HUMANITY INFORMATION

 We would like to share some information with friends have been seeking a chance to come to Vietnam to work as a volunteer at International Non Governmental Organizations or NGOs, who may come to Vietnam for a traveling purpose with a combination of making donation to humanitarian centers such as orphanages, to help the poor, disable people, people affected by orange agent or wounded by the US bombs or other weapons left over from the war, or people with miserable plights.

 However, we acknowledge that the information, which is provided here is very limited, whereas more than 500 organizations who are actively working for humanity and others in Vietnam. We hope that one day in the near future, the disable and disadvantageous people in Vietnam will have a better chance to join into a normal life with their community.

 We are also committed to customize tours or help friends who want to travel to Vietnam with the combination of visiting Vietnam and its humanitarian centers.

 BASIC INFORMATION:

1, If you want to come to Vietnam to work as a volunteer: You should involve  BODY or NON – GORVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS in your country to ask for permission. You must prove to them that you could do something or qualified enough to work in Vietnam. If these organizations accept your request, they will help you with procedures to come to Vietnam with a special visa for humanity jobs.

 2, If you want to design a project as a NGO in Vietnam, you should contact with PACCOM  – THE PEOPLE’S AID COOPERATION COMMITTEE

Head office: 105A, Quan Thanh, Hanoi – Vietnam
Tel: (84 4)8436937       Fax: (84 4)8452007
E-mail: paccom@netnam.org.vn

3, If you want to come to Vietnam for traveling purpose with a combination of visiting or making a donation to humanitarian centers, you can come direct to the humanitarian centers that you want to visit. There are many ways to help these humanitarian centers or the poor. E.g. on your way to visit your interest place you can pop up to see them, buy them some handicraft products or buy them some drinks.

However, with a tourist visa you are not allowed to come to restricted areas as military bases, some islands and borders…where special travel permit is needed. To get a permission to visit these restricted areas you need to contact Provincial’s Foreign Department.

4, If you want to find a job at International NGOs in Vietnam you must contact those NGOs and prove that you are qualified enough to work at those NGOs. For example: You have been a teacher of English and have worked for some NGOs

SOME HUMANITARIAN NGOS CONTACT ADDRESSES 
1, VUFU –NGO Recourse Center, La Thanh Hotel, 218 Doi Can, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: (84 4)8328570  Fax: 8328611  
E-mail: director@ngocentre.netnam.vn 
The Center provides directory and information about INGO and NGO in Vietnam, 

2,  KOTO  -  KNOW ONE TEACH ONE 
Restaurant: 61 Van Mieu, Dong Da district, Hanoi
Tel: (84 4)7470339/8   fax: (84 4)7470339   E-mail: kotohanoi@koto.netnam.vn
A vocational training center for disadvantaged youth. 
How wonderful the food is that the disadvantaged children can offer us!  Eating in the restaurant is also the way to help our difficult kids (said Michael, a tourist in August 2005) 
Website: http://www.streetvoices.com.au 

3, MERCY CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS
A, Group 10 An My ward – Tam Ky district – Quang Nam province
Tel: (0510)828184 / (84 4)7641571  E – mail : truongtuongvi@hn.vnn.vn
The center was found by The People Artist Truong Tuong Vi teaching arts for disadvantage children

4, HONG NGOC HUMANITY CENTER
Workshop 1: 110B Ngoc Ha Street, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi.
Workshop 2: Sao Do town – Hai Duong  Tel: (0320)882911  Fax(0320)883868 E-mail: hongngochd@hn.vnn.vn
Vocational training  and job providing center for disable people

5, http://www.mattran.org.vn Gov website - donation for the poor

6, http://www.vwam.com American war vets do some humanity work and tell about Vietnam in the past, and present, history, Vietnam 54 ethnic groups

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QUOC SU’S STORIES IN BRAILLE

ABOUT BLIND PEOPLE

 Dear Friends,

I would like to share with you three special stories written in Braille by a blind man named Quoc Su. He lost his sight and one hand in 1990 from an accident when he was on duty as a Geology Technician. As Head of The Blind Association in Thang Binh District, Quang Nam and a teacher of Braille, Quoc Su has made the best effort to help himself and other blind to improve knowledge and overcome difficulties.

I came to The Thang Binh District Association to visit the Braille Class. More than 30 blind people of both sexes in different ages learning studiously. They were doing some dictation in Braille. In the break time the whole class merrily sang their- own composed songs.

In the Braille class I was lucky to have met and talked with the stories’ characters, who are typical cases of more than 300 blind people in Thang Binh facing hard life. I was filled with respect and admiration to see them making the best effort to make their life meaningful.
Mr. Su gave me the Vietnamese version which he dictated to his cousin to write. He was happy to give me his scripts in Braille, too, when I request. " I wrote them in Braille shorthand. Do you want me to rewrite them in full Braille?" asked Su. "No, thanks. I can’t understand either term. I admire your special works and want to show them to others." I replied.

