For the Children of Vietnam

Young men to admire

2009-07-09T13:55:00.004+07:00

One sunny morning recently, HSCV staff members made a trip to Vinh Quynh, a farming village just outside of Hanoi City. We went there to visit the families sponsored by HSCV as part of our annual review process.

I was very impressed with one family in particular. All the members of the family try their best to work hard and take full advantage of HSCV’s donations of rice and scholarship to overcome their daily difficulties. They strive to reach a better life; however, they are still faced with many challenges.

The father is mentally handicapped and frequently needs to be sent to the hospital for treatment. To do this, costs quite a lot of money for them. The mother works very hard as a farmer to support the family. However, all of her efforts are not enough for pay for daily expenses, hospital fees for the father, and the children’s additional education expenses. Luckily for them, HSCV met with them and has been sponsoring them with both rice and scholarship since late 2004. Thanks to HSCV’s donations, they have enough rice to eat and the children are able to continue going to school.

As proof of overcoming their difficulties, two of their children, named Nguyen Dang Thiem and Nguyen Dang Kien, are still the best students at the school. Thiem is now taking the entrance exam at Hanoi Open University. He hopes to study Information Technology (IT). His future goal is to get a good job so he can help to support his parents and make their life easier. He said with a hopeful voice, “I have been trying to study as best I can to be a good student to better help my future. I really wish to have a good job so I can help my parents in the future. My mother is suffering from so many difficulties and I know that she does her best just for my brother and me. I really love her and feel sorry for her. I really want to do something to make her happy. I will do my best to pass the entrance exam of the University during this summer!”

Kien, his brother, said that he is also doing his best to be a good student.

I really admire these two children. During the summer vacation, they are helping their mother by doing handicraft jobs at home to get about $1 per day.

HSCV is committed to supporting Thiem in his post high school aspiration. We all hope that Thiem will pass his examination and that his dream will come true.

This family is one of many that HSCV supports who are overcoming their poverty with over time with our help. We are happy that our assistance programs have been critical in helping them and that ultimately, the children will have a better life in the future.

Blogged by Nguyen Thi Minh Chau

Mrs. Huong's daughter

2009-07-02T12:23:00.002+07:00

Vu Thi Ha – 20 years old

Minh Chau Community – Trieu Son District – Thanh Hoa City

The whole time while talking with Ha’s mother, I barely saw her smile. In her hands, she’s holding a bag with clean clothes in case Ha would accidentally urinate on place. When talking about her daughter, Mrs. Huong couldn’t hold back her tears. Mrs. Huong felt sorry for her daughter’s situation and that she has had to live a life as a disabled for the past 20 years.

Vu Thi Ha is now 20 years old. She was born disabled without the ability to stand, sit or talk and her limbs are always placed in a shrinking state. To be able to sit on this wheelchair, her mother had to place a sheet under the chair because her leg is crooked to the right. That’s why Ha always had to lie on the bed before. Especially when there are sudden weather changes, her condition would get worse. Her nerves would then be negatively affected and it has even caused her falling off the bed. Feeding her is done by her mother and her younger sister. In the previous days, the family has taken Ha to the community hospital, district hospital and even to the hospital in Hanoi for medical examination. But they came only to see the doctor’s shaking their heads every time. Ha’s health condition is currently very bad, she can only eat one small bowl of rice on every meal and chews the food just like a 3 year old child. Ha sits a bit unused on the wheelchair but with a very happy smile, perhaps she’s aware that she’s here to receive the wheelchair today.

Mrs. Huong’s family has always wanted for Ha to get a wheelchair one day so that it would be less troublesome for the whole family. But their occupation in farming activities is only enough to feed 6 mouths even though Ha also gets a subsidy of 120 000 VND from the government every month. This wheelchair has brought happiness to Mrs. Huong’s family because their wish for all this time has finally been realized. On behalf of her family, Mrs. Huong gives out her warmest thanks to all the charity organizations and NGO’s for the wheelchair they have given to her daughter Ha. It will be so much easier for her in her everyday life from now on.

For only $500 you can sponsor HSCV's distribution of a container of 550 wheelchairs. This is less than $1 per wheelchair. HSCV receives our wheelchairs from Free Wheelchair Mission. They cover all expenses until the container reaches Vietnam. At that point HSCV works with a local partner to distribute the chairs. $500 will allow us to oversee the distribution of one container.

Follow this link to donate: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=5191075

Blogged by Ngo Thuy Hanh

Story from the Class of Success

2009-06-25T11:24:00.004+07:00

Our students in the HSCV Class of Success 01 have just finished the first school year, (2008 – 2009). Some of the students have started their summer vacation, while others are still working on the end of semester examinations. After a school year, each of the students finds their own way to improve their study habits and demonstrate the progress they’ve made. Our students work hard to get the best results so they can show their deep gratitude to their sponsors and to honor HSCV for giving them this chance.

Here is the year-end update of Duy Anh — one of our HSCV scholars in her first school year.

Duy Anh has just finished the second semester of her first school year at the Economic and Industrial Technology University. Compared to the first semester, she’s become accustomed to the teaching style of the university lecturers. Although this semester’s subjects were more difficult than last semester, she was able to learn the course material. Last April, she had to research and read about the subject of accounting. She also was given a chance to actually practice accounting on account books in order to understand this subject better. Duy Anh says that she learned a lot from this practice!

During this second semester, Duy Anh still had some difficulty getting to school because of the distance from her house to school, 12km (over 7 miles) each way! Sometimes she goes by bus, but the bus take a long time, so she prefers to ride her bicycle. However, in the rainy season she no choice but to take the bus. Thankfully her scholarship from HSCV pays the bus fee. Despite her difficulties, she always tries to overcome any obstacles, and still goes to school regularly and continues to attend all her classes.

As for the results of her second term, Duy Anh worked hard and passed all her exams with the good marks. She was happy to inform us at HSCV that as a result of her hard work studying, her second term average grade is 6,87 which is a little higher than the grade 6,70 she got in the first term.

Duy Anh will start her summer holiday from June 20th to the 2nd of August. During this vacation, she plans to find work. She also will set aside time to read and learn in advance about computing that she will have as a subject when she returns next semester.

As previously mentioned, Duy Anh will start her next term on the 2nd of August, after her vacation. She will begin to study specialized subjects in accounting during the second year, and will also have some more internship opportunities to gain practical experience. Duy Anh has one more year left to finish her accounting course at the school.

HSCV is now in the process of interviewing candidates for the Class of Success 02. A majority of these students are graduates from our Educational Scholarships Program, which sponsors children through the 12 grade. Each child’s sponsorship will catered towards each child’s interests and abilities. These children have been invited to apply various College and Vocational schools of their choice. Once accepted HSCV will provide each student with a scholarship tailored to their needs. Each student will receive funding as needed for items such as; tuition, supplies, housing, and transportation costs.You can sponsor this class of $250. Visit our website at http://www.hscv.org/scholarships_post_high_school.htm for more information.

Blogged by Do Thi Thuy Hong

Motherless Children

2009-06-19T13:29:00.003+07:00

As summer arrives, it is the time for HSCV team members to revisit the families that have been receiving HSCV donations throughout the year. This is done to see how the families have improved after receiving our help, but also it is a time for team members to look for additional impoverished families to help. It is a big job, but we are all happy to go! The task that lies before us promises many interesting things just waiting for us to arrive.

As I mentioned in the last blog, every month, I would describe a different family’s situation in our program. This time, we visited the Song Cong area where it is well-known that 1/3 of the population are single parents, (both mothers and fathers). Many parents die because unsafe working condition. In addition, some children find themselves abandoned by one or more parents through illness or desertion. There is one family in particular, (code named, TG_0057), that I will tell you about.

