Dental care for CEF children this week at 'East Meets West Dental Clinic'

Each summer we take quite a few of our CEF children to the dentist. Many of them are terrified as most have never been to a dentist. 

'East Meets West Dental Clinic' in Da Nang has been wonderfully supportive and has provided basic dental care for the children for the last three years free of charge. This support for the children of NGO's in the area is wonderful and hugely appreciated by us all. The children appreciate this help too, although they might not like it. 

Our administration costs to be able to run these days, for example the transport for the children to get to the dentist and home again is covered by our medical fund 'Healthy Kids', that was set up by Go Philanthropic for the CEF children's medical support. Without their support we could not run these dental care days.

Big thanks to both 'East Meets West' and to 'Go Philanthropic' for their wonderful support. 

Dental work gives a child a new smile

We are thrilled that one little girl has had help to repair her teeth. She is thrilled. 'East Meets West Dental Clinic' did work on her teeth at a reduced cost and her sponsor paid for the work, and our 'Healthy Kids Fund' from Go Philanthropic covered her local transport costs. Thanks to all involved she now has a lovely smile.

Before dental work

After some preparation and some dental work 

 The lovely smile after the dental work

The CEF Community ~ Guest blog by Mai-Thi

As an outside foreigner coming to Vietnam, I didn't know what to expect from CEF. But over the month that I've been volunteering with this charity, I've learned about all of the hard work that goes into giving these girls an education for a better life. I've learned that it is a team effort at the CEF office, that constant communication and meetings take place for efficiency and organization. But not only that, I've learned about the strong community within CEF.

                                         Dinner at the beach with Linda, Ngoc and Kim Chi

Though small, CEF is indeed a community - one of the most welcoming ones I have ever been a part of. Linda, Lien and the staff - Thuy, Kim Chi, Quan, and Ngoc are not only helpful regarding my questions about CEF, but warm and open. I have been invited to multiple staff dinners where conversations aren't strictly business, but about our lives and interests. Linda and the staff have given me countless advice, not only about my work regarding CEF, but about living in Hoi An, where to eat and things to do here.

Everyday I go to CEF is one to look forward to because the smiles and greetings from the people at CEF are genuine, as are our conversations.

I would even say that CEF is more than simply a community - it is a family. But instead of being bound by blood, the CEF family is bound by the passion and motivation to help these girls and empower them to have a better future. The friendship and teamwork present at CEF is evident, as is the amicable and open nature of the people at CEF.

I came to Vietnam to do some volunteer work for CEF, but am getting so much more than that. By getting to know Linda, the staff, as well as my students here, I am also getting a taste of just how kind and nurturing people within CEF are.

English Lessons for CEF's Tertiary Students ~ Guest blog by Mai Thi, CEF's US volunteer

Earlier this month, I began English lessons with Kim Thanh, Truong, and Nam, three of CEF's tertiary students. Kim Thanh and Truong have graduated with degrees in tourism and accounting respectively, while Nam is still in university, majoring in architecture. These students want to improve their English in order to strengthen their skills for work and provide them with more opportunities in the future.

Mai-Thi with her tertiary students

Kim Thanh, Truong, and Nam are very eager to learn English. After our first lesson, they had a list of topics that they wanted to learn, making my lesson planning very easy. They don't want to just learn enough English to "get by," but rather have a desire to truly understand the language so that they can use it properly and broaden the number of people they can communicate with.

Mai-Thi's English lesson  with her three tertiary students

Each lesson, they come in with positive minds and maintain a constant drive to learn. When the students don't understand something, they don't hesitate to ask me to clarify, and converse among themselves to make sure that everybody understands the topic. 

In only the four sessions I've spend with them, Kim Thanh, Truong and Nam have made great strides in learning and practicing prepositions, pronouns, and new vocabulary. They have also borrowed English books from the CEF library in order to continue learning on their own time.

