CONFERENCE “GOOD PEOPLE WITH GOOD WORKS”
In the morning of September 10, 2020, the Vietnam Catholic Solidarity Committee held the 5th National Emulation Conference “Celebrating good people in Catholic communities”, in the period of 2015-2020 at La Thanh Guest House, No. 226 Van Phuc, Lieu Giai Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
Attending the conference was Sister Le Thi Thao who has been running the Street Children’s Program (FFSC) for 16 years under the Catholic Solidarity Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. Currently, the program has three centers: Binh Trieu, Binh Tho and Binh An with love classes for poor children in extremely difficult circumstances. Sister Bui Thi Hong Hanh, who has 21 years running Binh Trieu Center, also attended the conference.
The following is a report on program activities (FFSC) over the past 5 years (2015-2020).
Ladies and gentlemen, delegates, to the entire conference!
The Vietnam Catholic Solidarity Committee of Ho Chi Minh City issued Decision No. 53/QD-UB on June 23, 1999 to establish the Street Children’s Program to support education, training, recreation, recreation and care for orphans, wanderers and disadvantaged children in Ho Chi Minh City. There are currently 7 Development Centers under the Program with a total staff: 13 nuns, 41 social workers and teachers. In addition, the program also has the cooperation of a number of domestic and foreign volunteers. Here are some key activities: delegates, all conferences!
Home organization in Binh Trieu
The children in the shelter include different ages from 3 to 18 years old. Since 2015, the shelter has received 9 more children and 2 returning children, 3 of them graduated from high school and went to university, so they left the home to live independently, 1 graduated from vocational secondary school but remained at home. Currently, the shelter is raising 30 children, including 8 males and 22 females. The children are allowed to take care of school under the care of the shelter at a cost of more than VND 1 billion per year.
Organization of semi-boarding classes
Take care of 178 children from grades 1 to 5. The semi-boarding group consists of children from poor families in the area of Binh Trieu Center. Due to the family circumstances and working time of their parents, the children are not able to be cared for or instructed to do their work, so they study at the Love class 1 session, have lunch at the Center and study to support the other session under the guidance of the teachers / volunteers of the Center.
Organizing The Promote class
There were 3,392 children in grades 1 through 5, studying Monday through Friday. There were 243 children who entered primary and secondary schools. Those who complete primary school if they do not have sufficient legal documents will transfer to the Regular Training system. However, there are also some children who do not continue their studies due to family difficulties or over-age.
Awarding scholarships
The Grant Program has 1,232 scholarships for children in the shelter, students who are studying high school, intermediate, college and university programs. The Scholarship program is open to children from disadvantaged or at risk of school leave. Through this program, the Scholarship group has 50 children who have graduated from secondary school, 23 students have entered universities, colleges and intermediate schools, 59 graduated from colleges and universities with the help of scholarships.
Organizing awareness training
Each year, training courses are organized for children, teachers and staff to improve their skills. Topics: teamwork skills, Family Themes, Emotions, Sense of Responsibility, Solidarity, Goals, Puberty, Beautiful Gestures in Public, Body Hygiene, Honesty, Environmental Protection, Oral Health Care, Sex Education, Self-Protection, Career Orientation, Social Media Use, First Aid, Helping Children Be Confident in Public, Courtesy in Speech and Behavior, Love and Respect
Healthcare activities
Every year, the Street Children Program is affiliated with domestic and foreign organizations, volunteer medical delegations, clinics for general health examinations and regular dental examinations for about 3,392 children. In addition, the program also gives deworming drugs to children every 6 months.
Organization of savings and credit groups
From scholarships per month for children, the Center mobilizes parents to save voluntarily every month to contribute capital to help each other do business, increase income for families. Self-governing teams with the support and supervision testing of Center management. In the past 5 years, the centers have had 947 parents participating in savings. The total savings of the group up to 30/11/2019 is VND 185,270,000.
Supporting poor households
During the country’s struggle with covid 19, the Street Children’s Program, with the contribution of benefactors, provided 3 months of food assistance to 331 poor households and 1 month of rent for 92 households unable to pay rent. The total funding for this support is VND 505 million.
With the attention, direction and support of the Vietnam Catholic Solidarity Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the enthusiastic support of benefactors, social organizations, the program has invited the participation of long-time, dynamic, enthusiastic and trained nuns specializing in social work. A team of teachers and staff, local and international volunteers with expertise have joined hands to take care of disadvantaged children to be promoted.
Ladies and gentlemen, delegates, to the entire Conference!
The efforts and hands of many hearts for poor children who immigly when taking Love classes at the Centers, in order to help them have the opportunity to study, progress more, escape poverty and help society in the near world.
