Visit humanitarian programs in Cambodia

Houston, TX – At the end of 10/2014, Mr. Nguyen Cong Bang represented ViDan Foundation and returned to Cambodia to visit the educational assistance programs that the Foundation collaboratively implemented to assist about 300 poor children to learn literacy. Writer Tuong Nang Tien, who has been a sympathizer to Hoa Mai Club (ViDan Foundation's predecessor), accompanied the trip.

In more than two weeks in Phnom Penh, Prey Veng and Kampong Chhnang, Vidan Foundation delegation exposed to and conducted volunteer work with a number of NGOs.

They first visited the Vietnamese language school, sponsored by the Foundation, of Hố Lương ferry district (Neak Loeung, Prey Veng), which teaches 150 local Vietnamese poor students.

Teacher Le Van Hien founded and has operated this school for more than thirty years. A disabled in the foot and lack of higher education himself but he has taught many thousands of children. Many students are descendants of the students in the previous period, he shared.

The school has only two classes that he called the "big class" and "small class". Big class students already know how to read and write and he continues teaching them what he can. Small class students start learning letters. A small class also cares for the kindergarten children so their family can work for their living. Many students are hawkers at the ferry terminal before and after their studies. School operates six days a week, five hours a day in the afternoon.

With the Foundation's sponsorship, their families do not have to pay the school "fee", which is only 100-200 riels/day (equivalent to 3-5 cents/day). The Foundation partially helps parents with books and organizes gifts at major traditional events such as Moon festival and Lunar New Year.

During this visit to Hố Lương, the delegation had the opportunity to represent Ms. Judith Kunze, a MIRO representative - a German volunteer in Cambodia. Judith tirelessly helps stateless Vietnamese born in Cambodia to legalize their Cambodian citizenship status.

In Neak Loeung the delegation also had the opportunity to visit and provide a small grant a Buddhist temple to buy textbooks, and to another class in the neighborhood.

After Prey Veng province, the delegation headed north to an area where 874 Vietnamese families live mostly on the fishery, in Kampong Chhnang province, about 95km from Phnom Penh.

In May 07/2014, MIRO, a civil human rights organization, asked the provincial government and the local educational agency for permission to coordinate with Vidan Foundation to conduct educational training for 95 poor children in Kandal and Chong Koh villages in Phsar Chhnang district.

Unlike the schools in Neak Loeung, Samaki school teaches grades 1 and 2 according to the Cambodian Ministry of Education's program in the morning and teaches Vietnamese in the afternoon. The entire operational cost is sponsored by Vidan Foundation.

The encouraging difference is, thanks to MIRO's legal motion, the local government issued legal certificates (equivalent to a birth certificate) to the children which allow them to enroll in public schools - a big improvement compared to the current reality is that most children born in Cambodia are not given Khmer nationality or official birth certificate.

On the same day with the Samaki school visit, the delegation distributed nearly 130 portions of rice (10 kg per bag) to poor families in the area and distributed hundreds of candy to the students and kids. The practical gifts are the auspices of Dr. Kenneth Nguyen in California. It was his second generous support to the poor.

For families who could not come to Samaki school to receive their portions of rice, the delegation was helped by the Cambodian local authorities to hand-deliver the portions to them.

According to Mr. Nguyen Cong Bang the need for social and educational support to the Vietnamese children in Cambodia is tremendous and it's certainly beyond the ability of the Foundation. However, he asserts that literacy teaching is essential to children because some children will be better educated than and hence will have better advancements than their parents. He hoped that more organizations will come to Cambodia to help these miserable.

Also according to him, it's utmost important that these activities will bring moral values: The unfortunate Vietnamese fellow does not feel neglected.

Shared by Mr. Nguyen CongBang from Phnom Penh.

 

For more information or donations please send to:

ViDan Foundation Inc.

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