Sponsor's update from Dong Hoi, Vietnam

Child sponsorship update from the SOS Children's Village Dong Hoi, Vietnam from Christmas 2008.

Dear Friends,

The appearance of end-of-season thunderstorms and tropical depressions are regarded as the final signs of autumn. Grey winter covers the sky with rather chilly wind and early coldness. Another Christmas is coming. It is a blessed Christmas season that will be warmed up by your kindness and the innocent smile of kids in cozy atmosphere of SOS family. As usual, we would like to give you some recent events taken place at our beloved village in the year of 2008.

Happy home for children
With the scale of 12 family houses forming a village community, now SOS children’s village Dong Hoi is a home for 102 children. More 27 children have been welcomed and classified into 11 houses in 2008. The number of children increases day by day, thus, role of mothers is very important in connecting all members in their family. Mothers express their love by skillfully talking and sharing children’s obstacles and feelings. Daily contacts helps mother sympathy with children’s stories. All factors above made a great contribution to ease children’s homesick as well as their initial inferiority complex. Children gradually catch up with new lifestyle in their new home.

Everyday, children stand in a queue and walk along small path forward their school where intelligence gate always welcomes them. The road to school is filled with joyful talks and laughter of children. Local citizens seem to be familiar with the event that SOS mother take their children to school despite rainy or sunny day. It is an ordinary and simple image but very meaningful when mentioning to SOS children’s village Dong Hoi.

Academic performance and moral education
Academic performance of children is always considered the top priority in village’s objective operation. All coworkers and mothers have found many methods to help children get better results.

Children abide schedules for self-teach regulated by village. All newcomers keep pace with new curriculum at school. Teachers also pay attention to encourage them in study. The result is as followed: 16 % of excellent, 35% of advanced; 36% of average and 13% of under average. Two children were granted scholarships by Recontres du Vietnam Fondation Vallet. 10 children were given scholarships by Ho Chi Minh city Television Station Youth Union under a torch relay entitled ‘Vietnam’s bright torch following the steps of Uncle Ho’.

Family’s activities have become stable. Most children well obey regulations of family and village as well as school issued. The elder children know how to own their behaviors and well treat to friends and adults. Some are really exemplary in morality, lifestyle and assisting their moms. Significantly, some do good things such as: to help others in need; to become couple of close friends or to refund lost things. Being a good child of family and community village is a wish of each child.

Besides achievements, some remains exist. A few of children do not listen to their mothers and co-workers. They are not self-conscious in study and moral training. However, it is pleasing that they are early aware of wrong behaviors and promise not to make mistakes again.

Festive activities

This year, in line with academic and moral education, our village organised activities in festivals and holidays and SOS anniversaries. Children join seriously. Community spirit is clearly shown in each child. In addition to opening Teakondo, Football, music and painting class, our village also attaches special importance to children’s mental living. We create a healthy environment for kids. Children are attracted by such game as: wonderful conical hat or exciting activities like visiting famous landscapes and joining in summer camp. Above all, children enjoyed a meaningful and useful summer holiday.

Non-stop endeavor
She does not have any special character like other friends at her age. Moreover, she has not gained any outstanding achievements to mention to her name. She is known as a telling little and good-natured girl. All brothers and sisters in family consider her an eldest-sister who is very assiduous in doing housework and is ready to help others. This year, she is 13 years old when she begins to develop physiologically and psychologically. Although she has a good health and seems good-behaved, she is very bad at academic performance. Regarding her study, her capacity is restricted. It is very difficult for her to understand lessons or learn by heart something, hence, she is quite lucky to be moved to next grade.

She always gets bad marks in literature, mathematic or other subjects. It is so hard for her to study that she mostly collects each mark of any subject. Because of being aware of her capacity, she is very anxious. She spends much more time doing homework. Her mom makes best conditions to enable her in grasping lesson. However, time can not win empty minds and intelligence.

She continues to receiving bad result. She feels so sad because of worrying that she can not study in next grader. Despite the fact that her mom stands by her every nights and educators find out suitable methods of education, there is not any improvement. Her result still stays the same. Marks that she gets are expressed by her great effort. Let’s see how hard the girl tried.

She herself is very diligent in her study. She tells her mom that she will not take a siesta and spends that time for review old lesson. She ask her mom to wake her up at 4 o’clock AM to learn by heart. Someday, she is very eager to say that she will try utmost to get higher marks in gymnastics. She knows that the final result is calculated by average marks of all subjects she learnt. Her mom is so sad when she heard those words but how she could do.

This girl was received into our village since she was in class 5. Now she is in class 8. During three school-years, she has been wondering whether she must repeat a class or not. She is anxious when final term comes. Her mother just can encourage her to study according to her ability. Other children in her family love and desire her non-stop endeavor. Above all, she is known as a good example in overcoming difficulties in study and life. It is believed that she will realize her dream in future.

SOS Nursery School

The SOS Nursery School has been a reliable address to parents in locality. The nursery school has applied many solutions to maintain and develop number of children. Children education and care have been effectively carried out. A series of programs are launched, namely, to make lovely toys and tools, to create clean-green-nice environment; to unify relation between children’s family and community village. The nursery school has become a friendly place where small children in village can make friends with outside ones. It is a basic foundation to help children integrate. In the school-year 2008-2009, the nursery school has welcomed 172 children, of which 13 ones from our village.

Children are safeguarded here. Food procession is kept clean. Epidemic prevention is well implemented. Children are cared from each meals and siesta. Moreover, teachers are improved their knowledge by literature sense training course. Teacher can combine special subjects with daily activities. SOS Nursery School has fulfilled their assigned mission.

Here above are our main activities that we would like to share with you during the year 2008. We hope that your generous concern, contribution and our effort would bring more success and joy to our children in the upcoming years. We always think of you and wish you a Joyful and Warm Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Yours truly,

Nguyễn Minh Hiếu
Director
SOS Children’s Village Dong Hoi