STORY OF THE MONTH
"THE FUTURE WITHIN REACH"
September is the time when students across the country return to school and welcome a new school year. For more than 60 children at Quang Trong Primary & Secondary School, the new school year is even more exciting as they move into their newly built boarding rooms. As we share the children’s joy, let’s have a conversation with Hoang Van Hung and Ly Thi Phuong, who have been working on the project “Safe and Supportive Semi-boarding Schools for students” (SBS) since the early days!
TIN TIN TICK & TALK
BOARD DIRECTOR AND FUNDRAISING STAFF'S VISIT TO VIETNAM
From 19 to 23 September, ChildFund Vietnam is pleased to welcome Ms. Lisa (member of the Board Directors), along with Ms. Corinne (Fundraising and Marketing Director) and Ms. Kristy (Retention Specialist) from Sydney Office. The highlights during their visit are captured in the short clip below:
FROM STREAM SIDE SHACKS TO THE BOARDING HOME – A NEW START FOR SEMI-BOARDING STUDENTS
News by: Hoang Van Hung – Project Coordinator
On the morning of 5 Sep, in the joyful atmosphere of the first day of the school year 2022-2023, ChildFund Vietnam and the ChildFund Project Management Unit……
CHILD PROTECTION GAME IDEAS CONTEST LAUNCHING CEREMONY
News by: Comms Team
In order to raise awareness and skills for young people about preventing child abuse and using technology safely, Department of Children’s Affairs….
- Mr. Dang Hoa Nam, Director of the Children’s Department, Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs
- Mr. Nguyen Duc Tuan – Director, the Vietnam Cybersecurity Emergency Response Teams
- Mr. Le Ngoc Bao – Acting Head of Program of ChildFund Vietnam
- Mr. Le Thanh Minh – Chairman of the Board of Directors of GOSU Online Joint Stock Company
- And representatives of donor organisations, many delegates from government agencies, media units and international organisations involved in child protection work in Vietnam
A MEANINGFUL MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL FOR KIDS IN HOA BINH AND CAO BANG PROVINCE
News by: Tham Thi Loan & Tran Thu Giang – Project Officers
Mid-Autumn Festival is always a special day for children. On the day, kids often excitedly decorate a tray of five fruits, carry the lights together and immerse in the…
In Cao Bang, the “Swipe Safe” project in collaboration with school administrators and teachers in the communes organised the event “Full Moon Festival for children” with the participation of nearly 500 students. During the event, besides the typical traditional activities of the full-moon night, the children also had the opportunity to perform different plays, along with answering questions related to Online Safety and Children’s Law.
In Hoa Binh, the project “Child protection in Kim Boi district, Hoa Binh province” and the Child Sponsorship Program collaborated with local agencies to organise fun events that helped raise awareness about Child Protection for the children. Through activities such as painting, presentations, performances and camp decoration, children had the opportunity to enjoy the festival and at the same time gain knowledge and skills on preventing violence and child abuse in the community as well as at schools.
TRAINING SESSION ON HOW TO USE THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED BOARDING HOUSE
News by: Luc Huy Chung – Project Officer
On 8 September, ChildFund Vietnam cooperated with the Management Board of Quang Trong Primary & Secondary School….
- Discussing with all teachers to identify potential problems students may face at the boarding house. A number of issues have been identified such as the risk of accidents and injuries for children (falling off bunk beds, falling from the balcony, electric shock, burns, etc.), the risk of using the bathroom incorrectly leading to unsanitary, clogged toilets, and other problems that occur when students use the room (untidy room, dirty walls, etc.)
- Teachers then directly instructed 52 students in six boarding rooms on how to use the bathroom, how to make beds, and how to prevent accidents and injuries.
THE CONSULTATION TO DESIGN THE PROJECT “HEALTH AND WELLBEING FOR STUDENTS”
News by: Ung Thi Hien – Project Officer
On 13 September, the community consultation to design the project “Health and wellbeing for students” was held in Tan Lac district….
