Visit to Orphanage

Today, we brought the items donated and purchased by parents of TAK and ASYC to the orphanage. The sisters and the children welcomed us warmly.Some parents came along with us too and made personal donations - very kind of them.

TiniWorld @ Aeon Mall

Today, ASYC brought our students out for a morning of fun at the newest shopping mall in Ho Chi Minh City - Aeon Mall. TiniWorld was our destination, and it is also the newest branch in the city. This indoor playground is big and has many different rooms catering to the different preferences of their little visitors. Enough of words ... let's go on to the photos!

Charity Project 2014 - Orphanage

In Dec 2013, we embarked on a fund-raising campaign to raise funds for our Christmas Charity Project for the Camillo Home for the Aged. The campaign was a success thanks to all parents' support. With the money raised, we were able to buy food and supplies for the old folks at Camillo and also a bag of goodies for each of them.

We still have funds left over from this project. I went with Ms Tham and Ms Trang to recce more homes where we could help. Our main objective was to find homes that really needed help, not those that are already well supported. We visited one home in District 8 but found it to be quite well supported.

Next, we visited an orphanage in Hoc Mon. It looked to be in quite decent shape. However, when we spoke to the some of the sisters (Catholic nuns), we found that the building was built with the donations of kind supporters and land donated by an old lady who still lives in the building. This building houses 23 orphans and 20 nuns. They are self-supporting and rely on donations of well-wishers and churches. The sisters run a small childcare centre for the poor nearby. Whatever little school fees they earn go towards the upkeep of the orphans and themselves.

A decent place to live in but they lack funds
for daily upkeep of the orphans

Agent Orange baby abandoned by mother.
His fingers are all fused into a lump on each hand.

These orphans were happy to see visitors.
I think they don't get many visitors.

Some orphans are also handicapped physically and mentally.

One of the sisters looking after the orphans.
She doesn't look 72, does she?

Excited kids

Sweet little girl

We will buy some food and supplies like milk and diapers for this orphanage. We have set aside Thu 27 Mar 14 for our next visit there. Parents' help are needed again - this time, we want to collect old clothes and toys for the orphanage.

Tet Fun Fair 2014

I cannot believe how fast time flies. It seemed like a short while ago that we had our Tet Fun Fair 2013, and now it's 2014. The weather was great today and contributed to the festive mood. This year, we bought more prizes ... and ended up with so many prizes unclaimed. Which is a good thing, as everyone went home happy. Less words, more photos ... so here they are ...

A day before Tet Fun Fair

It's a day before Tet Fun Fair 2014 and everyone is busy preparing for the big day tomorrow. Every year, it seems our Tet Fun Fair gets better by the look of the preparations.

Mr Ngon is THE man again, putting
up all our Tet Fun Fair deco, and it
is really hard work.

Free Photography Session

Thanh Truc Photography Studio came over today to take free portraits for our students, complete with costumes and make-up. It's a fair deal. They take free photos and give parents a free 4R photo of their children. In return, we give them permission to sell to parents a bigger portrait of their kids if they so wish to buy. A win-win situation.

The classroom-turned-studio

The first Snow White and Red Riding Hood(?) ... with no hood

And another Snow White...

...and another Snow White!

This is how you salute

...and yet another Snow White!

If it's too big, the clip is the handy solution!