In addition to being very intelligent and avid English learners, Kim Thanh, Truong, and Nam are very friendly and caring. Conversing with them is very easy; they love to ask questions about American culture and in turn share information about Vietnamese culture with me. At the Water Safety Day last week, they constantly wanted me to play games with them and swim with them, showing their kind dispositions.

                       Mai-Thi at the 'Water Safety Day' with two of her tertiary students she is teaching

I have no doubt that Kim Thanh, Truong and Nam will continue to improve their English and am excited to be a part of their learning process. 

Mai-Thi

Brian has returned to Australia to a new grandchild and reporting on Phuc Le Education Project

Brian is back in Darwin typing up all the reports on the home visits he very recently did in Phuc Le. He came over to Vietnam just to volunteer, to help with CEF's 'Phuc Le education Program' in Thai Binh Province. This is an annual event for Brian and he loves it! The children are always pleased to see him and seem to consider him another granddad. He even receives small presents from some of them.

Brian at the beach on CEF's 'Water Safety Day' last weekend

After the trip up north he came down to Quang Nam and helped out at our 'Water Safety Day'. Now he has gone home to granddadhood and his little granddaughter is doing well with mum and dad being very tired of course. 

Brian is missing us all as he loves his annual trips here and we all appreciate the work he does and the time he puts into doing all the reports from the long four days of visiting all the children and their families up north. Brian is a wonderful example of a long-term committed volunteer.

A few photos from CEF's 'Water Safety Day' ~ taken by Linh Tran

Book shopping for children in Duy Xuyen

Before a book shopping trip we look at the area we plan to add 'Book Boxes' to. We consider the age of the children we know and see there, whose house or pagoda could be the base for the books where they will be cared for and the lending and returning of books recorded.

The books purchased on this trip

Today's book shopping was for a commune in Duy Xuyen district. One of the CEF family's there has a highly intelligent father who is a paraplegic due to a bad work accident. His eldest child is intelligent too; works hard at school and has wonderful results. She also devours books and so their home is the ideal base for two boxes of books for their community to read.

Today some of the staff traveled to Da Nang City where there is a  huge book shop with a wonderful selection of books. They always spend ages looking for books that will suite many of the children. The books selected are always an interesting mixture; cookbooks, fiction and no fiction, self-development, books by Vietnamese authors and some translations of books by authors overseas.

It's a simple activity but one that gives pleasure to CEF staff  because of their love for learning, but also because they know what joy the books bring to the CEF children.

Thuy looking for books

Kim Chi looking for books

Mai-Thi, our volunteer from the States finding books to help improve her Vietnamese

If we have donations for books, we can go book shopping for the children. If you love reading please support us to share the love of reading and donate to Children's Education Foundation - Vietnam for that specific purpose. Thank you. Linda (Founding Director and In-Country Manager - Vietnam)

Sharing the joy of CEF's 'Water Safety Day'

Here are just a few photos to share the joy the children have on 'Water Safety Day'. For me this day is meaningful, not just because it teaching them how to save their life if they fall in the water, but because it is the only day of the year that I see some of the children smile. To give them this gift of joy is priceless.

                                                               (Photos by Linh Tran)

Sunday 14th June was CEF's 'Water Safety Day'

CEF's 'Water Safety Day' was a great success on Sunday with all the children learning water safety theory, most mastering floating and some started to learn a little swimming.

They played many games in the water and on the beach and had a wonderful time.

We had 11 teachers from 'Swim Vietnam' to do the teaching, as well as 7 western volunteers and 2 Vietnamese volunteers in the water with the children too.  We also had other volunteers on land who helped prepare morning tea, fresh lime juice, lunch and organize the printing of a group photo for everyone and then added that into a photo frame.  Our volunteer photographer of the day was Linh Tran who took wonderful photos for us all morning. We now all have photos to remind us of this special day that helps to keep the CEF children from drowning. 

Big thanks to all who helped on this important day, and especially to our donors who made this day possible and a great success. 

                                     

                                                               Photos by Linh Tran