilities and needs care 24/7. The tiled bench you see is where the 40 odd children of 5 to 10 years of age sleep. We can not fix all the problems here, but we can certainly help. We thank Robert Taylor and his wife Miss Trang from the Robert Taylor Museum of Military History in Vung Tau for their introduction to the schools project and to the orphanage project, without them we would have been unaware of these situations. They have provided unstinting assistance to the Fund in arranging this.
Anyone visiting Vung Tau, a visit to the Museum is a must, highly recommended, absolutely amazing. We are also sponsoring one young man to attend a TAFE like school, to become a chef. We are looking at the moment for other young people to sponsor into gaining trade qualifications that will enable them to find jobs and help them to assist their own families.
So it has been a busy year. In closing, thank you all again for your support. Weunderstand that there are many people doing it hard at home, especialy some of our veterans. There are many children here doing it hard, harder at times than anyone could imagine, or even want to imagine. All donations, proceeds of fundraisers and tours we receive go directly to helping these children. Anyone visiting or looking to visit please get in touch. You can do so through our Website or via email. The Fund wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
Our Best Regards to all.