The family has three children who live with their poor grandparents. Their mother died with one of her children when the boat she was riding sank. Their father left with another woman and has never been back nor has he given any support for the three children. There isn’t anything of value in the 15m² house, (approx. 738 sq. feet). The roof leaks during the rainy season so they have to cover the bed with a raincoat. The children are at high-risk of dropping out of school because the family income is minimal, and school costs for the three children are a lot. The grandfather works very hard as a sand and pebble porter from the river. He toils from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. everyday. He barely earns $3 dollars (U.S.) per day, which is far too little to provide for 5 people’s existence. The grandmother grows vegetables, cooks for the family and does all the daily chores that the family needs. They don’t receive any subsidy except the medical insurance card which costs them $10 dollars. The insurance will only cover minor illnesses.

Huyen, the oldest child, said to me that she feels like an abandoned child. It’s very hard for her to be the oldest sister. The children at school have never stopped tormenting her and her siblings because the family is so poor. They don’t have many friends. She would love to have some changes in her life, but her family is too poor and the grandparents are getting quite old.

Trang is the second child. She is very quiet, but her face brightens when she smiles. Trang told me she wants to be a teacher. That is a precious dream in the world of a young child - of being teacher. The youngest child is named Duy, and he is 6 years old. He will start school in this September.

HSCV found them in a long list of the poor people when we worked with the local People Committee’s in November 2007. HSCV has worked very hard to call for help, especially with the world’s economy in such a bad state. Our over all number of sponsors has dropped. In recent months, many of our past sponsors have been unable to renew their sponsorships. Additionally, the number of new sponsors has decreased dramatically. Fortunately, we were able to find sponsors for Educational Scholarships for Trang and Huyen. They are very thankful to have this sponsorship. Huyen hard work has put her at the top of her class. Trang enjoys studying and she would like to attend some extra classes of mathematics and English. These sponsorships are a great support, but more is needed. We are still waiting for sponsors for the rice distribution program. This program is a vital component in our Family Assistance Programs. Without the additional donation of rice Trang and Huyen are still at risk of dropping out of school. We also looking to donate at least one bicycle to Trang and Huyen.

We always hope our families situations improve each year. Sadly, this family’s status has changed only a little since HSCV’s last visit. The children are growing quickly, now is the time for us to change their futures. They need your help, and are waiting for just one act of kindness from you!

Tran N. Lien

Please contact me at tnlien(at)hscv.org to learn how you can sponsor this family or another family just like them.

Visit our website at www.hscv.org

Cuong's last days

2009-06-12T15:47:00.003+07:00

We received a call from one our friends to help a young boy who had a large tumor on his face. HSCV traveled to Hai Duong district to visit this boy. His name is Vuong Quoc Cuong and he is 5 years old. Cuong has had this tumor on his face since he is 3 years old. His family sent him to various hospitals many times to try and help him. However, the hospitals could not help. The tumor on his face got bigger day-by-day and he was in pain. He could not sleep or eat. Sadly, there was no way to save Cuong because the tumor was at the final stage.

With the hope of helping to lessen the pain for Cuong during his last days in this world, HSCV invited a doctor from the Cancer hospital to visit his home and give him the best treatment. The doctor was very nice and showed the family how to take care of Cuong and then gave them some medicine to lessen the pain for free. This medicine helped Cuong sleep better and made him feel more comfortable. Some days later, with the help from the Abbott Milk company, HSCV traveled to Hai Duong to visit Cuong and gave him 22 cans of PediaSure BA milk. Cuong really liked this kind of milk and drank all of it. We did our best to help Cuong, however, on May 30, 2009, Cuong passed away gently surrounded by the love of his family and all of us.

To pay for Cuong’s treatment the family had to sell their land. They are still in debt and owe a large amount of money. This debt is a burden for the family. Both parents are farmers and they go to work on other farms for hire, sometimes for very little money. However, for the last two years, they were not able to go to work for hire and had to spend a lot of money everyday because of Cuong’s condition. They have two daughters named Thuy and Chung. They are studying at schools and this also is a big challenge for the parents to pay school fees for these two children.

HSCV is designing programs to help families like Cuong’s to assist them overcome the hardship of debt. We will consider helping Thuy and Chung with a scholarship program for the coming school year. Both of them need to travel quite far to school and we also want to help them get to school by providing the both of them with bicycles. Doing this would help them not be late getting to school, and to return home early so they can help their parents with chores around the house.

In the sprit of teaching a man to fish so, he can eat for a lifetime we are considering donating some pigs, chickens and a cultivator. This would help them will have more income and provide food for them as well.

Blogged by Nguen Thi Minh Chau

* This story was written on June 4th. Since then HSCV has learned that the family has received an outpouring of support from the community. We are happy to announce that the family now has enough money to pay off all of their debts, purchase the items mentioned above, and keep their children in school (the money was not donated to HSCV, but directly to the family). We wish we could have done more of Cuong while he was with us, but we thankful some of the family’s burdens have been relived. HSCV sincerely thanks all of those who have sent donations to the family.

Help HSCV and CardioStart save lives

2009-06-08T13:47:00.006+07:00

Did you know that one in everyone hundred children worldwide is born with Congenital Heart Disease? This common birth defect affects the heart’s ability to pump oxygen into the blood stream and can lead to serious complications. Most heart defects are treatable through surgery, however; if left untreated one third will die before their first birthday.

In Vietnam alone, more then 20,000 patients are waiting for pediatric Cardiac treatment. There are simply not enough trained medics and facilities needed to cope with the demand. Presently only 10% of children with heart defects are receiving the surgery they need to live a healthy life. Those living in the countryside find it impossible to even reach appropriate medical facilities.

Cardiostart International ( www.cardiostart.org ), alongside HSCV, are looking to turn the tide by visiting Hospitals in Vietnam and helping the local Doctors enhance their knowledge and programs. In November of 2009, a Cardiostart team will travel to Viet Duc Hospital to provide technical assistance and resources. In addition, along side local doctors, they will also perform several surgeries for children in need. It is only through this sharing of knowledge that Vietnam can begin to turn a story of lost life and opportunity into one of success and hope.

We need your help to make this life saving project possible. It is through your generous donations that our medical missions become reality and children’s dreams become their future. All of your donations are tax deductible and with the simple act of giving a little back, you can help give a child a fair chance in life.

Please make your check payable to HSCV/Medical Mission & send to:
HSCV
2965 Spring Lake Road
Prior Lake, MN 55372

Or donate now using paypal's safe and seccure network at:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4371715

For further information, or to hear some of the children’s stories of success contact:

Thuy-Tien Truong, R.N., B.S.N.

HSCV Mission Director

952-895-0595

tien.truong(AT)hscv.org

Janine Henson, R.N., B.S.N, CCRN

Cardiostart International Vice President

952-461-1440

sjkhenson(AT)msn.com

Mrs. Dao's smile

2009-06-05T12:14:00.007+07:00

This is the story of Mrs. Dao Thi Nhat – 89 years old. She lives in the village of Nga Tan, Nga Son, Thanh Hoa Province. Thinking that I am her niece coming back to visit her, Mrs. Dao Thi Nhat held my hands tightly and asked me many questions. Although she cannot hear very well and her eyesight has almost growing dim, her voice is still very clear. My first impression of her is her jovial and warm character. She held my hands tightly and gave me a kiss. This made me reminisce and feel like I was sitting next to my own grandmother. Our conversation was very lively which made everyone quite surprised!

According to Mrs. Phuong, her daughter-in-law, “Her leg has been broken for 4 years now. It can’t be bent nor stretched even though it has been in a plaster cast. She can only sit in one place if there’s no one available who can help her move”. Apart from that, she has unfortunately also become senile over the past 10 years. She only remembers and talks about incidents that happened 75 years ago. Sometimes she can’t even remember if she has already eaten or not. Mrs. Dao Thi Nhat usually wakes up at 5 o’clock every morning, shouts aloud and talks to herself.

Mrs. Phuong and her husband have to work in the field everyday to earn a living, but they always arrange for someone to take care of his mother since they are afraid that she will get hurt because of her condition.