HANDING OVER THE CREDIT SAVING FUNDS TO DISTRICT PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE
News by: Nguyen Thi Hien – MEL Officer
On the afternoon of 22 September in Bac Kan province, ChildFund Vietnam held a ceremony to hand over the Credit Savings Fund to the People’s Committee….
Managed by the Women’s Union of two districts, the Funds were established to provide microfinance services to poor, near-poor, low-income households, with special priority given to poor, disadvantaged women, create opportunities for women to participate in economic and social activities, and contribute to raising the status of women in society. After 7-8 years of operation, total assets of the two funds are at nearly 11 billion VND. Many households in ChildFund project area communes have received loans for household economic development.
With the commitment and close cooperation of the People’s Committees of Na Ri and Bach Thong districts, these funds have been gradually put into operation stably and effectively, helping people in the project area to easily and conveniently access loans. In 2017, with the support of the State Bank of Bac Kan province, both funds were certified to register to convert to the Microfinance program. ChildFund Vietnam has conducted two capacity assessments of the Funds, results showed that both Funds are eligible to be completely transferred to local authorities while maintaining effective operation.
CULTURE CORNER
WELCOME THE NEW LOOK OF HANOI OFFICE
After a 2-month period of renovation, ChildFund Hanoi Office has officially welcomed members with a brand new working space. All members are filled with joy and excitement. After the renovation, Hanoi Office is neatly arranged, creating a cozy, friendly, and professional working environment.
Hopefully, the new workspace will bring a lot of energy and inspiration so that the members can work productively. For those who haven’t had a chance to visit the new Hanoi Office, there are “must check-in” spots that you just cannot miss if you want to have great photos 😀 If you want to know exactly what those spots are, scroll down to the end of this month’s Newsletter!
GEDSI CAPACITY STRENGTHENING WORKSHOP
From 27 to 28 September, the Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Capacity Strengthening Workshop was conducted in Hanoi Office. Attending the workshop were Ms. Jayshree – GEDSI Specialist from ChildFund Australia, Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Van – Partnership and Localisation Specialist, along with many representatives of ChildFund Vietnam members coming from Hanoi and provincial offices.
Participating in the workshop, the members have become more knowledgeable of the importance of GEDSI in project activities and assessed the level of GEDSI integration in current projects of ChildFund Vietnam. Members also discussed and gained hands-on experiences in GEDSI analysis through the application of a number of community-based tools, paving the way for an agreement on a minimum set of standards for integrating GEDSI into project activities.
PROJECT AREA CULTURE: CAO BANG'S ROLLED RICE PANCAKE
The rolled rice pancake (“Banh Cuon”) has always been a famous delicacy in Vietnamese culture. However, the “Banh Cuon” in Cao Bang – a project area of ChildFund Vietnam – has a very unique flavour.
Cao Bang people consider “Banh Cuon” served with bone broth a local specialty. Instead of eating it with fish sauce, “Banh Cuon” there is served with a fragrant bone broth, chilli and bamboo shoots, differentiating it from any other “Banh Cuon” all across the country. The pancake itself is soft and chewy, but the most important ingredient that contributes to the unique flavour of Cao Bang’s “Banh Cuon” is the bone broth. The fragrant, clear broth was made by shimmering bones for long hours. The addition of corianders, mushrooms, and a few spoonfuls of minced meat can make the taste even better. If you have a chance to visit Cao Bang, don’t miss the chance to try this delicious dish!
DID YOU KNOW?
DISCOVER "MUST CHECK-IN CORNERS" OF HANOI OFFICE
The photos below will reveal popular check-in spots in Hanoi Office!
And how about you? Have you got yourself a beautiful photo at Hanoi Office? Please feel free to share your photos with us!
(Photos by: Ly Thi Phuong, Project Officer, Cao Bang Office; Nguyen Thi Hien – MEL Officer, Bac Kan Office; Ton Thi Tam – Education Specialist, Hanoi Office).
TOGETHER
September 2022
CHILDFUNDERS – FOR CHILDREN’S WELLBEING