ACCV - the journey so far......

They can see a Brighter Tomorrow...

2012-01-30T03:32:00.000-08:00

Our Brighter tomorrow programme works with real families living in poverty. They are dealing with the stress of having a very sick child along with the incredible burden of being incapable of paying for medical treatment. We can only imagine…

It is extremely rewarding to see a seriously ill child go from strength to strength. To see parents obvious relief as they realise that there is help at hand for them and their child. As our programme at the National Paediatric hospital is now well into it’s second year we are beginning to receive many positive feedback stories. We’d like to share some of them with you.

Your money is very well spent, 100% of all donations go to ACCV programmes. There are almost 100 children in our programme, there are 500 seriously ill children waiting for our help.

Our annual Hanoi fundraiser will take place Friday 30^th of March at the Australian Embassy Hanoi. We are looking for volunteers to help us to make this night a succesful event

We’re looking for donations too, but that’s nothing new...

Kind regards

Alison, Rose & the ACCV team

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English Club Topic: Traditional Vietnamese Tet...

2012-01-20T07:14:00.000-08:00

The year of the Dragon is about to begin. It will be the sixth lunar new year for ACCV & our friends in Hanoi. Each year has brought about a number of new developments for ACCV, while some were great, others have been quite challenging.

A definite highlight of last year was the development of our ACCV English Club at British Council. It has been a wonderful success for all involved. Dat & Hong have stepped up beautifully in their new role as leaders, with full support of Matt, Leath, Mai & Huong.

Dat & Hong take turns in preparing a report and sending it through to us. I always look forward to hearing from them. The latest Club topic was Traditional Vietnamese Tet, they did a great job and everyone had a wonderful time!

Here is Dat's report...

Please remember that this young man could not speak a word of English when we met him just a few years ago. Enjoy!

To welcome New Year atmosphere, everyone was very excited when they came to English club to talk about Traditional Tet of Vietnam. However, there were some students who couldn’t come to English club, because they live in other places where so are far from Hanoi city. They didn’t come back home for a long time and they wish to come back their homeland for a family reunion.

In discussion, most of students told that Tet holiday is the most important festival in Vietnam. It has become so familiar to the Vietnamese when spring arrives. During Tet holiday, you can see full of colorful flowers on all streets. Peaches, Apricots and Kumquats are specific trees of Vietnamese Lunar New Year. People believe that it can bring them the luck of life and fortune.

Besides, they also discussed about traditional customs in Tet holiday such as: visiting relative house on the first day of the New Year, ancestral worshipping, wishing New Year’s greetings, giving lucky money to children and elder people, opening the shops…etc. There are many different customs in Tet holiday. Each place has a different custom to welcome the New Year. In additional, they talked about special and meaning of foods in Lunar New year. Chung cake, Day cake, Five-fruit tray are symbol of land, sky and prosperity.

Activities

Every student was very surprised when they were playing an interesting game. The pictures were decorated by their hands. For blind people, it is very difficult to create a picture, but they did very well. It made them feel more confident and happy.

Thank you very much!

Dat Tran.

Chuc mung nam oi 2012 with best wishes from all at ACCV!

Kind regards

Alison, Rose & the ACCV team

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Event planning volunteers....

2012-01-13T23:51:00.000-08:00

ACCV is preparing to host "A Brighter Tomorrow" our second annual fund raising evening in the beautiful grounds of the Australian Embassy on Friday March 30^th

We are looking for volunteers to join the committee to help us to make this event a great success. This will involve planning, managing and hosting a high energy, fun and financially successful event to raise both funds for the children and awareness of ACCV in Hanoi.

The successful applicants will be part of a small committee of people all geared to working together for the success of this event. Each successful applicant will manage a particular aspect of the event.

Scope of work includes:

- Working with a team to develop and implement an event plan.
- Monitor and manage each aspect and stage of the event.
- Oversee smaller committee
- Manage and delegate responsibilities for;

Event correspondence
Donations, sponsorship
Marketing, advertising, promotions
Entertainment
Vendors
Raffles, competitions etc.
Staffing rosters
Event schedule

This is a short term position commencing immediately and culminating at the event on Friday March 30th

If you would like to register your interest please email your CV: accv@bigpond.com

All proceeds will go directly to our “A Brighter Tomorrow” program working with seriously ill children at the National Pediatric Hospital

kind regards

Alison & Rose

100% of donations will go directly to the children of Vietnam

Christmas wishes & gratitude...