The village Nga Tan is famous for planting sedge. The family’s main job is weaving sedge mats. Their average income is 800.000 VND per month, and 1.000.000 VND if they are lucky. But the failure of crops for several years now, plus unstable prices, has made her family’s situation even more miserable. Though there are many difficulties, Mrs. Phuong and her husband always try to fulfill their obligation — of children taking care of parents.

Mrs. Phuong’s voice sounds heavy with sadness when she says, “I love her very much. The elderly must be looked after carefully, but my mother-in-law can only eat gruel for breakfast, some vegetable and fish for lunch but rarely eats any meat”.

The farmers have to work hard and live below the poverty line but they always show consideration and affection. Mrs. Phuong said with gratification: “We shouldn’t ask for anything from society but the consideration of people is truly precious. If only there’s something more we can do to help the elderly and their lives. I really want to thank the sponsors so much for their contribution”

She whispers to her mother-in-law: “You’ll have a new wheelchair mother”. A happy smile then lights up Mrs. Dao Thi Nhat’s face, sparkling and brilliant…

Blogged by Ngo Thuy Hanh

A story of a family in Vinh Quynh

2009-05-28T12:09:00.003+07:00

The day was sunny when we returned to Vinh Quynh commune in Thanh Tri district to visit the families in our family assistance program. We visited the family of Pham Xuan Tuan the neighborhood, a family who left a strong impression on us during our last trip.

The house was not much different, except with the addition of a new altar. Tuan’s family also salvaged some remaining paints of their relatives and gave the front wall of the house a fresh new coat.

There are only two people in the family, the mother and the son in a small house. Tuan’s father passed away a couple years ago and life has been very hard on the family. The mother worked very hard to take care of her only child. She used to work as a vegetable picker to earn money to feed her son. However, her back problem has caused chronic pain and made her much weak. Tuan also suffered inflammation of the pancreas and was brought to the Hospital for medical check-up and observation for seven days last year. His mother had to borrow money from relatives and neighbors for his medical treatment. The family’s financial condition suffered yet another blow.

Today, Tuan is a student in Grade 12 of the Thanh Tri Education Centre and will be graduating from the high school this summer. “I’ve just applied for the examinations to Economic and Industrial University and the Economic and Industrial College. I hope to have chance to study so that I can have a good job in the future”, Tuan said.

Despite his medical condition and trying circumstances, Tuan is studying hard for the upcoming examinations. He is determined to reach his goal.

We hope that with the provision of rice and educational scholarship, it will help relieve the financial burden on the family, and help steer him towards a better future.

HSCV is committed to supporting Tuan in his post high school aspirations. To learn how you can help Tuan reach his goals visit our website at http://www.hscv.org/scholarships_post_high_school.htm

Blogged by Do Thi Thuy Hong

The struggling river boys

2009-05-22T11:15:00.003+07:00

If folding a thousand paper cranes can make one’s dream come true, I would definitely spend days and nights folding them for the helpless children of Vietnam to realize my dream. I have had the chance to meet over 200 needy families during the course of my work at HSCV. All these families are in difficult circumstances and are in need of assistance in any form.

Here, I have highlighted some of these families who have left me the deepest impression as their family circumstances are critical and require immediate assistance.

Do Van Thu and his five siblings are born into an extremely poor family where the concept of education and childhood is unheard. For generations, the entire family lived on a small and dilapidated wooden boat.

Having sufficient food to feed the children was the top priority. Often, they had to scramble to find things to feed their starving children. The children could neither read nor write as their parents could barely make ends meet, let alone pay for school fees.

Illiterate as they maybe, these children are experts in fishing and have endless stories about the fishes and the river and clever ways of catching fish using primitive methods. The boat was their home where they live. The only time they ventured beyond their home was in the mornings when they go to the market to sell the fish they caught from the river. The earnings from their catch was meagre, usually no more than 10 USD each month.

The HSCV team members first met them in 2005 and quickly arranged for them to live in a compassion home that was completed in January 2006. In September 2005, the four boys were sent to school. However, three of them dropped out of school as they were unable to bear the constant jeering and teasing from their schoolmates who knew about their family background. HSCV found tutors to teach them in the home but it did not work out. The children who were used to the carefree fishing days found it extremely hard to adapt to the routine of school life and sought refuge along the riverbanks. Their old home, the boat has rotted overtime.

The river, which was once their main source of income, has become depleted of fish because of chemicals. The parents toiled from dawn to dust but their financial condition did not improve. Year after year, the family circumstances worsened, as they did not know how to seek help from the government or other support groups. The oldest son was married but his marriage was short-lived as he was unable to provide shelter or food for his wife. Without education, the children were unable to find proper and stable jobs and could only do manual work or fishing for a living.

The only boy who chose to endure the constant bullying at school to pursue his education is Do Van Thu. Young as he may be, he knows that education is the only way to pull himself out of the poverty cycle. Today, Do Van Thu receives scholarship sponsorship while his family is still in the queue for the rice donation. We hope that more people will lend their helping hands to help “anchor” these siblings and give them a chance to work and study so that they can have a better future.

Blogged by: Tran Ngoc Lien

Little gifts, great impact - HSCV’s donation to the Friendship Home

2009-05-14T10:52:00.005+07:00

On the morning of 4^th May, I made my way to the Friendship Home to deliver a few donations from HSCV. The mothers and the children were elated with our gifts, which included a new table, chairs, water taps and clothes racks.

The children are especially excited about their new clothes racks and hurried to hang their clothes and hats on their new racks. In an instant, the six racks we brought found new homes, five were placed in the children's room and the last rack stood at the front door for their helmets and raincoats.

The big table was placed in the room where Mr. Jim conducts his English class. The chairs also found homage in the meeting room. With these new furniture and additions, the classroom is set and ready to welcome the students.

The Friendship Home Director, Co Ha (Mrs. Ha) was very excited about these new gifts from HSCV. She took me to every corner of the home and pointed out all the gifts they have received from HSCV. When she brought me to the kitchen to show me the new water taps and the pipes that HSCV has just donated to them, she said, "These taps may not cost very much, but they have helped us a lot, especially when we are cooking and preparing for the meals for the children. All the mothers are very happy with these new taps.”

Though I am a mere messenger to bring these gifts to the families of Friendship Home, I am happy to be part of this meaningful initiative and to witness the positive changes that these little gifts have brought to them.

The children and mothers at the home would like me to extend their most sincere gratitude to HSCV. They also added that it is their wish for HSCV to grow in strength so that it can reach out to more needy children in Vietnam.

Global Express Hanoi donated the new table to HSCV. The funds for the remaining items came from HSCV visitors and our general funds.

Blogged by Nguyen Thi Minh Chau

Double your happiness by sharing what you have with others….

2009-05-04T13:39:00.005+07:00

In life, it is interesting to meet new acquaintances. Some become instant friends within a short period, and turn into confidantes whom you treasure and share your innermost secrets. Someone once told me this - In life, you always need an extra pair of ears to listen and share your joy and woes, an open heart to feel empathy for others and a pair of helping hands to play a part to bring hope and laughter to those who are less fortunate than us.

Nguyen Van Lai, 50 years old
Yen Dinh, Thanh Hoa
We embarked on our journey in the wee hours of the morning and travelled over hundreds of kilometers from Hanoi to reach our destination. At 8am, we finally arrived at Yen Dinh, Thanh Hoa.

Our destination is a mountainous poor district within Thanh Hoa province. In this area, about a quarter of the villagers are from poor households and most of them work as farmers. Their homes are makeshift houses without a tiled floor, but rather roots laying the grounds within. The roads leading to their homes not clearly defined.

The undulating and rugged terrain that we faced is akin to the tough living conditions that the local people face. Despite the trying circumstances and poverty, there was a calming sense of tranquility and welcoming people in the village who greeted us with their warm smiles and hospitality.