Now, may I honorably introduce THE BLIND MAN’S STORIES IN BRAILLE

ABOUT BLIND PEOPLE to you. Thank you for your concern.

1 . A STRONG-WILLED BLIND WOMAN TEACHER

It was over one fourth of a century since the last war, but Nguyen Thi Thuy’s memory of the terrible day pouring fatal calamities to her family. It was a May day in 1973, when her family were gathering in happiness when an artillery shell came up exploring in her house, killing her father and her two younger brothers right on the spot, wounding her younger sister and robbing her sight when she was only 15 years old, a beautiful age full of dreams and hopes for the future! She had to live a quiet life in poor sandy Binh Giang Commune, with her old mother and her youngest sibling who luckily escaped the disastrous day. She had to live in a temporary house helping her old mother and taking care of her youngest sibling, raising pigs and chicken for more income for her poor family. When The Thang Binh District Blind association was founded, she joined the Association to study Braille and career. Being intelligent and studious by nature, she had quickly grasped special knowledge and programs of ability rehabitation for blind people. She has been trained on methods of teaching Braille for bind people.

By their own effort and support from a humanitarian organization, The Thang Binh District Blind Association has been able to open many courses on Braille for blind people. Hundreds of blind people have attended the Braille courses. Ms Thuy’s contribution has been greatly meaningful in helping the blind people to erase the normal inferior complex. Besides teaching Braille, Ms Thuy has also participated in labor sessions in The District Blind Association, making brushes, brooms, tooth picks etc. to improve a stable income for her family. Thuy is grateful to The Blind Association and kind-hearted donors for their kind concern, practical and effective support to enable her and many poor blind people in Thang Binh to firmly intergrate in the community life.

2. HER HAPPINESS…

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Lap lives in Linh Sang hamlet, Binh Phu commune, Thang Binh District ( Quang Nam Province, Viet Nam). She was born, has grown up and get married like any normal women. Her and her husband’s first child brought her the bright happiness of being a mother and a wife. Her family was filled with happiness. But her happy days didn’t last long when her eyes became dimmer and dimmer and totally lost the sight. She had gone to many places for treatment, all her money left but the blindness stayed! Then her ungrateful husband went away leaving her behind with a young child! She has to live in darkness under a tottering thatched hut, suffering hunger and poverty. Thanks to her neighbors’ kind help that Lap can drag her days on.

Nguyen Thi Lap has participated in Thang Binh District Blind Association. She joined courses on Braille. She was given a credit loan to improve her family’s economic situation. Especially, she has received special support to upgrade her torn house, raise animals and send her child to school with necessary things as a bicycle, books, notebooks and clothes. Her child is now in grade 12. She is very happy as her child can go to school in her such difficult situation. It is the precious help of the Blind Association and kind donors that makes her able to overcome difficulties. She wished that there will be more golden hearts and precious concern so those who suffer unlucky plights like her can find the happiness to "see" their children go to school and grow up with the society.

3. HARD-WORKING BLIND MAN

When Peace was restored, Mr. Phan Van Ram and his family came back to Binh Lanh Commune of Thang Binh District to reclaim land and bring back the greenness for their homeland. Unluckily, an artillery shell left over from the war had blown up and robbed away Ram’s eyes when he was 25, an age full of life force. Since then he lived in darkness and many a times he thought of death to end his plight. But luckily, he met a kind woman offering him her heart and care. Then they lived a married life with faithful love. Then their son and daughter were born. Their life became more difficult as Mr. Ram is blind, his wife is regularly sick and their two children are still young. Hunger and poverty has haunted their unstable house. Not surrender the fate, Mr. Ram has joined The Thang Binh District Blind Association. He attended Braille courses, learn occupation. He has chosen one career suitable to him and his family’s condition. That is weaving bamboo material into products as baskets and other things. He works at home with help from his wife and children. His baskets of all kinds have been brought to many places conquer more customers. Therefore his family’s income has become more stable. Besides, through the Blind Association, Mr. Ram has received precious assistance from kind donors: materials to upgrade their house, a cow to raise for more income and things for their children to go to school. Mr. Pham Van Ram is always grateful to the donors and The District Blind Association for their kind help. He and his family are making best effort to step by step fall in line with the community life.

Introduced and translated by Nguyen Thi Lan, tour guide, email lanhqt@yahoo.com 

First Responses To The Call:

Not long after the stories about blind people were sent to our site, we were happy to receive kind responses from Susan Ao and ... her tour guide ( member of our Vietnam Tour Guide Association). They came to see the Blind Association, talk to the author, the characters of the stories and other blinds. To help improve working condition for the blind, Susan gave them a kind gift in cash. Her tour guide gave them all the salary she earned from the last three days with Susan as she feel herself is much luckier than them to have good sight and more opportunities. More important, Susan promised to try to connect The Thang Binh District with the International Braille Association in New York. Wish you success, Susan, so that the blind will have more friends and sympathy.