Image above: The 2018 Premier's Anzac Spirit School Prize students at the Hong Quang Orphan House with the Venerable Thích Thiện Thông during their visit in October 2019.
Visiting orphanages in Vietnam in 2019
Visiting orphanages in Vietnam in 2019
The Premier’s Anzac Spirit School Prize study tours to Vietnam since 2016 has engaged with the Vietnamese community by visiting schools and orphanages. Students on these tours have raised funds and provided these institutions with computers, data projectors, stationery, food and money. We hope we have been able to contribute to the health of these institutions and the quality of life and education for the young people involved.
In 2018 we visited two orphanages near Vung Tau.
They were:
Hong Quang Orphan House was originally established by Venerable Thích Thiện Thông in order to support orphans and poor children in the locality. Even though the centre has been managed by the government, private income is still needed for them to manage by themselves. The centre only receives support from the local community to cover the fees of education, food and personal living necessities. At the moment, the centre looks after around 70 orphans. The children under 5 years old will be at the centre when we visit but the older children (above 5 years old) will be at their school.
Tu An Pagoda is a poor temple which is currently run by Nun Thích nữ Minh Hải with donations from the Buddhist community to help the temple support the orphans (it does not belong to the government). It is home to more than 150 orphaned children, 13 elderly and disabled persons. At present, there are many children of school age and the cost for the children to go to school is difficult for the temple to pay for.
In 2019 we are planning to visit the same orphanages but that could change before we visit. We will be visiting somewhere and as in previous years it is worth planning how we can contribute to the work of the monks and nuns and the welfare of the children in the orphanages.
In 2018 the Venerable Thích Thiện Thông and Nun Thích nữ Minh Hải were aware of our visits and they were very appreciative of the 'kind hearts' of the group. The donations do not have to be cash - the group donated the most needed items for daily life at the school, such as rice, milk, clothing, shoes, blankets, diapers, baby wipes, stationery, etc. We can buy those in Vietnam again, so please do not pack such!
In 2018 the Venerable Thích Thiện Thông and Nun Thích nữ Minh Hải were aware of our visits and they were very appreciative of the 'kind hearts' of the group. The donations do not have to be cash - the group donated the most needed items for daily life at the school, such as rice, milk, clothing, shoes, blankets, diapers, baby wipes, stationery, etc. We can buy those in Vietnam again, so please do not pack such!
They are poor orphanages (receiving no State-aid) and any help we can give them would be greatly appreciated. I have checked out the orphanages and been assured by the tour group who have dealt with the orphanages in the past that any money/resources provided will go directly to help the orphans. Several of us are planning to do some fund raising in the office and around the place before we go – we would love the orphanages to be provided with some funds and/or items when we visit. Feel free to do something in your school or community groups if you want to help out with any fund raising before we depart. There is no pressure on you to be involved on a personal level but we thought it would be good to engage with the Vietnamese community and do something positive in the community when we are there.
We will collect and receipt all donations at Adelaide Airport before we leave on 29 September. We will talk more about this aspect of the trip when we meet on Friday this week.
I also suggest that before Friday, take the time to listen to the podcast at https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/ian-shaw-operation-babylift/11148882 about the 'Babylift' out of Vietnam in 1975.
Here is a summary of the podcast:
"A few years ago writer Ian Shaw unearthed the story of aid workers Rosemary Taylor and Margaret Moses. They were two former nuns from Adelaide who spent eight years in Vietnam during the war. The pair developed a complex of nurseries to house war orphans and street children, and helped find adoptive families overseas for the children. In 1975, as the North Vietnamese forces closed in on the nurseries, Rosemary and Margaret began frantic plans to evacuate the children to safety. Despite opposition from the Whitlam Government, the women succeeded in bringing more than 200 orphans from Saigon to Australia to meet their new families."
Orphanages continue to be an everyday part of life in Vietnam but understandably during the Vietnam War the problem of orphaned children was chronic. The work of two amazing South Australian women that is told in the podcast is worth listening to. Most importantly it shows us the background story of orphaned children during the war and the work that was (and is) still being conducted by Australians in Vietnam. The podcast is a truly inspiring story and it will provide a backstory for you when we visit the orphanages in Vietnam.
I also suggest that before Friday, take the time to listen to the podcast at https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/ian-shaw-operation-babylift/11148882 about the 'Babylift' out of Vietnam in 1975.
Here is a summary of the podcast:
"A few years ago writer Ian Shaw unearthed the story of aid workers Rosemary Taylor and Margaret Moses. They were two former nuns from Adelaide who spent eight years in Vietnam during the war. The pair developed a complex of nurseries to house war orphans and street children, and helped find adoptive families overseas for the children. In 1975, as the North Vietnamese forces closed in on the nurseries, Rosemary and Margaret began frantic plans to evacuate the children to safety. Despite opposition from the Whitlam Government, the women succeeded in bringing more than 200 orphans from Saigon to Australia to meet their new families."
Orphanages continue to be an everyday part of life in Vietnam but understandably during the Vietnam War the problem of orphaned children was chronic. The work of two amazing South Australian women that is told in the podcast is worth listening to. Most importantly it shows us the background story of orphaned children during the war and the work that was (and is) still being conducted by Australians in Vietnam. The podcast is a truly inspiring story and it will provide a backstory for you when we visit the orphanages in Vietnam.
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