Nguyen Van Lai, a 50 year-old villager who lives in the Yen Trung commune, was one of 82 disabled recipients who received a wheelchair from HSCV that day. He appeared very blissful, and even shed tears as he received his prized gift. As he sat in his own wheelchair for the first time, tears welled up in his eyes, “Thank you to the humanitarian organizations for giving me this special present. I like it very much.” he said happily.

Nguyen Van Lai is a disabled veteran, who fought in battlefield in southeastern Vietnam from 1968 to 1974. The war left his leg completely broken and impaired his mobility. Since then, he has relied on a pair of crutches to move around. A couple of years ago, he sought medical assistance and a “cork leg” was installed, but he still faced many difficulties walking independently. After he left the army, he got married and had four children. His limited mobility prevented him from going out of his village. When the weather turns bad, the pain is so intense that he cannot sleep. Often, his wife and children are unable to rest because they have to be on the alert to take care of him during these nights.

Farming is not a simple task and is subjected to the weather conditions. During our conversation, he confided that though he was very grateful to have received higher allowance, the rising commodities’ prices have made some supplies unaffordable and life as a farmer even tougher. He also shared that there are many farmers who are faced with these challenges and some even worse hit than he is.

As he talked about the future of his children, the worry and despair on his face was obvious. He has no financial means to afford proper education for his four children and it would be likely that they would eventually work on the farms, inheriting the farmland from him.

Handicapped as he may physically be, Nguyen Van Lai is hopeful that his disability and poor living conditions, like many others, would be improved by the great work of humanitarian organizations and the generosity of their sponsors and donors. One can be happy with what one has, but when you share that with others, the happiness doubles and that is what makes life an even more meaningful one.

Nguyen Van Lai has a simple but meaningful desire - “I wish that every disabled person could be given an opportunity to receive a wheelchair.”

Follow this link to donate: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=5191075

Blogged by Ngo Thuy Hanh

A day of friendship…

2009-04-28T10:52:00.004+07:00

I spent a wonderful day with the students from the Hanoi International School (HIS) and Bac Phu Secondary School.

Through the Sister School Program with HSCV, the students from these two schools were able to meet, communicate and play games together. Most importantly, from strangers, they became acquaintances, and fast friends in a short span of time.
The day started at 8.30am. Together with Mr. Chuck, the President of HSCV, two staff, three teachers of HIS and 15 students from Grade 6, we, made our way to the school. By 9.30am, we were gathered at Bac Phu School, eager to meet their soon-to-be new friends.

Their first meeting was held in the meeting room of the school. At first, the students were a little reserved and barely talked. A while later, they were divided into groups of four and that broke the ice a little and conversations became more lively. During the group chat, there was an HIS student in each group who was effectively bilingual in Vietnamese and English. The student played translator for the other students to facilitate the conversations. Some of the students from Bac Phu could converse in English fluently. The students from HIS also brought with them some books and they related the stories from their books to the Vietnamese students of Bac Phu School. All the students enjoyed the sharing session immensely.

After the session in the meeting room, all of the students were brought to the schoolyard for some outdoor games. The HIS students had made special preparations for the games and took extra effort to explain the games to the students of Bac Phu. It did not take the Bac Phu students long while grasp the rules of the game and hit the ground with the rest of the students. At the schoolyard, the smiles on their faces were as bright as the afternoon sun, and their happiness was obvious.

During the return journey back to Hanoi, we discussed the possibility of organising a fund-raising project for the students of HIS to help their new friends of Bac Phu School and to visit their new friends in the near future.

An afternoon meeting may be brief, but the friendship between the students of these two schools will certainly extend beyond this and translate to better initiatives and new friendships to last a lifetime.

Blogged by Do Thi Thuy Hong

The Forgotten Lady

2009-04-21T13:30:00.005+07:00

In January 2008, when I was at the rice distribution event of HSCV, a local assistant approached me and pointed out to a petite lady as she walked passed the People’s Committee House. She asked if I could pay a visit to this elderly woman’s house as she appeared needy.

For a while, I hesitated. At that time, HSCV already had a long waiting list of poor families seeking sponsorship and financial assistance. Knowing more families in similar plights also meant more pressure on HSCV’s shoulders to lend a helping hand. However, the pained expression on the woman’s face changed my mind. After the rice distribution event, I made my way to her home.

I started the conversation by introducing HSCV and explained the purpose of my visit. The lady, Ms Anh Thi gave a sincere smile and confided her personal difficulties to me. Her family is extremely poor and is in dire circumstances, barely making ends meet. In their bare house, there are no valuables; there was just a simple bed. Anh Thi shared that the bed is made of the remaining planks that could not be used to make a coffin, given by her kind neighbor, a carpenter. The remaining furniture in the house were items that were not in very good shape either, used items they collected from others.

Before 1991, Ms Anh Thi lived alone in a dilapidated state. Nobody really took notice of this poor woman as she does socialize with others and keeps to herself. She was, in a way, sadly, a forgotten lady in the neighborhood. She was almost non-existent, in fact, the head of the hamlet did not even know the whereabouts of her house. The single lady was unable to find a job because the people thought she was too frail to do anything. When she turned 50 years old, she left her home and disappeared. A year later, she returned with a new-born baby. Thang is the name of her child but the father of the child remained a mystery.

The mother and son duo lived in a makeshift tent. Often, they did not even have money for food. A group of elderly soldiers took pity on them and came together to build them a roof for their heads, they called the home the Compassion Home. The soldiers were no experts in building houses. The house soon revealed signs of leakage. Whenever it rains, the roof would leak and rain seeped into every corner of the house. Overtime, the wooden structures and the furniture in the house soon became infested with termites. Life remained miserable and many times, the son and mother were found unconscious in their home, sadly due to fainting from the extreme hunger pangs. From day to day, they survived on left-over food and clothing given by kind people. Both did not have jobs nor farms and their living conditions remained status quo. Anh Thi earned a meager salary of less than 1 USD per day by catching small fish, pulling up the square dipping-net and selling her fish in the market. Many times, her son, Thang contemplated dropping out of school because they were unable to afford the school fees but Ms Thi persisted and forbade her son to do so. Ms Thi borrowed money from others for her son’s education and worked hard to pay off these debts each month. Ms Thi is a hardworking woman who toils from dawn to dust and does any chores that people require to earn money. Once, while she was grazing cows, an unfortunate incident happened and she was towed by one of the cows and dislocated her left arm. She should have gone to the hospital but she did not, as she could not afford a medical check-up.

I asked her why she had never approached the local People’s Committee for assistance. The humble lady gave a waned smile and said that she had tried to manage their lives as best as she could. My heart went out to the elderly lady and I thought to myself, anything would be a treasure to them, be it something as basic as rice or a scholarship to allow her son to study with a peace of mind. Ms Anh Thi is 67 years old this year and she is unable to work hard any more. It is obvious that the feeble lady would need more assistance from others. I thanked her for opening up her life challenges and personal stories with me. I told her honestly that I was unable to promise her anything but that HSCV will try our utmost to render any form of assistance we could gather.

Thankfully, her wait for help was not futile. In two months, we found a kind lady, Ms Mandy Gann who agreed to be the sponsor for Ms Anh Thi for the Rice Distribution program to provide her with a regular supply of rice.

Today, I can still vividly recall her expression, so full of gratitude and thanks when she first received the monthly rice distribution invitation. With tears welled up in her eyes and with a quivering voice, she said, “Thank you.” Her simple words have made my day and I sincerely hope that Ms Anh Thi and her son will never have to suffer from hunger and poverty ever again.

Blogged by Tran N. Lien

Help Thao reach her dreams - HSCV 5k Walk/Run

2009-04-15T14:00:00.007+07:00

Please Join Humanitarian services for Vietnam (HSCV) on our inaugural 5km fun run, as we raise funds to help Thao, a brave young girl from Vietnam. Since the age of five, she has lived with severe burns covering her face, scalp and body. In 2007, with the support of HSCV, Thao traveled to The Shriner's hospital in Sacramento CA, and begun receiving a series of treatments designed to improve her burn scars and change her life.

