Monday, May 19, 2014

Orphans in Uganda are interested in poor children in Vietnam - Blog by Lydia

"Was just at our partner MLisada orphanage in Uganda and they were showing me their handmade sanitary pad workshop/samples so I took a pic. Look closely at and you can see CEF girls on my computer screen. 



The staff at M-Lisada were SHOCKED that there were other countries in the world that faced similar issues. They said "you mean other countries have poor children like Uganda?"

We spent some time looking through all my CEF photos and they were fascinated and so amazed at what you do." 

From Lydia Dean, President / Founder GoPhilanthropic

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Two girls in school for two years due to a kind donation

Another donation has made a difference! We received a kind donation from a friend who lives here in Vietnam, and wants to support CEF to help impoverished girls receive an education This gift has allowed CEF to sponsor two girls for two years!


The family income of one girl has been reduced dramatically as dad had a bad stroke recently. They already have a large debt so with just having mum's income from selling steamed buns, help is needed for her to continue her education. We are happy to be able to tell them she is sponsored as she is a good student who works hard.


This girls mother has advanced liver cancer and rarely feels well enough to work; when she can work, she sells vegetables. As they live in an area with little employment dad now has to work away from home to earn enough to support himself and contribute to the family costs. They are struggling to meet some of their basic needs and their situation is not improving. Help is crucial for her to continue her education. So we are thrilled she has support now as she also is a top student.

It is wonderful to be able to help these two girls to stay in school another two years!  

Monday, May 12, 2014

Small fundraising events can make a big difference

Friends often say they can only do a small event at their home so that is not helpful and won't make a difference. Well they are totally wrong!

A friend invited some neighbors and friends over last minute for a Vietnamese meal that we jointly prepared.
The result is 4 children are in school for two years; that small event has made a difference!

Here are the girls in need of educational support and their stories to see how a simple and small event can change the lives of children and their families.


Her father left her and her mother when she was a baby. She lives with her grandmother who can't afford to educate her.  Her mother can't as well as she has remarried and has two children as well as a husband who has limited employment opportunities due to not having hearing or speech.  This help is needed to get her through school. 


Her dad had a motorbike accident resulting in brain injury. Although they borrowed for major brain surgery, it was not successful. Dad no longer works and mum is working to support the two of them and the three children. One sister has just had a tumor removed from her hand increasing the family debt. Mum is very stressed and just can't manage their education costs so this support for them is very needed.


Both her parents have poor health and recently they went into debt for dad to have major surgery. They can no longer afford to educate their three children without this help. 


Her father left her, two siblings and mum. Mum has to work far from home to support them, so they live on their own, and granny who lives near by, helps out when she can. As the children get older they have less to eat as their education costs keep climbing and mum can't earn any more. This support is vital.

A small event can change lives! Thank you Greg, your family, neighbors and friends for changing the lives of four families!

Monday, May 5, 2014

Blog by Linda of Go Philanthropic on the Creative Art Session

Four CEF girls, staff and I painted the conical hats today. This is a great Eastern-Western fusion exercise as you can tell from the photos.


The girls really loved doing this and all but one did a second hat. You could say they were really into it.


Linda Burn and I thought they would sit and look at the hats and not know what to do, as Vietnam is not known for encouraging creativity...but they were off and running with the paints in a nano second.


This was a nice relaxed way to end my time with CEF and Vietnam as tonight I head back to the States with many fond memories of my CEF pals and the children.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Blog by Linda from Go Philanthropic on this weekends home visits

This past weekend the CEF staff and I did children's home visits in the communes of Binh Phuc and Binh Tu, each about an hour outside Hoi An. They were full on days with as many as 12-18 children seen each day.

This time it was a very interesting time to do the visits as everyone was very busy with the rice harvesting. You see many farmers working in the fields, rice being taken to market, rice lying out all over the roads and yards to dry (usually takes about 3 days to dry) and fires everywhere where the rice stubble in the fields is being burned down.

As always, I was so impressed with the CEF staff, the sponsored children's earnestness to do well and the unfailing generosity of these families, most of whom have next to nothing. Usually we are greeted with tea, but even had a watermelon presented to us on Saturday as a gesture of welcome. 



Lunches are Vietnamese style and typically taken in local pagodas after which the staff may rest just a bit before we venture back out into the heat of the day.


I was fortunate to meet a couple of GO sponsored children over the two days and hear their stories as well as share with them about their sponsors. One young girl totally cracked up at the sound of her sponsor, Patsy's, home being called O-HI-O.

Many times, the children live down several long and narrow paths and, with my broken foot, I was not always able to get to them (although staff certainly did via bicycles or on foot).


One little boy jumped on his bike to come meet me at a pagoda.


 Another time, I waited in the car for the staff. Well, that was not so interesting sitting in the car, but as soon as I got out, the local families all swarmed around as I am quite a sight to them; being a Westerner and having a cast on my foot. Communications can be a challenge without an interpreter, but then some things like love and caring are just universal and can be conveyed in any language, can't they? 

 
The family I spent some time with while waiting

All in all, two very full and satisfying days, I reflected,as we drove back into Hoi An, rain beating on the car windshield.



Thursday, May 1, 2014

Recently sponsored girls, thanks to Go Philanthropic

Go Philanthropic, a wonderful partner organization we have in the States has found 5 sponsors recently. Thank you Go Philanthropic for supporting these girls to complete their education and to have a future with choices!