2011-12-23T14:38:00.000-08:00

What a year it’s been!

We’ve enjoyed some amazing high’s and some very sad lows, but overall it’s been a very good year for ACCV. Our students are doing so well at their classes and their English Club at British Council is flourishing. A huge thank you to all involved.

Our Christine Edith sponsorship program is now supporting over a hundred children. I still find it quite remarkable that a small amount of money can completely transform lives, yet it does. We’re humbled at the support we receive to help these families. Thank you.

I’d like to offer a special thank you to Mai and the staff in our Hanoi office, they have really been amazing this year. They care very much about the people we are helping, this often willingly extends to outside of work hours. Thank you Mai, Huong, Phuong, Toan, Khanh, Thu, Dat & Hong, you do a wonderful job.

Without dedicated staff, committed volunteers and generous supporters, ACCV simply can not reach those who need our help most. We genuinely appreciate all the support that we have received, whether time, money or gifts in kind. It makes a difference.

We’d like to extend our best wishes for a happy & safe Christmas and New Year to all. We look forward to your continued support in 2012

Kind regards

Alison, Rose & the ACCV team

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A helping hand, not a hand out...

2011-12-17T23:17:00.000-08:00

This has always been our main objective. We want to help people to help themselves, and it's lovely when it works. My favourite type of letter is one that tells us that someone we have been supporting has found the means to stand alone. It really means alot...

I recently received such a letter from Hien a delightful young lady who has shown amazing strength and character in the face of challenges her family has faced. When we met Hien in 2008 she desperately wanted to stay at school, but with two terminally ill younger brothers, the families resources were stretched beyond compare. ACCV been supporting her since, and she's been doing very well.

Dear ACCV,

My name is Hien, one of the children receiving ACCV support during the high-school period in Bac Ninh. My family and I greatly appreciate your help as thanks to this support, I overcame the difficult circumstance and achieved a positive educational result.

I am now learning at a vocational training school and I will complete this course as an accountant in the next two years. Currently, I not only focus on studying, but also doing some extra jobs as I would like to cover the school fees by myself. I am quite busy everyday, I go to school in the morning, go to work in the afternoon and study at home in the evening. Now, my situation has certainly been improved so I would like to share with the other disadvantaged students by withdrawing from ACCV sponsorship.

Again, My parents and I would like to thank ACCV for your help for me over the pass three years. I wish that ACCV will further develop in order to bring the happiness to many many disadvantaged children in Vietnam. Thank you very much

Hien

Well done Hien, we're very proud of her! And we're very pleased that we were able to help.

Once again I would like to extend our thanks, we could not possibly help young people like Hien without your generous support.

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

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Home is where the heart is....

2011-12-10T02:42:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years I have mentioned Quan's mother to you a few times. Duyen is honestly one of the nicest people I have met. And she really does it tough.

It is always a joy to go up and visit the remote village where she lives. We don't get there very often, but it's a highlight to our trip when we do. Although a very poor area, it's such a beautiful part of the country.

Duyen is so proud of the wonderful progress Quan has made and the nice life he has built for himself. She is always so happy to see us, and we're given a very warm welcome (granted, we do have Quan with us). This visit Duyen had quite a houseful, we had staff, friends and family with us, it was a fun crowd.

Duyen takes so much pleasure from visits from Quan and his friends. She loves watching him mix with everyone, and she just beams when he chat's to us in English, you can see the pride on her face. It's so nice to be part of it all, they're very close.

We had a lovely chat that afternoon, she was telling us how hard it was when Quan first went to live in Hanoi, she cried every day. When you think about it, it was such a leap of faith for her to let him leave with us. But she did, and they've never looked back. She again told us how thankful she is for the help we have given to Quan.

Now we would like to help her....