Since this time, through HSCV’s financial sponsorship and the dedication of many, Thao has thrived. She is a devoted student, excelling in English and mathematics, and she has made many new friends through her bubbly personality and quirky sense of humor.

There is still plenty of work to be done. Doctors are working on Thao’s face with the help of a technique involving skin expanders. She has already received two surgeries, resulting in increased maneuverability and allowing her to dress herself, tie her shoes, and grasp pens. The doctors would ideally like to continue these surgeries and give Thao the best possible use of her hands.

Join us for this great event on Sunday May 31st at Lake Phalen in Saint Paul, MN. The cost to participate is $30 before May 3 and $35 after May 3. All participants must register on the day between 8:00 am – 9:00 am. The 5K Run begins at 9:30 with the 5K Walk following at 9:45am. The event will be held rain or shine, please no pets. Do to the charity nature of the event refunds, exchanges or transfers will not be allowed.

Parking is available near the Phalen Picnic shelter at 1600 Phalen Drive.

To register please follow this link: http://www.hscv.org/5krun/flyer.pdf

Please send completed forms to HSCV Team Member Thao Truong at thao.truong@hscv.org.

HSCV is a small organization and it can be difficult for us to fund one child on an ongoing basis. We need YOUR help in order to continue our sponsorship of Thao. Money raised from the 5k Run Walk will go towards providing Thao with financial assistance required for her living expenses and education while in America.

We want to help Thao to reach her dreams. Through YOUR enthusiasm, anything is possible.

We are currently seeking sponsors and volunteers for this event. Please contact thao.truong@hscv.org if you are interested.

If you are unable to attend this event, but would still like to make a donation for Thao please send checks to: HSCV – Thao’s Fund 2965 Spring Lake Road Prior Lake, MN 55372 USA

Or donate using Paypal’s safe and secure network: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4547326

Event proceeds be used to support Thao's stay in America, any excess funds will go to HSCV's general funding.

For more information about HSCV visit us on the web at http://www.hscv.org/ or on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ha-Noi-Vietnam/Humanitarian-Services-for-Children-of-Vietnam/48888252979

Mending more than a broken limb… Nguyen Van Hoang

2009-04-09T11:04:00.008+07:00

This week, I would like to introduce you to another child who had been given a new lease of life with the sponsorship of the with Life-Changing Surgery program.

With the help of this initiative, fourteen-year-old Nguyen Van Hoang from Nghe An Province has managed to ease the pain on his crooked left arm. The pain has posed hindrance to his daily life. Van Hoang was not born with defective limbs. The crooked arm was caused by an unfortunate mishap when he was in Grade 5. The accident left his left arm badly damaged. His family sent him to a charlatan doctor and sought medical help for two months. The broken arm could not be mended to its original state and the condition took a turn for the worst, and his arm became permanently crippled.

Van Hoang approached the National Hospital of Pediatric for surgery but the family was unable to afford the high medical and hospitalization fees. Thankfully, he was able to proceed with the medical treatment with the sponsorship from HSCV, the Life Changing Surgery initiative. Van Hoang comes from a very poor family, his father is plagued with poor health and his health condition only allows him to do simple chores at home. His mother works hard in the fields as a farmer but the money she earns is barely enough to feed the family. In October 2007, Van Hoang underwent a surgery to improve the condition of his left arm. In December 2008, the doctors reviewed his arm and said that the surgery went very well and his left arm has successfully resumed normalcy and is no longer crooked. The family is very happy and has sent a thank-you letter to HSCV.

Here is the translated letter.

Thank you letter to HSCV organization,

My name is Nguyen Van Hoang and I was born in 1993 in Group 4, Nghia Tan Commune, Cua Lo District, Nghe An Province. I had an accident while I was riding my bicycle and that has caused my left arm to be broken. Nghe An Hospital introduced me to the National Hospital of Pediatric for Surgery. I am very lucky to receive the kind sponsorship from the Humanitarian Services for Children of Vietnam (HSCV), which covered my hospital fees and living expenses during the time when I was at the hospital. I am deeply moved and would like to send my heartfelt thanks to the members of HSCV. I promise that I will study well and exercise my left arm everyday, following the instructions of the doctors and the nurses from the hospital. Sincere thanks for your kind help and I wish that you are always happy and successful.

Your child, Nguyen Van Hoang

Blogged by HSCV Team Member Nguyen Thi Minh Chau

Quynh's Heart

2009-04-02T15:57:00.003+07:00

The Heart Surgery Program is one of medical projects that HSCV has been working on for several years. Although it is a small-scale project, it has served its objective well and has saved more than 30 lives of children in Vietnam. This initiative extends its reach beyond the provision of heart surgeries to children who suffer from congenital heart defects. It also provides a helping hand by offering medication and post-surgery medical check-ups.

I am fortunate to be given the opportunity to work on this project and I would like to share some stories of these heart patients whom I have worked closely with..

Story about Ngo Huong Quynh written by Ngo Thuy Hanh

This story, written by an HSCV Team Member, tells the story of a poor girl who suffers from a long-term heart problem. Your kind gesture can certainly go a long way in helping this child lead a normal life, just like her other peers in school.

We were working in the office when two men suddenly came in and said that they were introduced to HSCV by an anonymous person in front of the Hanoi Heart Hospital. This hospital has been working closely with HSCV for several years to offer medical assistance to children who face financial difficulties through the Heart Surgery Program.

One of the men came forward and introduced himself, and explained the purpose of their visit. . They have a 16-year-old niece, Quynh who lives in Thai Binh province who was in need of the assistance from the Heart Surgery Program. She Quynh is the third child and her family faces financial difficulties and is unable to afford proper medical treatment for her heart condition. The family’s situation took a turn for the worst as her father was involved in an unfortunate accident which caused him to be paralyzed and bedridden.
The permanent damage to her father’s brain meant the end of the only source of meager income to her family. Quynh had to stop her visits to the doctor and her medication as a result. Quynh’s condition deteriorated and her mobility was gravely affected. The heart complications had worsened to affect the movements of her hands and legs.

Out of desperation and love for her sickly child, Quynh’s mother had to sell half of the house (land) to raise enough money for her to seek medical help. Her heart surgery cost more than 40,000,000 VND (about $USD 2,500). Her heart surgery caused her family to be near penniless, thankfully, the operation was a success.

Little did her mother expect that it was not the end of her woes. The post-surgery’s medical treatment would require Quynh to be on long term medication and go for regular medical checks at the hospital for at least the next two years. These expenses would cost about 2,000,000 VND ($122) each month and this would amount to 36,000,000 VND ($ 2,182) in total. The short-lived hope turned to despair since the family had nothing else to sell to sustain her post-surgery medical treatment. Without the treatment, Quynh’s condition would be at risk and it could eventually cause her life to be at stake. When her relative heard about the HSCV’s Heart Surgery Program, it gave them a ray of hope.

As much as HSCV would like to offer financial assistance to this little gal, we are cash-strapped and we find it very difficult to fund her medical treatment. We have attempted to help her in other ways by posting her information in the official HSCV website and appealing to the cyber-community for kind souls who are able to help her and give her a chance to survive.

Please take a look at this article and open your heart to a person who is really in need of your help.

Sincerely,
Hanh Ngo

Special thanks to HSCV for the help. Huong Quynh has written a letter and mailed this to me. This is the translated version of her letter.
Upon reading her her letter, you will see how excellent Quynh is as a student. Not only has she excelled in her subjects such as Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics, she also has a natural flair for writing and has great handwriting.

Thai Binh 5th March, 2009

Dear Hanh,

Since my first encounter with you, you have been a great help to me and my family, both in terms of giving material assistance but also in constantly giving me moral support. I’m very touched by your kindness and help indeed.

