Phuong has completed school, married and has a gorgeous baby

This is Phuong's gorgeous, healthy baby! Phuong is a young mother of 19; a very good one. She was sponsored through her last three years of school by CEF.

Phuong completed school with CEF's help, and did want to do further studies, but when she got near completing school, the biological urge to marry and have a family was stronger than the desire to study.



We have offered to support her to do vocational training or to go back to studying when the baby is older, but her mother and in-laws want her to work, as they are all very poor.



We are pleased we were able to help her complete school, as when we met her about three years ago, she was going to stop school as mum couldn't afford her education. We can see although she is young, she is a very good mother. Research has shown that girls who complete school make better mothers than those who don't. She is our first school graduate who has chosen to marry and have a family, so it is a new and interesting experience for us.

We are still giving CEF children t-shirts from Duyen

Duyen gave CEF so many cute new t-shirts for the children that we are still giving them out. They are all about the same size, so when we visit the girls in our education programs who are the right size, they receive a new t-shirt. They are always thrilled, as it is a real treat to have a new item of clothing.



Although we are given many second-hand clothes for the children, they do not like to receive second-hand clothing much; perhaps it is a reminder of their poverty.

Children's Education Foundation's Australian manager visited Hau who he sponsors

Graeme and Hau

Graeme is both the Australian manager of Children's Education Foundation, as well as a sponsor.

Recently Graeme was here in Vietnam and came on two days of visits to two communities he knows quite well. Hau, who he sponsors lives in one of these communities.


Hau with auntie, granny and part-time staff member Quan

Hau lost both parents at a young age and has been brought up by his aunt, uncle and grandmother who all love him dearly. He has been most fortunate to have caring relatives to take him in.

Graeme covered all of Hau's educational costs which has helped the family hugely. Now Hau is in the process of deciding what next, as he finishes school in a month.

It has been a challenge to get him through school as he is not academically-oriented, but we are thrilled he hung in there and this year he has done better than in the last three years.


Hau with granny who is blind

We look forward to hearing what his decision is and supporting him through the next few years while he does some vocational training or gets a college qualification.

Children's Education Foundation children receive toys and clothes

Nga with her rabbits ears

Lynette visits Vietnam most years with friends and each time brings clothes and toys for the CEF children. Sometimes they come from her stash and sometimes her friends donate them. It's always a treat for children to receive a gift as they rarely do. Thank you Lynette and your friends for thinking of the children here.


Thuy with her monkey


Thuy with her little dog


Luong in his new cap

Lovely new t-shirts for some of the CEF sponsored girls

Duyen who worked with CEF for some years also had a clothing business and when she shut down and was disposing of the last of her stock she gave us some fashionable T-shirts for the girls, which have been much appreciated by them.

More T-shirts will be given to the girls over the next few weeks while we are doing home visits.

How Children's Education Foundation started, by Barbara

My dear friend Linda went on a holiday to Vietnam 10 years ago where she was confronted with a lot of poverty and met Trang and after hearing her and her sister's story, she decided to support the 2 girls in order to give them an education and with that a better opportunity in life. Now Trang has finished University and is working and supports her sister. Linda has started her own charity out of that first experience - Childrens Education Foundation - and 6 years ago decided to move to Vietnam so she can run the charity more effectively. I myself sponsor a girl who now too is at University and it gives me great pleasure to hear about her development and her joy of studying. My children too support a girl who is still at school and we realise that changing one life at a time is better than doing nothing just because we cannot change the whole world. It doesn't cost us a lot and means so much for those girls in Vietnam where a female life is not worth a lot... If you want to support Linda as well and take on a sponsor child or even only offer a one of donation for all the other things Linda does please visit her website. I am proud to call her my friend. Thanks Linda for all the good work you do.