This is Duyen's family home. It's a small timber shack and as you can imagine, it's boiling hot in summer and it's freezing cold in winter. When Quan goes home for New Year in February, the cold plays havoc with his arthritis. There is just no escape from the elements.

We'd really like to change that.

For less than $1,500.00 we can build a solid concrete little building where Duyen and her invalid husband can live.

If you would like to donate towards a secure home for Quan and his family this Christmas, please make a donation and simply mark it "Quan's home"

Hoping all is well in your world.

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

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Winners, grinners & raffles....

2011-12-04T23:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much to those who attended the Vidotto Group charity event on Friday evening. And to those who purchased raffle tickets.

It was a lovely evening and we raised over two thousand dollars- enough to fund the hospital treatment for little baby Huyen!

Huyen recently suffered kidney failure as a result of undiagnosed diabetes. She has spent time in intensive care and while she is not out of the woods she has been doing very well with treatment.

Her parents are very young farmers living in poverty. They simply do not have the resources to pay for their child’s medical care. Yesterday we notified them that ACCV will finance the ongoing expenses related to Huyens hospital stay. We will also endeavour to find a sponsor for her ongoing medical costs.

Huyen’s parents were both delighted and relieved at receiving this news. They have asked us to pass along their sincere gratitude.

Thank you! Thank you! .... Lou, Alison & all at Vidotto Group (& of course baby Huyen and her parents :)

kind regards
Alison & Rose

If you would like to sponsor a child...

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Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covered by the Vidotto family

Make your Christmas easier & their life better ......

2011-11-26T01:02:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to believe that once again it’s time for Christmas shopping. We’d like to make your life easier this Christmas, & you can make a child’s life easier, for life….

Purchase a Gift Card from ACCV as a Christmas gift for family and friends. Simply make a donation, you can choose the amount of money you spend, and how it is spent.

Have a scroll through the sample Gift Card’s and the list of suggested donations and what that money will buy.

~~~~~~~

You can nominate your gift to go directly to our projects for blind students.

$10.00 will buy a Braille board and paper for a blind student.

$25.00 will pay for protein and fruit for a seriously ill child.
$50 will pay for a blind student to attend school for a month.

$100 will pay for a digital voice recorder for a blind student.

$500 will pay for an English language course for ten blind students.

~~~~~~~

You can nominate your gift to benefit seriously ill children at the Paediatric Hospital.

$25.00 will buy protein & fruit for a seriously ill child.

$50.00 will pay for nutritional support for a seriously ill child.

$100.00 will fund a child's medical care for three months.

$150.00 will pay for initial treatment for a seriously ill child.