I understand that although life is tough and full of sadness, if you open your heart, someone will bring help to you. Today, I would like to write a letter to express my sincere gratitude to all of you in the organization – HSCV I would also like to share -some innermost secrets of my life that I have never told anyone before,,

Firstly, I would like to wish all of you all the best wishes, wishing everyone happiness, good health and success, especially for your choice of this career you chosen to bring happiness to others,

Dear Sir/Madam,

Whenever I think about my past, I feel deeply saddened and can’t seem to control my tears. There are six members in my humble family. My parents are farmers. Our survival and money is dependant on the two rice harvests each year.

My older sister was married and moved to a remote area. My older brother is a worker and my younger brother has cerebral palsy. My family’s financial situation is not better compared to others.

About a year ago, my father was involved in a severe accident which almost cost his life. He managed to survive, but the accident has affected him badly. Now, he behaves like a 3 year- old boy, and it really saddens us to see our father in this state.

This has made our financial situation even more trying than before. My poor mother is frail and has always been suffering from sickness. With this heavy burden on her shoulders, she toiled day and night to earn money for the family. It pains me to see my mother suffer and I am unable to do much to help her because of my heart problem. At times, I blamed myself for causing distress to my family and suffered the guilt in silence.

My parents were very happy when I came back from the successful heart surgery. However, when they realized that I would need to be on long term medication for 2 years and would need a large amount of money to finance this medical expenses, it was demoralizing. The disappointment and despair on my parents’ faces was vivid though they tried to conceal it. My heart aches as I could still see the disappointment in their eyes. Honestly, I am helpless and I do not know what to do but cry my heart out and blame myself for causing my family grieve.
The support that you have given to me and my family is like a dream come true. Your support to us is not just in the material sense, but your continuous support has helped eased my parents of the burden and stress.. Thank you very much for your help, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. The love and the help that I have received from the community has really dispelled the darkness and help me to overcome challenges I faced.

I do not know what else to say except thank you very much for everything that you have done for me. And now, I have renewed health and happiness. I promise that I will study hard in order to have a chance to help other people and bring happiness to others like what you are doing now.

Finally, I wish all of you (people who are working in HSCV) good health, happiness in the work that you are doing.

Sincerely,

Ngo Huong Quynh

If you would like to help Quyen please send donations to HSCV.

Mail checks to:

HSCV
2956 Spring Lake Road
Prior Lake, MN 55372
USA

Or donate online using Paypal by following this link:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4426765

To learn more about our Heart Surgery Program visit our website at: http://www.hscv.org/medical_hearts.htm

Blogged by Ngo Thuy Hanh

A Successful Night of Charity

2009-03-31T15:07:00.004+07:00

A fundraiser sponsored by Humanitarian Services for Children of Vietnam (HSCV) and Cardiostart International was held March 28th at Song Long Restaurant in Apple Valley, Minnesota. An evening of Vietnamese food, drink, entertainment and a silent auction provided fun for everyone. Ms. Mai Le Huyen, direct from California entertained guests with fantastic Latin music. Guests showed their stuff rivaling Dancing With the Stars.

Funds raised from the event will go to cover costs to house two teams of medical personnel treating Cancer and Congenital Heart Disease in Children. The teams will go to Hanoi in November 2009 to assist local hospitals with care of impoverished children.

HSCV President Chuck De Vet moved the audience with his compassionate words for the children of Vietnam.

It was a full house at the Song Long Restaurant.

Ms. Mai Le Huyen voice enchanted the audience.

We would like to thank everyone who donated their time to make this event possible. We would also like to thank Song Long Restaurant for its hospitality.

Donations are still being accepted.
Please mail check to:

HSCV
2965 Spring Lake Road
Prior Lake MN 55372
USA

or

Donate through paypal by following this link.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4371715

Class of Success

2009-03-26T14:35:00.006+07:00

For the first year, HSCV is offering scholarships to a group of students to pursue their education further beyond high school. This is a milestone move to break the cycle of poverty. These scholarships offer exciting opportunities to excel and be successful in life. Without which, these children would be confined to work in the rice fields given their family circumstances.

HSCV Class of Success 01 was kick started in September 2008. To date, 10 students have applied for the post high school scholarships offered by HSCV. Majority of these students are graduates from the HSCV Educational Scholarships Program, an initiative which offers sponsorship of education to children through the 12th grade. These children have been invited to apply for admission to the colleges and vocational schools of their preference. HSCV seeks to provide each student a scholarship which is most-suited to their capabilities and interests. Each student will receive funding which will cover their tuition fees, supplies, housing and transportation costs.

Our students have just finished the first semester of the 2008 – 2009 school year. They have all been working diligently on their studies and excited about their futures. And after their first semester of school, our HSCV scholars have sent their letters with special update to share their progress and new challenges in their lives. In their own words they explain the difficulties in their lives, the challenges a new school brings, and their studying result of the first semester. Some of the students have found their new courses difficult while others continue to be at the top of their class. All of the students are thankful for the opportunity they have received.

Here are extract of a letter of our HSCV scholars who are in their first semester of school.

“ Firstly I would like to send my best regards to everyone in the Humanitarian Services for Children of Vietnam. I would like to thank all the sponsors who have helped my family and given me the chance to pursue my education like my other friends. After my graduation in high school, I stayed at home to help my parents at the farm. My father has been suffering from spinal column injury and he is unable to do tough manual work. My mother has to do all the farming work and household chores on her own. When I first heard about the new program of HSCV to help students who graduated from high school to pursue their studies further, I was really excited. I am currently studying in the Hanoi Kindergarten Teachers Training Vocational School. There are many more subjects to study now than in high school and the studying is much more difficult. I did not get the good marks in some subjects for the first semester. In March this year, I will retake tests for some of these subjects and I promise to get good marks this time.

I am starting the second semester and at this time, I have to cope with new challenges with the computing subject which I have never have studied before. I have not been able to type with ease like my friends in the class but I’m determined to work harder to improve.

Finally, I wish you, my donor, good health and prosperity. I would like to thank you very much for your help that help reduce the hardship of my family. I hope you will have more programs to help children with financial difficulties like me.

Nguyen Thi Hang “

To learn how you can support our Post High School Scholarships please visit our website at http://www.hscv.org/scholarships_post_high_school.htm

Blogged by Do Thi Thuy Hong

A Special Visitor

2009-03-24T14:02:00.007+07:00

I am lucky to have a chance to work with sponsors and visitors of HSCV. I always enjoy watching the happy moments when the generous sponsors meet with their grateful sponsored children.

Ms. Janine Bartram has been faithfully sponsoring rice and scholarships- to two families for many years. Through numerous emails, I have finally managed to get in touch with her. To me, she is a very special person and I am very excited to be able to escort her on this journey to meet her sponsored families.

Let’s take a trip to visit these sponsored families with Ms. Janine Bartram.

On the first day:

We departed at 8:15 am and headed for Soc Son. Our destination was 40 km from the centre. At 9:30am, we saw the mother of the first family from a distance.

The lady was awaiting our arrival at the side of the road. Her face paled when we warmly invited her get into our car. She shared that she had a severe motion sickness problem and she has never been in a car before, thus the phobia sets in when we extended our invitation. We assured her that it would all be well.

As we drove along, she became more relaxed and soon revealed a wide smile. When we arrived, Janine little daughter, Ngoc greeted us with a lovely smile. The little girl held her mother’s hand tightly all the while, hesitant to see so many unfamiliar faces in her home.

The family is very poor. Three of them live in the small house with basic amenities, whenever it rains, the roof leaks, posing inconvenience to the family. The single mother struggles to work on the farm during the day.

When she returns home in the evening, she has to take care of the daily household chores and her two young children. Despite these, she remains her cheerful self, always smiling. We chatted for a long while. She was very happy to know that Janine has agreed to continue supporting her family and was elated to know that the generous sponsor will also be giving her 20 chicken to start a family business next month.

