HOW is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in the USA, whose staff consists of all volunteers. Its mission is to provide hope and care to neglected, abandoned, and orphaned children in deprived areas of the world with a specific focus on VietNam. I had thought about volunteering for years before I actually did anything about it. Even when I think back to how scary that first trip was, I still really wish I had done it years sooner. I hear this exact thing from our HOW volunteers every year. So, I am going to answer as many of the questions I have heard from volunteers as I can here and explain what you can expect from a HOW VIP trip.
The work for volunteers starts long before they arrive in Vietnam. You will need Tetanus, Typhoid and Hepatitis A and B vaccinations for travel in South East Asia. The volunteer programm from start to finish is 11 days so with travel included either side, you will need 2 weeks free and will book your own flights. You will also need a visa to enter Vietnam. Probably the most important though is fundraising, please visit our website for great fundraising ideas here : http://helpinghow.com/get-involved/fundraise/ And the earlier you start the better! We have 100 ideas for fundraising and can provide t-shirts and official charity posters and brochures. Although it sounds like a lot of work, you will have help and advice every step of the way and I promise it is all worth it. Grounded on core values of respect, love, and service to the elderly, the Xin Yue Senior Citizen Service Center of Chongqing promotes social work services for senior citizens and builds harmonious living environment for them.
Every students likes the Spring Festival. They not only get to eat good food, hang out with their friends, and wear new clothes, but they also get gift money from the adults. They would normally buy things they liked with the money, but something was different this year. Two student volunteers gathered their schoolmates to buy glutinous rice flour and fillings with their gift money. With the help of the Center, they visited senior citizens and made rice dumplings together and enjoyed their time together. Ms. Zhou focuses on mental and psychological counseling for woman in rural areas.
After the Chinese New Year, a relative of my daughter’s friends contacted me regarding the education of her children. She is a migrant young mother with 3 children. She brought in her second child, an 11-year-old girl, to see me. The mother said she had been in Grade 1 for several years and had not moved up to Grade 2. She had tried to discipline her physically, which was no help to her studies. “She doesn’t know how to learn!” her mother told me in Cantonese. After talking to the child, I found out that she is mentally retarded and could not learn like normal children. According to her mother, she was placed in foster care with several relatives when she was only 10 days old. She got a high fever for several days when she was 2 years old. She went missing when she was 6 years and was sent home by the policemen. She had no friends at school and was often bullied by her sister and brother. When I put my arm around her shoulders and spoke with her, she looked up at me with a smile. My tears started rolling - poor child. Yesterday, the girl’s mother called and said her daughter mentioned me several times and begged to come visit me again. The biggest problem for the child is lack of love. In the south, the situation of “son preference” is more serious than it is in the north. Some families have several girls who are usually neglected by their parents, and many are emotionally hurt. I do need to tailor my treatment methods to meet the needs of these young girls and their families. Original article written by Zhou Yonghong, translated by Maggie Li, and edited by Yanyan Zhang Little Red Scarf provides financial support and encouragement to children suffering from congenital heart disease. In addition, they provide families with post-operative care and help the children sustain a healthy lifestyle.
There were 12 children discharged from hospital in December, 2011. We conducted a telephone interview with each of the families after a year. How are they doing after the operations and how are their lives? 283 Yuanxiao Discharge time: 12/16/2011; Telephone review: 01/24/2013; Recent developments: Yuanxiao is 5 years old. His grandfather said he was in good health and had no colds. He ate more and was gaining more weight. The Disabled Persons Artistic Performance Troupe was established to display the artistic talents of individuals with disabilities. The troupe's aim is to spread appreciation for the hard work and talents of the disabled and give them attention and affirmation.
On January 30, 2013, Zhang Jun prepared some gifts for the new year. Carrying the gifts into the car, we sent them to the families of our friends with disabilities. When visiting each of the families, Zhang Jun expressed his concern for their needs and difficulties. Compared to the gifts we had distributed in previous years, we prepared more daily necessities and included a box of bean pasty and a box of dried vegetable. We also specially included a set of DVDs on the development of local traditional cultures which provided a spiritual course for our disabled friends. We then visited Song Xiling’s family. Song Xiling's leg was amputated because of neurofibroma, and the other leg was swelling seriously due to the tumor. She and her daughter had to make a living through subsidies from the government. Zhang Jun asked about the daughter, Xiao Xiao; and seeing the happy child, he could not help but smile. Thanks to Zhang Jun’s efforts, the girl became an optimistic girl from a child who used to speak just a few words. They talked a lot about future and filial duty, which encouraged Xiao Xiao to study harder. She hoped to give her mother a better life and share her love to other people in need. Before leaving, Zhang Jun gave the tuition fees to Xiao Xiao. He never seeks fame or return for his philanthropic acts. When we express our gratitude to him, he always says, “That’s what I should do.” His deeds have moved a lot of friends, and he inisists on helping more people. Zhang Jun’s philanthropic acts indeed provide huge encouragments to people with disabilities. Thank you! Original article written by Ruifang Zhang, translated by Maggie Li, edited by Yanyan Zhang The Jingjieniao Home provides services for the mentally handicapped from poverty-stricken families. The organization is dedicated to improving their spirit and living standards and advocating for every disabled individual to have adequate access to social resources.
After the Chinese New Year holiday, I reflected on our service activity where a couple of Canadian volunteers brought gifts for Bobo. Bobo’s mother came to pick him up afterward (seen in photos below). Bobo loved the gifts from the international volunteers. Our organization bestows honor to the international volunteers for their devotions. Each volunteer receives an elegant gift with the Home’s logo and they love the gift. Original article written by Zhaohao Feng, translated by Maggie Li, edited by Yanyan Zhang According to their motto - “Love, truth, and service to community” - Xingyang Volunteers Federation works to enhance people’s sense of social responsibility through providing them various volunteer opportunities.
Based on an informant, we went to Jinhua Road to look for homeless people to provide them with blankets and clothes. When we arrived at the scene, we didn’t see anyone. We asked the street sanitation workers who cover this section of the city to call us as soon as they see homeless people. |
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