$360.00 will sponsor a seriously ill child for a year.

~~~~~~~

Or your gift can assist young teenagers with a Vocational Education Programme.

$50.00 will pay for rent and educational expenses for a month.

$125.00 will pay for a Vocational Education Programme , including course materials

When you have made your selection, simply make the donation and email us the details. We can create the Gift Card and email or send it directly to you for you to personalise your message. Or if you would prefer, you can send us the information and we will send the Gift Card on your behalf.

Alternatively, you can make a general donation to assist us in supporting the many young people we are helping to break the cycle of poverty.

We are happy to personalise your voucher to suit you

.
kind regards
Alison & Rose

MAKE A DONATION

Tax Deductible Donation

(please drop us a quick email so that we can acknowledge your kindness)

Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covered by the Vidotto family

Building bridges, breaking barriers...

2011-11-18T22:45:00.000-08:00

You've all heard me talk about Brian and the wonderful support he's given to ACCV over the years. As well as being a good guy, he's also a great educator, teaching his students about life as well as school work. His classroom is a great environment. One that he has kindly invited ACCV into a number of times.

I couldn't think of a better forum for our blind staff members to make their first solo ACCV promotional appearance. This is another big first for Hong & Dat. They've come such a long way, we're all so proud of them. They really are pioneers for young blind people in their community. Brian's young students have never met blind people who are as confident & engaging as Dat & Hong.

Blind people in Vietnam are not usually educated speakers of English, planning trips to Australia. A visit to a classroom like this breaks down those stereotypical images of toothpick & broom making blind people. It is an invaluable tool that is vital in changing the lives of young blind people in Vietnam.

Mai sent me this lovely report. It was such a positive experience for everyone involved, I wanted to share it with you.

So, in Mai's own words.....

Good morning,
Yesterday Hong, Dat and I had a great time with the children at Brian's school.

When we came to the gate, Brian and one of his pupils helped us go to the class. All the children warmly welcomed us, saying hello so nicely. Dat and Hong were sitting among the children and they were happy about this. We started the talk with introduction through the slide show about Alison and Rose, why ACCV was established and the goals of ACCV.

Dat and Hong guided the children how to write and read Braille. The children were excited about learning the language of the blind.

At first the children were confused by the Braille reading alphabet and writing alphabet (they're opposite), However; they were intelligent enough to turn back the reading alphabet copies and then they had the written alphabet.

The children began to write their names and other sentences in Braille, and gave them to Dat and Hong to check. Dat told me, one of children wrote in Braille " I will donate for you in the future". It is so lovely.

At the end of the talk, Brian told the children how they could do charity work while I was giving ACCV brochures to the children and other teachers.

I was very impressed by one child, he stood up and shared his experience of doing charity work. I recognized that boy, his parents are sponsors for two of our sick children. This family came to visit our office and the family of the sick children they sponsor. Toan and I came with them also on this visit.

Before we left, the children gave Hong a beautiful flower bunch.

Ohhh how cool the children were!

Kind regards
Alison & Rose

If you would like to sponsor a child...

MAKE A DONATION

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Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covered

So of course we said yes...

2011-11-06T17:40:00.000-08:00

As previously mentioned, we have a program at the National Pediatric Hospital in Hanoi where we fund medical expenses for seriously ill children.

Here’s how it works;

The hospital notifies us of a family living in poverty.
We go to the hospital and interview the family.
We agree to assist the family with funding medical care for their child.
Each time the family visits the hospital an ACCV staff member updates their profile.
We then try to find a sponsor to help support the ongoing medical costs for the child.

Sponsorship doesn’t cost a lot of money, thirty dollars per month will cover the cost of insulin, hospital visits, even food and transport costs when a family is really struggling. It’s enough to keep a child healthy, and alive.

The process is supposed to be fairly straightforward. But like all well laid plans…..

There are always unforeseen situations and expenses. It’s difficult to stick to a budget when you’re dealing with real children, facing very real consequences.

Our office manager Mai was enjoying her weekend when she received a frantic call from the young father of a baby girl we have recently agreed to sponsor. Huyen is just seven months old. She has been diagnosed with diabetes.

On Sunday her parents made the long trip to the hospital because the baby was so unwell. It turns out that she is gravely ill. She needs immediate hospitalisation and hemodialysis. Her little kidneys are in serious trouble.

Her distraught father has been running around borrowing money from relatives, friends and any other avenue he could find so that he can pay for her treatment. But he has fallen far short of the amount that is needed for his baby.

Less than one thousand dollars.

In desperation, he phoned Mai and asked if ACCV will help the family to pay for the baby’s emergency hospital care.

Of course we said yes…. with fingers crossed for little Huyens recovery.

Kind regards
Alison & Rose

If you would like to sponsor a child...

MAKE A DONATION

Tax Deductible Donation

(please drop us a quick email so we can acknowledge your kindness)

Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covere

Living the dream... ACCV English Club goes to British Council...

2011-10-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

We've had a wonderful development in regards to the ACCV English Club....

