ARTEA event

Our ARTEA event, auctioning off tea-oriented art work is over, but still there is artwork for sale. Do get in touch if interested as we still are raising funds for education scholarships for ethnic girls from Dong Giang, and all funds donated will be matched! Fundraising ends 30th July 2022.

Here are some photos of a most enjoyable and interesting evening at The Hill Station Hoi An.  Thank you to all who made this late afternoon - early evening event a success!

This is the fundraising site where all funds raised are matched: https://doterrahealinghands.org/.../educating-ethnic-girls

If interested in any of the unsold work mentioned here do get in touch, and there is a bit more too: cef.vn.usa@gmail.com

(A few photos Graeme took early on)

Early at the exhibition

Art work by a CEF student that was sold

Art work by a CEF student that was sold

Art work by a CEF student that was sold

Art work by a local professional photographer that was donated and sold

Art work by a CEF student that was not sold

Art work by a CEF student that was sold

    

                                                                     At the exhibition

Student are work from HAIS student, unsold

                                                       Art work by a HAIS student, unsold

Supporting more girls from ethnic communities

 Only yesterday CEF decided to help more ethnic girls receive scholarships at one of the schools we visited recently in Dong Giang, in the mountains of Quang Nam, a district with a large Co Tu ethnic community.

We are all thrilled that we can help more girls from the surrounding poor communities continue their high school education and hopefully go onto university.

When they are from families who are struggling to make ends meet, they are under a lot of pressure to drop out of school, whether that pressure is from parents or siblings, or self-induced.

We look forward to working with this high school and their Co Tu students.

Photos are by Graeme Burn 

Photos include the school building, school meeting hall, students, and home of one student

 

 

Home visits in Hiep Duc

 Here are a few photos from our CEF home visits in Nong Son district, one of the mountainous areas CEF work in. Due to Covid I had not been to the homes of these sponsorship students for two years, so it was a treat to see them!

This period of Covid and social restrictions has been a strange time for us at CEF, as normally we see our students four times a year and sometimes more. Having not seen them for so long, I missed the home visits and families, their sweetness, warmth and humor. 

Survey trip for new scholarship program

We at CEF are expanding our Scholarship Program to include more students from ethnic communities in Quang Nam to help them receive a full education. 

Students from ethnic communities are disadvantaged, resulting in a high drop out rate, early marriage, and the continuation of the poverty cycle of their families. 

Our first research trip was to Hiep Duc, a beautiful mountainous region where the ethnic communities are mainly Mnong and Xo-Dang.

These few photos are from this CEF research trip at the homes of girls we visited and in the surrounding countryside. 

About a granny's love

 One of our CEF students wrote this about her dear granny, and CEF's staff Lua translated this touching story:

There are three in my family including my granny who is over 80, my mother, and me. My mother is a single mum. She is also the main provider, so she works hard every day, rain or shine.

Since my birth my granny is the one who has spent most of her time taking care of me and talking to me. I'm lucky that I have her as she has always been by my side. She is the one who educated me to be who I am today. 

I grew up with my granny's love, songs, stories, and her food. I learned from observing her attitude, gestures and kindness when she related with other people. Granny always listens and is gentle with people. I learned by heart all of her stories and they helped enrich my knowledge of history, culture, and especially Vietnamese customs and traditions. Also she taught me to be polite and kind to others and reminded me many times about being grateful for other people’s help and appreciate the fruits of my and other’s hard work and efforts. 

Time has flown by and now my granny is so old and I’m in grade 11. I am so proud of my family and even though we are poor, my granny is always ready to help others when she can. I hope my granny will remain healthy and conscious until I can work and have the money to take good care of her.

Some of the Scholarship students

 A CEF scholarship helps a girl from an ethnic community in Phuoc Son district, near the Vietnam-Laos border remain in high school.

We want to help more girls this term to help them avoid premature marriage and childbearing ( early marriage is a tradition in their communities),  and reduce their risks of being trafficked by supporting them to remain in high school.eA CEF scholarship helps a girl from an ethnic community in Phuoc Son district, near the Vietnam-Laos border remain in high school.

We want to help more girls this term to help them avoid premature marriage and childbearing ( early marriage is a tradition in their communities), and reduce their risks of being trafficked by supporting them to remain in high school.

Contact:

Linda Burn

c.e.f.vietnam@gmail.com

(Photos are of some of the girls from ethnic communities in the scholarship program at present, some who have help and some who need help still)

Where has the year gone?

 Thanksgivng always reminds me that it's nearly the end of the year. It also is a reminder to stop and think about the year, and although there might have been challenges, to think about all the good, all the kindness and generosity CEF has received, but also the sweet appreciation expressed by the students and their families.

This year CEF was affected by Covid in many ways, but close to everyone worldwide has been affected in some way. We received amazing support from both donors and sponsors for our families who are without incomes or on such small ones that they couldn't manage to pay the bills or eat enough. Many were eating two meals a day of just a little rice and vegetables topped with fish sauce. Here a little money goes a long way and the support over the year has been greatly appreciated by them.    

To CEF for her sponsor: Ngoc’s father wants to say thank you so much to her sponsor for his help over this difficult time. Her sponsor not only cares and helps Ngoc with her education fees but also supports the family.  He is willing to help when Ngoc’s family is in need. At the moment, dad is looking for a building job, but according to him, due to the effect of the Covid lockdown, it is very difficult to find one. It is also the rainy season now, and people don’t want to repair or build new houses. He told me that there has been a ‘Covid season’ and a ‘wet season’ this year, which he has meant he couldn’t make ends meet at all. Therefore, he expressed his deep gratitude to the sponsor and CEF for being very helpful, and thanks to that, his children have enough food every day.

Then there were all the funds for good second hand laptops, or laptops themselves, for our students in university and for some who had to study at home and had no internet cafes nearby. 

Back in the day when I got the letter of admission to be accepted into Da Nang University of Foreign Languages and Studies, my mum was thrilled, but also apprehensive about my university costs and that I had to live far from home. I did research and found myself stressed when I saw it was essential to have a laptop to study, do assignments, and prepare for presentations.

For the first few months at university, I was upset because most of my classmates bought new laptops to help them with their studies. Sometimes, I had to go to the internet shop or borrow a computer from my friend to complete my assignments. I did not find it easy because most students were busy with their research, so it was difficult for them to lend me their computers, and I completely understood that.

At this time, my mum was struggling to feed the whole family three meals a day, so how could I dare ask her for a laptop. However, I was surprised and happy to receive a used one from CEF when I was doing my military training course in November 2019. I still remember that moment and could not believe how I got a big gift like that. When I returned home to where the laptop was, it was so funny, as when I opened the laptop and looked at it, I laughed with happiness for almost a day.

Thanks to CEF, my studies became much easier and more interesting, especially for the last two years when we had to take online lectures due to COVID 19. Having a laptop, I have been able to attend all online classes and finish my tasks successfully. Learning the Japanese language is also a challenge because I lacked opportunities to practice or find sources of materials on the internet. Nonetheless, after receiving the computer, I could download many videos and practice my listening and speaking skills via online groups. As a result, I have progressed with my studies and results over the last three semesters.

I promise to keep this present carefully and use it more effectively for my studies. Again, thank you so much!

We truly have been blessed and are very grateful for all the care and support we have received. Whenever we need help you have been there for us. Thank you!