Our next stop was the second sponsored family of Janine. Her sponsored child, Que held a special place in Janine’s heart, as this sweet child always wrote beautiful letters to her. Que’s simple house was next to the river. As we walked towards her home in the village along the dirt road, it everyone seemed to know that we were coming. Many curious children waved at us to say “hello, hello” and followed us along. When Que saw Janine, she rushed towards her to give her a big hug. Though they have never met in person before, they are no strangers to each other. Both of them looked blissful and contented. Que has been looking forward to this day when she would meet her sponsor for the very first time. Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks as she was overwhelmed by emotions meeting Janine for the first time.

We shared lunch with Que’s family, took pictures and told them the stories about the other HSCV children and their sponsors. The house may be void of plush furniture or latest electrical equipments but the laughter and the happy spirit in the house was obvious and infectious.

On the second day:

It took a good 60 minutes and 10 phone calls to locate Janine’s sponsored children. Once I have successfully located them, I headed straight to the hotel where Janine was staying to bring her to the home of her sponsored child.

The children were excited to go shopping, an experience that was rare for them. We strolled along the streets to buy clothes for them. The considerate mothers always checked the prices of these gifts mindful of spending Janine’s money. Some snobbish shop owners turned them away at the doorsteps at the sight of their tattered outfits. Little did these shop owners expect that they have missed the chance to serve these customers and earn profits from their purchases.

The kind sponsor, Janine even went the extra mile and invited the family for lunch. Que enjoyed her bottle of coke and chips just like a typical Western girl. As this is the first visit to the capital, Hanoi, they were fearful to touch anything, but couldn’t stop themselves from gazing at everything around the unfamiliar environment.

Things we city dwellers often take for granted are completely foreign to them, from taking the lift, using the flush system toilet to a simple soft drink. The endearing Janine showered the children with great hospitality and love making them feel like princesses. The two days with Janine were indeed an unforgettable experience for these children. And it was memorable and touching for me too.

Tran N. Lien

Immediate Host Family needed

2009-03-24T13:16:00.009+07:00

When Thao was 5 years-old she was caught in a terrible fire. No one in the village knew Thao was in the fire, until she came crawling out. The fire was very intense and Thao suffered burns on over 50% of her body. Her face, scalp, hands and backside were all badly burned. She lost all of her fingers and half of her thumb on her right hand. Her left hand is so badly injured that the fingers and wrist are frozen with scarring.

Thao was rushed several hours to Ha Noi to receive emergency burn treatment. For the next several months she remained in Ha Noi. However, the burns became very infected and Thao was in a lot of pain. When the family returned to their country-side home she was treated with eastern medicines and the infections finally began to heal.

When Thao was 7 her mother moved to Taiwan in search of better employment, where she was able to send home some money to help pay for Thao’s mounting medical bills.

Thao was introduces to HSCV when she was 10 years old. Despite difficulties she has always been a good student. She can write by holding pen between her scarred fingers and she can use her thumb to grab. She tires very hard at everything she does.

Thao was approved for treatment by the ShinersHospital in Sacramento California in 2007. She arrived in America with her father Cong in September of 2007. Since then she has undergone many surgeries. The main focus has been on her face and her left had. For her face the doctors have been using a technique which involves the use of skin expanders. The expanders are placed under healthy skin and are slowly inflated over the period of 2 to 3 months. During this time Thao will visit the hospital on a weekly basis. Thao has undergone this procedure twice in the past year and a half, once for the front and once for the back of her head.=. Ideally doctors would like perform the process once more.

The damage to Thao’s hands is extensive. There isn’t a whole lot doctors can do to help her, but they hope a few surgeries will increase the function of the fingers on her left hand. Up to this point she has received 2 surgeries. Thanks to these surgeries Thao has gained some independence. She is able to tie her shoes and completely dress her self. She can also grasp things like pens and forks much easier.

Thao is currently attending the 4^th grade. Her English continues to approve each day. She is a top student in class and excels at math.

Thao is a warm and friendly child. She loves to have fun and is very silly and playful. She can be a bit shy around new people, especially children, but once she is comfortable is very out going.

Her father Cong is currently in America but will be returning to Vietnam in April or May 2009.

We are currently seeking a host family for Thao. She will remain in America for 6 to 18 months. We are seeking a host family willing to commit to at least 6 months.

HSCV will donate $300 each month to help the host family cover cost they incur.

Today we are seeking:

1. A support group to assist with transporting Thao to and from Shriner’s Hospital on a weekly basis as well as to assist Thao with her schooling.
2. A host family in the Sacramento area to take in Thao for at least 6 months. Her father will remain in America for up to a month after her placement.
3. Monetary donations to help assist with daily living and transportation costs while in the States.

If you can help or know someone who can help please contact Annetta De Vet at annettadevet@hscv.org.

Changing Tuan Anh's life

2009-03-12T11:23:00.005+07:00

Through the HSCV donation for the Life Changing Surgery, many of these children and their families have been given a new lease of life . These free surgeries have indeed been life-changing for many and has helped improved their life.

From the child who is completely reliant of the assistance of others to go to school to one who has gained his mobility to walk the same path independently, the Life Changing Surgery initiative has made a great difference. Children who are afraid of the constant teasing by their friends because of the strange extra thumb have rid themselves of the physical “burden” to play and smile like normal children. Gone are the days when they had to suffer in silence, bending their heads because of the fear of getting jeered by their schoolmates.

Over the years, HSCV has learned that there are still many children who are in need of the help of the Life Changing Surgery initiative. HSCV would like to share the stories of those children who have been given free surgeries through this initiative with everyone.

Following is a story of this week about a young boy, Tuan Anh. We would be sharing stories of other children in the subsequent weeks.other stories in the following weeks.

Tuan Anh is born in a poor family in Quang Binh Province. At birth, he suffers from congenital degeneration of the left hip joint caused by the Perthes Syndrome. Over the years, this hampered the growth of his left leg, causing it to be much smaller than his normal right leg. The imbalanced growth has resulted in his obvious limp when he walks. Sitting on the ground becomes a near impossible ask as he suffers from acute pain on his left leg.

His desperate mother feels deeply sorry for her son’s physical handicap and has tried ways an means to cure him or at least improve his current condition.

However, the family’s resources is limited because of their financial difficulties. His mother can barely make ends meet with her meager income as a farmer . His father tries to earn more money by working in the South but his means are also limited. The doctors at the local province have advised that it would be best for Tuan Anh to seek treatment at the National Hospital of Pediatrics (NHP) in Hanoi. The hospital is about 500km away from his hometown .

Though this is the only cure for Tuan Anh, his mother is really worried sick about the high transportation fees, living expenses and the hospital fees at the National Hospital of Pediatrics. As a farmer, she does not earn very much and hardly has enough money to provide the daily essentials and food for her children. As a loving mother, she persisted and explored all means, and had to resort to borrowing money from her relatives for her child to seek medical treatment. The fact that her husband was working in the South left her stranded to face these dire circumstances on her own.

In December 2007, Tuan Anh and his mother made their way to the hospital and stayed there for one week for the pre-surgery tests. The week-long stay has drained her of the money she has loaned.

The doctors at the hospital were fully aware of their financial difficulties and introduced HSCV to them as a possible avenue that could seek help from.

With HSCV and the generosity of their sponsors, Tuan Anh’s hospital fees, transportation and living expenses were fully sponsored. This sponsorship came in timely when the desperate mother and son duo were helpless. They are deeply grateful to HSCV and would like to send their best wishes to HSCV.

The doctors performed a surgery on Tuan Anh’s left leg. After the surgery, his left leg was put in a cast for three months. The discomfort and itch during the three months was unbearable but he endured. Tuan Anh was bed-ridden during this period and had to miss classes during this difficult period.