British Council Vietnam has very kindly offered their support and cooperation. This is huge for us. From being squashed in our tiny office, our blind students will now enjoy the wonderful facilities offered to British Council students.

You can imagine the joy and excitement this has brought to our students. They never imagined they would find themselves wandering the halls of a school like British Council (me neither). The past week or so has been a hive of activity with plans for our introductory/training session and the commencement of the English Club this week. Both have gone extremely well.

British Council staff have been wonderful, they have extended a genuine hand of friendship to ACCV. This has not only included access to classrooms and resources, but a real appreciation for the needs of our students. The introductory session was attended by many of the British Council staff, including management, teaching, administration and security. We were welcomed right across the board.

Dat & Hong are taking on a leadership role with English club, with full support of Mai & Huong. Our teacher Matt is facilitating along with British Council staff. Teamwork at it's best.

British Council staff did very well with their Braille exercises :)

My heart was in Hanoi thinking about the students as they headed off for their first day. They loved it!

They're living the dream....

I received this lovely report from Dat after their first session.

The early days of English club were held at ACCV’s office; however; the space is not large enough to cover the club. Fortunately, ACCV has received the support from British Council and today we are very happy to attend the first club at British Council.

I consider that the first club was successful at British Council. English club is really useful for blind students, everybody was very happy.

They can discuss, listen and speak English.

The students were self-confident to introduce themselves and asked others some questions when they introduced. They learnt more knowledge from the first English club. All students could understand some differences between American English and British English from Mr Leath and Matt. They helped a lot on correcting speaking skill.

English club has created a friendly atmosphere. We also played some fun games and everybody enjoyed it. We all had a good day with a lot of English practice and laughs.

I do believe that our club at British Council will bring English closer to blind people.

Thank you very much.

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

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Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covere

Back on their feet......

2011-10-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

Our goal at ACCV is to help people who are unable to help themselves. We support them through difficult times so that they don't slide further into poverty. Sometimes it gives them what they need just to hold things together for a while.

It is always great news for us when their circumstances change for the better and they no longer require our assistance. Like little Tuan and his grandmother who we have been supporting for the past few years...

Dear ACCV,

Today, I write you to show my deep gratitude to you for your valuable support for my grandson over the past time.

From receiving your support, it made Tuan deeply understand the value of help as well as difficulties when a person has to suffer from disadvantage circumstance. Now my family is much better than before so I would like to share with the other disadvantaged children by withdrawing from ACCV sponsorship.

Again, I highly appreciate ACCV’s support and hope that ACCV will further develop in order to help many more disadvantage children in Vietnam. Thank you very much

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

MAKE A DONATION

Tax Deductible Donation

(please drop us a quick email so we can acknowledge your kindness)

Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covere

Role models....

2011-10-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

A few days ago we held a conference with the Vietnamese government in regards to our English language programme for blind people. There were a number of guest speakers, some of them quite highly placed with impressive titles etc.. But there was absolutely no doubt who were the shining stars of the day.

Everyone in attendance was most impressed by our very own students Dat and Hong. They presented their speeches clearly, proudly and completely in English! I must confess that I sat there bursting with pride. Just a couple of years ago they were very shy and could not speak a word of English.

My how times have changed. Both Dat and Hong have kindly agreed for me to share their speeches with you. Enjoy.

Dear Sir and Madam,

Today I feel so honored to stand here on behalf of other members in my class and would like to give some personal opinions about learning English.

Firstly, I would like to share my experiences of learning English which I have collected during my time “wrestling” with this language at English class.

If you want to master English, the first thing you should do is overcome your fear, your shyness and feel free to speak out. Some people have trouble learning English just because they are afraid of not speaking it correctly as the native speaker or worry that others will criticize their English. Surely the result can not be positive. You lose your self-confidence and your interest in practicing English is gone. I think the best way to master English is to always practice and try to make some time in your daily plan for a regular practice.

Secondly, try to apply all the efficient learning methods. You learn English not only in English class but everywhere, including at home, and on the streets. In fact, there are a lot of methods and English learning materials which can support you a great deal on the way to mastering this language.

Thirldy, create and English space around you, for to learn English efficiently you must constantly interact with it. For example, you can take notes in English, read books written in English and listen to English radio programs. Listening to English conversations helps you improve your accent and enrich your vocabulary.

In my opinion, we should learn English with interest and joy. We can not simply force ourselves to learn it without finding any delight or a need for using it. You should feel at ease during the process of mastering English. Don't overload yourself. Learning with joy and comfort will always bring good results.

