A CEF students' introductory letter to her new sponsor

The following is the introductory letter a CEF student wrote to her new sponsor.

I was very happy when hearing from CEF’s staff that I will be sponsored by you from this coming school year. Today I am writing this letter to send a big thank you for caring and giving me the possibility to complete high school and go onto higher education. I also want to let you know more about my family in this letter.

My parents have two children: my older sister who is about to finish high school and go onto university and me. My father used to be the sole provider in my family and works as a hired labourer on construction sites. Since last July, his working ability has been reduced because of having many diseases at the same time like serious spinal degeneration, haemorrhoids and peripheral neuropathy. He has to take medications regularly and has been advised to avoid working hard for a long time. My mother certainly has to become the main breadwinner, which forces her to provide for my family, our education and my father’s treatment. The higher grades we go into, the larger the burden sitting on my mother’s shoulders. My family mainly lives on two small plots of rice-growing land with several beds of vegetables in our yard, so the monthly income is very low and unstable. 

Although my parents have a very difficult situation, they always encourage me and my older sister to stay in school and study hard. I have received prizes for English in the Excellent Students Contest in my district for two years now, which makes my parents very happy and proud of me.

Having heard that you will help me with my schooling, I have much more motivation in my studies. Your help not only keeps me in school but also reduces my mother’s difficulties. I promise to try my best to study hard to show my gratitude for what you have done for me.

Before saying goodbye, I wish you and your family every happiness and good health.

CEF students in need of education sponsorships

CEF regularly has students referred to us due to the relatives not being able to afford the education costs.  

It often is a death in the family that makes it impossible to afford the education costs as now there is just one income. Sometimes it is due to a serious illness in the family as they have large debts and loans to repay. It can be due to failed crops, death of all their livestock or just rising education costs that they simply can't meet that brings them to us asking for help.

After all the official paperwork has been done we do home interviews to make sure they really do need help, then we add them to the list of students in need of help.

Below are girls in need of help with their secondary school, high school and university education. There are also two boys in need of help because their families can't keep them in school. One boy is an orphan and one has a mother with mental illness and dad collects garbage. Without help they can't continue their education. These students sponsorships vary from US$320 to US$385 a year for school and from US$400 to US$700 for university. If you would love to take on a sponsorship please get in touch: c.e.f.vietnam@gmail.com

 

A CEF university graduate writes about finding a job

I would like to share my experience of finding a good job after I graduated from university. Before coming to Saigon, I was worried about having to start my life from scratch. I wondered how I might find a good career having graduated from a provincial university and with little work experience. Fortunately, I got a job working for Ho Chi Minh City Football Federation and although my salary isn’t high I enjoy my work.

I feel that being independent is a very important quality for each of us to develop, especially for girls who come from poor families. What we need is to do well and the results we achieve will be the best affirmation we can have.

A sponsor is needed to help her stay in school

V's mother has died, and dad has poor health and can't work much. He does work when well enough, but his income is only enough to feed them and pay the bills related to their living costs. The costs of education for his daughter are just too much for him, although he wants her to complete school and have a university education. Naturally he is very upset about their situation as he is dependant on others making it possible for her to receive an education.

If you can sponsor her for the last 4 years of her education please get in touch: c.e.f.vietnam@gmail.com

Part of a letter of one of CEF's university students

This is part of a letter from one of our CEF students at university about the challenges of adjusting to this new and different life and about the challenges of budgeting. All our students receive budgeting training either in the last year of high school or in the first year of university. Some get the knack of it and some don't unfortunately.  

....I am now a university student and I find my life has changed a lot. From being a girl living under the protection and care of my parents, I am now living alone in another city and I always have to manage on my own and adapt to my new environment alone. When I miss my parents, I usually call and talk to them on the phone. It helps me a lot because at least I feel their care despite not being able to talk with them face to face.

However, money is the most significant thing I have been worried about. Sometimes I run out of food money and only have instant noodles to eat for a while but I do not want to ask my parents to send me money too often.

I know that my education will be a long and challenging road but I will do my best to get to the end as I have chosen this journey and it will bring me a brighter future.......

A sponsor is needed for her to have a high school education

N needs a committed sponsor to help her go onto high school and complete her education.

School starts soon. She is deserving of a committed sponsor as she is a hard-working and clever young lady. Besides being conscientious about her home work she also is a big help at home as she takes a lot of responsibility for caring for her brother who has cerebral palsy.

Dad died leaving mum to care for four children including her son with cerebral palsy and life has been very hard for her since. She can't afford to keep N in school and CEF would love to see N have a high school education, as this will enable her to get a job after high school graduation.

Please get in touch with us at CEF if you can sponsor her through high school: c.e.f.vietnam@gmail.com

Dental Care for CEF children ~ Guest blog by CEF's Ms Thuy

In poor families, both the adults and children won't go to see the dentist until they have had a very serious problem for a long time because they aren't able to afford the fess. That is why a free dental service is very meaningful to them.

Every summer CEF organizes some of our children to see the dentist. On Tuesday we arranged for 11 students from a mountainous area in Quang Nam and 9 students from the countryside around Hoi An city to come to Hoi An to receive dental care.

There they were taught how important it is to keep their teeth clean and how to do that. Then they were checked and had dental treatment if needed, such as adding a sealant, doing a filling or removing a seriously decayed tooth.

Students went home with their gifts of toothbrush, toothpaste, and a small cup.

Thank you very much to East meets West Dental Centre for treating the children.