The cast was eventually removed. With the financial assistance from HSCV, Tuan Anh was able to return to the hospital for the routine check-ups by the doctors. He was elated at the sight of his renewed mobility. Tuan Anh returned home and practiced hard on using his new crutches over the next few months. Today, he can walk independently at ease.

In November 2008, Tuan Anh and his mother called HSCV to express their sincere gratitude to HSCV for the kind assistance and generosity rendered to a young handicapped boy like himself and added that he wish that HSCV would continue to help more disabled children to give them a new lease of life.

To sponsor a child like Tuan Anh please visit our website at http://www.hscv.org/medical_life_changing.htm.

Blogged by HSCV Team Member - Nugyen Thi Minh Chau

A Night of Charity

2009-03-10T10:15:00.004+07:00

Join HSCV for fantastic night of tasty food, live entertainment and enticing prizes, while helping us raise much needed funds for medical teams traveling to Vietnam.

Enjoy a sumptuous Vietnamese buffet including all your favorite dishes as well as free soft drinks. Indulge in a beer, with Coronas, Heineken, Millers and Budweiser for sale at $3.50.

Ms. Mai Le Huyen will kick off a great night of entertainment from 9pm. Direct from California; her voice will enhance and delight. Prepare to kick up your heels as our eclectic house band tackles everything from current hits, classics and a sizzling array of Latin beats. Dance the night away, or enjoy the music from the comfort of your chair.

We’ve assembled an exciting and varied array of prizes for our silent auction. Come early to scope them out, and then stay late to insure they go home with you.

Tickets for the event are on sale for Thirty dollars ($30), inclusive of the buffet, soft drinks and entertainment. For more information or to RSVP please contact Tien Truong at (952) 895-0595 or tien.truong@hscv.org .

Money raised from the event will go to funding 2 medical teams, travelling to Vietnam. In addition to treating patients, these teams will educate local medical professionals, leaving behind the knowledge needed to treat 1000s. This one night of charity will truly teach many to fish.

TEAM 1 will consist of doctors and nurses traveling to Saigon and Hanoi in October to teach colorectal surgery at the two largest Cancer Hospitals in Vietnam. TEAM 2 will consist of surgeons and nurses from Cardiostart International traveling to the Viet Duc Hospital in Hanoi to perform heart surgery and associated care, FREE OF CHARGE, for children in need.

If you are interested in hosting a charity event for HSCV please contact Annetta De Vet at annettadevet @ hscv.org.

HSCV participates in Earth Hour

2009-03-04T15:05:00.004+07:00

For the first year HSCV will participate in Earth Hour. Whether you believe in global warming or not we all need to believe in protecting our environment. As a sign of respect and understanding of our world environment HSCV will be turning off the lights for one hour on March 28, 2009. We are calling for supporters of HSCV to do the same.

As of this Blog 825 cities in 80 countries have already committed to VOTE EARTH for Earth Hour 2009, as part of the worlds first global election between Earth and global warming.

Show your support and sign up for Earth Hour 2009 by WWF - Sign up for Earth Hour!

What is Earth Hour?

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming.

For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.

This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.

We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.

VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.

Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30pm.

Please visit the Vietnam page at http://www.earthhour.org/news/vi:vi or the international page at http://www.earthhour.org/ for more information.

The Gift of a Wheelchair

2009-03-03T13:42:00.004+07:00

Wheelchair Distribution Program is one of the big project that HSCV has been carrying out for a couple of years. HSCV has overseen the distribution of 16 containers of wheelchairs to needy people in the Northern Provinces of Vietnam. There are 550 wheelchairs in each container. Total wheelchairs were distributed so far is 8,800 wheelchairs.

Traveling to give each wheelchair to individual, we learn a lot about their difficulties of different lives. We would like to share with you about our experience with a light hope that we can help them more by material or spiritual. These are 2 stories written by HSCV on the trip that we traveled.

Hao Thi Nguyen, 25

Thai Nguyen, Vietnam

Dinh Hoa is a small town in the province of Thai Nguyen located in North Vietnam. It is an area that is still under develop and lacking many basic necessities. Even their roads are substandard and difficult to walk. The image of their reality made me feel very perplexed. Most of the people here are living in poverty or near poverty, yet they remain very friendly and kind. The locals welcomed us with open arms and showed their appreciation for our efforts to deliver the wheelchairs.

Ms. Hao Thi Nguyen, is one of the many impoverished and unfortunate people living with a disability. When Hao was 2 years old she got sick with the measles, but her family did not have enough money to treat her. Unfortunately time never waits for anyone. Since she didn’t get the proper treatment right away she developed complications and her sickness got worse and worse. Although her family was very poor they still did everything they could to find money to cure her. Day after day, all of their money, time and effort went into healing her; however, she did not get any better. When Hao was around 12 years old she became disabled and could not walk. Slowly she also lost her ability to understand and function normally. From then on she had to depend on her family to take care of all her needs. Mrs. Ha cared for her daughter and helped her with everything from feeding her to putting her to sleep. It was so sad to hear Mrs. Ha talk about her daughter, I was not able to hold back my tears.

It is difficult to believe that Hao has lived most of her life with a disability and without the assistance of a wheelchair. Today, Hao is receiving her first wheelchair at the age of 25. Her face brightened like a 3 year olds, filled with excitement and joy when she saw her wheelchair. The idea of getting a wheelchair was a far away dream for Mrs. Ha’s family, as farmers what they make is only enough for food and to survive, so they could never afford to get a wheelchair for Hao. Sometimes, when they don’t have a good harvest Mrs. Ha would have to borrow money for food. Receiving the wheelchair was a blessing for Mrs. Ha; from now on the wheelchair will help Mrs. Ha and make it easier for her to take care of Hao. Mrs. Ha is very touched and grateful for this gift and she would like to thank the donors for their generosity and kind hearts.

Hoang Thi Han, 72 years old

Hoang Thi Han is the second person in Dinh Hoa that I had the opportunity to speak with. Mrs. Han has been disabled for 10 years. Since her accident, Mrs. Han has not been able to move or get around so she is forced to sit in one spot at her house. Neither is she able to do things for herself so she has to rely on her children to help her. She told me, “Many times when I am home alone and I get thirsty there is nothing I can do about it because I cannot move, so I have no choice but to wait for my children to come home.” Her eyes were filled with tears as she said, “Sitting all day inside a small, cramped room is very sad and lonely. I have nothing to do and no one to talk to except stare at four walls.” Tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke to me. I was not able to hold back my tears as I listened to her story. It has been a long time since Mrs. Han was able to go outside to visit and talk with her neighbors. I can sympathize for Mrs. Han and her situation.

Mrs. Han has four children; all but her oldest daughter is married and has a family. So she lives with her oldest daughter. Mrs. Han sighed as she said “My daughter has to do everything in the house from the smallest to largest tasks and she has to take care of me. Life was already difficult and now it is even worse. My daughter works on a farm, but she does not make enough money to feed the both of us.” Every month, Mrs. Han’s daughter has to borrow money just to get by. Her other children are not much better, and they have to take care of their own family. “Everyone has their own problems.”

Mrs. Han is turning 72 this year, an age where she should be resting. Yet she still has to worry about her basic needs such as food and clothing. If she had a wheelchair, she can move around and do things for herself to lessen the burden on her daughter. “I was always afraid to go anywhere, because it was so difficult to get around and I did not want to bother other people to help me. So, if I had a wheelchair, it would make it easier for me to get around. I would be able to do things for myself and would not need my daughter to do everything for me.” Mrs. Han wants to find some kind of work that she can do at home to make money so her daughter does not have to work so hard. With a wheelchair her life would be a lot easier.

Mrs. Han was very touched and wants to thank all the charities and donors for their kindness towards disabled people. The wheelchairs will help people with disabilities move past their initial difficulties and have hope in life.

Blogged by HSCV Team Member,

Ngo Thuy Hanh

HSCV Video

2009-02-25T18:52:00.001+07:00

Please take some time to watch our latest program video. Feel free to pass on the link to others.