Update on children in need of sponsorship

Due to kind and generous donations and new sponsors three children who needed educational sponsorships have just been sponsored in the last two weeks: Tran Thi Kieu Trang, Ha Thi Cham and Pham Thi Thuy Vy.

The lives of these children will now be different as they will receive a full education, with either vocational training or a university education. Their families lives will be less stressed without having to worry over whether they can find a way to get their child through school. Many families who consider education important borrow, or get a loan or go into debt to get their children through school. But for the really poor, they are unable to borrow or get a loan, as they have no means to pay it back.

We still have some children in need of a sponsor for them to receive an education; so please let us know if you are interested.

Leslie

Leslie was new to Hoi An and was here volunteering as an English teacher and was doing a little private teaching too. As she was adventurous she would pop off every so often and explore somewhere new in Vietnam. She was looking for new accommodation after one of her adventures, and it seemed perfect timing for her to be my house-sitter for one to two months while I was running a tour to earn some money and while overseas fund raising and seeing my family.

Well as many of you know, I broke my leg which changed plans rather radically. But Leslie still came to the house and helped out hugely by taking my dog, Zen, for walks each day, feeding her and my cat, and helped looked after the house and me.

She discovered she was allergic to my cat and so needed to move out but waited until I was more self-sufficient to do so. She continued to be helpful by offering her English skills to CEF. Leslie helped do some editing work for me and then worked with Duyen, my CEF assistant. Duyen received help with her grammar, specifically in relationship to writing reports on home visits of CEF children, interviews of new children and the final bios for sponsors. Her help was greatly appreciated and of benefit to Duyen,myself and CEF.

Leslie is about to head off on more adventures in Thailand this time, and then will be returning to her home in the States. I wish her happy adventures and appreciate the unexpected friendship and the CEF support.

Five girls in need of sponsors

Ha Thi Cham is sitting with her mother

Cham is eleven and although her parents are healthy they aren't able to earn enough to send her to school. Her education depends upon her having a sponsor to support her complete her education. Her sponsorship is $200 for the next academic year including all school related expenses.

Pham Thi Cham is standing with her mum
Her father has an injury which means he can't work. She has headaches and they can't afford for her to receive any medical advice. They are very poor and Cham needs a sponsor to help her continue her schooling. $200 will pay for the forthcoming year and all school related expenses.

Pham Thi Ngoc Mai is standing with her mum and their bikes
Her parents have left her and gone to work in Ho Chi Minh City as they can't earn enough to feed the family and educate them. Her grandmother is looking after her. She needs help to continue her schooling and $200 will pay all her school related expenses next year.

Pham Thi Tam is standing with her dad
She is healthy but her mother has thyroid cancer and they have a huge debt due to the medical bills. They can't afford to keep Tam in school. She needs a sponsor to help her complete her education. $200 will pay for all her school related expenses in the forthcoming academic year.

Tran Thi Kieu Trang in her bright jacket
This family are very poor as the father can't work as he has a mental problem. They own two beds and hardly have any other possessions and don't ever have enough food. $200 will put Kieu Trang through school next year and that includes $50 food allowance for the family.

Email me if you can help one of these girls through the rest of their schooling or if you have questions.

Linda
c.e.f.vietnam@gmail.com

Some of the Beauty of Vietnam

Naturally I mainly talk about CEF and all the children in Vietnam who need help to receive an education due to their families not being able to afford to educate them. But I also would like to share some of its beauty and interesting sights.

No more words are needed as I will add some photos from the last three weeks and hope you will see the beauty I see here in Vietnam.

The Girls Fund Sponsorship

The Girls Fund, a new CEF fund,is sponsoring a delightful little girl called Vy. She is tiny but is 9 years old. Her cousin says since dad has been ill again and in hospital they have less food to eat so "she is smaller than she was".

She is still bouncy, friendly, curious and bright. She seems very sweet and is quite delightful. She is very easy to like!

Vy is coming to the end of grade 4 and in August will start grade 5. She is a good student and likes school; particularly maths and music. She lives in and goes to school in Duy Nghia about a 20 minute boat ride from near where I live on the edge of Hoi An. Their home is mostly completed, but not totally as the father became seriously ill in the process of building the house. They have aliminium sheeting for doors and windows.

Her father has been ill for nearly four years now and hasn't been able to work for three years. He is dying from lung and stomach cancer and the mother can only earn 50,000 vnd per day when she is working selling vegetables at the market. At present that is about 25 cents. With her husband in hospital at present she only works some days and spends the others with him. She is having to borrow against their unfinished home to pay the hospital bill before the hospital will release her husband so he can come home and spend the remainder of his days at home. It is unknown how long he may have left. He is only 44.

Binh, Vy's mother looked tired and unhappy when we visited. She was most gracious but struggled to smile,which was totally understandable. She was greatly relieved to hear CEF would help Vy with her education and related costs.

This CEF fund is called The Girls Fund in honor of lovely ladies I took on a Gourmet Safari tour through Vietnam.