Orphans

I'd like to bring you a bit more information about the orphanage in Vung Tau. It's actually more proper to think about these two residential centres in the context of the support network that has been created around them, and in connection with foreign adoptions of Vietnamese babies and children.

A big part of the support network, though not the only factor in it, is the Association pour les Enfants Rizieres (APER) through which the residential centres at Phan Boi Chau Street and Ngo Quyen Streets are supported by sponsorships from France, and through which the many adoptions to France are coordinated. As well monthly financial support is given to many children living in the Vung Tau and Long Hai communities.

Anne (Le My Huong), a teacher at ILA, is the representative of the association in Vietnam. Anne is half Vietnamese (Vietnamese mother, Australian father) and went to Australia to live when she was only 5, along with her brother. She has now reconnected with her Vietnamese family and much of her time is spent supporting her local village (near Can Tho) and working with APER and the orphanages. It is Anne who started the pre-school program at the Phan Boi Chau Street centre (P Centre). This program is supported by the head of Orange in Vietnam, through his company's community arm. (Here is a link to My Huong's life story.)

APER and Orange re also among the main supporters of the new Long Hai centre, which opened last Friday 23 October. This is a day centre, providing schooling and other activities for many poor children living in the Long Hai community. Many of these children have not previously been to school.

My connection with the orphanage is small, but important to me! I go with Geoff - a fellow teacher from ILA, also from Australia - on Thursday mornings for 2 hours to teach English in the pre-school program. On Monday mornings (though not all of them!) I join the kids at the swimming pool and at the park.

I also now sponsor Bi, who you can see in the photo on the left, dressed in red. Bi is about 7 years old, but is learning through the pre-school program because he is HIV+. He is a keen student, very good-natured, and has already survived a lot in his life. The boy on the right is Phuc, who has 'adopted' me! Phuc is about 5 years old, also HIV+. He now lives with two of the staff at the orphanage but comes in with them everyday and attends the pre-school as well.