Educational and Leisure Activities for disadvantaged children in a poor fishing village

  Vietnam

• Hanoi: 
Hanoi

Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: until June 3, 2010

Description: The Youth House School is a charity school managed by volunteers for street and poor children from the Fisher Village, located under the Long Bien Bridge on the Red River, Ha Noi. These children have no access to formal education system.

The international volunteers will help run the school and will be responsible for keeping the school clean, cooking free lunch for the children, and teaching them basic things about their countries, health, etc. The volunteers will also organize some leisure activities for youth after school. This is a time for cultural exchange and embracing new relationships. The international volunteers will work together with a team of local volunteers, led by a group leader.

The volunteers will teach around 15 children every day. Remember, the children are not used to rules and structure in their households, so volunteers must try to implement this by setting an example. The Youth House is also a place where young local people and international volunteers come to explore the cultural diversity, by teaching the children together or organizing leisure activities, such as taking the children to the swimming pool.

The Red River is the biggest river in Vietnam. The delta is located in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. The city continues to expand with many people coming from the countryside into the urban area. This however, is an expensive endeavor with the government imposing a tax on people coming from the rural area to prevent a massive influx of people. Some people decide however to come despite this financial situation and thus must live in house boats at the river to escape from having to pay. Since they do not technically live in Hanoi they must pay for school which is usually free until the age of 12. The entire family must work hours that most people would consider inhumane. The children wander the streets begging and collecting rubbish. An entire family barely makes USD 2 a day. Some of the children are forced by their parents to work and earn money since 4-5 years old.

The project dates are:
March 15 - March 26, 2010
April 12 - April 23, 2010
April 26 - May 7, 2010
May 10 - May 21, 2010
May 24 - June 3, 2010

There is an extra fee of 150 Euro for participation in this work camp, intended to support the hosting organization.

Qualifications: Volunteers should be prepared to work with children having social problems although they are very friendly. The volunteers will work in a different social and cultural environment and have to be flexible. They are expected to be motivated and to participate actively in the running of the project.

Cost in US$: USD 290

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Motivated to work voluntarily within an international team, tolerant, open-minded and cooperative young person with adventurous spirit.

Age Range: 18 and over

This Program is open to American and Canadian Participants.

Participants Travel to Vietnam Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups

CADIP - Canadian Alliance for Development Initiatives and Projects's Mission Statement: CADIP promotes peace, cooperation, tolerance and understanding in international, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural surroundings. The organization also promotes patterns and examples of civil activities focused on serving others, on building social ties and strengthening communities, on supporting civil society development. Aims and general objectives: * To promote volunteering as an expression of civic contribution * To strengthen the international contacts among young people * To build tolerance and understanding in multicultural and multi-ethnic surroundings *To promote multiunderstanding among youth all over the world * To facilitate the individual growth of the volunteers through the acquisition of work, life and learning skills * To work for the recognition and promotion of non-formal learning * To support the community initiatives and assist in community development.