Well, those are my experiences of learning English that I wanted to share with you. I hope that somehow it will be useful for you and wish you a lot of fun in learning English.

I would like to thank you for your attention. And on this occasion I would love to send my thanks to Thanh Tri Blind Association and ACCV, both of which have been helping us to access English language and have brought brighter prospects in life for many blind people like me.

Sincerely

Dat

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

Today I am very happy to join this Conference and share my thoughts on learning English.

With normal people, learning English is difficult, however, with the visually impaired students, it is much harder. Because we cannot see, so we have to face many difficulties in reading, writing, as well as learning vocabulary, especially the lack of books and materials which also makes it more difficult for us to learn English.

Although a few of them can use computers to help with learning English, not everyone can do that. I myself, when participating in English classes which are sponsored by ACCV at the Blind Association, had to face with difficulties. I have also been frustrated, but thanks to the enthusiastic teaching of teachers and the helps of the volunteer students, I have regained confidence.

Try to expand the vocabularies by learning through books and documents in English, the conversation including the songs that you love and especially to create for yourself an environment of learning English at everywhere that you can. Don't hesitate to speak English whenever you can and you should join the English club that you know. It will also help your English skills get much better. If you can do these suggestions well, I believe that you me and everyone will learn English very well.

I would like to thank to ACCV and thanh tri blind association. You gave me a chance to learn English. It is undeniable that English is very useful for my life.

Thank you very much,

Hong

Dream big........ never give up!

2011-09-23T07:35:00.000-07:00

This is a phrase we have been using for quite a while amongst the blind students They have to dream big to overcome some of the hurdles they face. And they do.

Rose, Dave and I were out at the center catching up with our students yesterday. As always it was a great day, they really are alot of fun.

It was music to my ears when I heard the students use this phrase themselves. The subject matter was a trip to Australia for Hong and Dat, who are both employees of ACCV now.

We have been successful with a proposal we submitted in Australia for them to receive intensive training in advanced Braille and IT. The plan is that they will return to Hanoi with some fabulous skills they can pass along to others in the blind community. The ripple effect will be amazing.

The proposal was only the first step in what we think will be quite a process of approval, fundraising and planning to pull this off. But it was a very important first step.

The second step was to see how Dat and Hong felt about the prospect of heading to Australia to study.

I think this photo tells you exactly how they feel, it was taken moments after we told them the proposal had been approved...

While we were discussing the plans, I mentioned that it could take some time and we had a few hurdles to overcome, the response was ....

"that's okay......We dream big and we never give up"

Watch this space, we'll keep you posted on our progress.

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

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Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covered

A terrible compromise.....

2011-09-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

A little while ago I introduced you to Khoi and the other CAH children who we are supporting. I'm very pleased to say that Khoi is doing really well. She now receives the medicines that are vital to her good health. She was so sick when we met her, it's really lovely to see her doing so well. She is one of the lucky ones...

Khoi's parents are delighted, they now have a chubby, healthy baby.

Khoi's health is completely dependent upon receiving her medication. For children with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) daily medication is essential. Sadly, we've learned that for some families just because something is essential, doesn't mean it is always possible.

We are slowly building our sponsorship programme in an effort to help these children to access the medical care that they desperately need. There are so many children and their families on the waiting list.

Many of the stories are sadly similar....

One family we met has five children, two of them suffer from CAH and require medication every day. The family lives on less than $100.00 per month. To try and stretch the funds across all expenses, including food, housing, education, is difficult. Many families borrow money to pay for their child's medical expenses. The repayment fee adds to the financial pressure.

And something has to give, they have to make a compromise. Most of the children we meet have gone months without their medication because of poverty.It's a terrible compromise, and one that no parent should have to make.

Our goal is to support the medical care and associated costs for these children, while the families establish themselves financially. We want to help them to help themselves. We have had a number of families contact us to thank us for their support and let us know that they can now pay for their child's medical care. They have managed to pay off debts, or go back to work because their child is now well enough to go to school.

Great news! We'd like lots more of it.

Without support, the prognosis for children with CAH is devastating, with medical support there is 100% chance of a normal, healthy life!

If you would like to sponsor a child...

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

MAKE A DONATION

Tax Deductible Donation

(please drop us a quick email so we can acknowledge your kindness)

Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covered

Noodles, links & bicycles...

2011-08-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

Noodle stalls are common place in Vietnam, they seem to appear on most street corners around meal times. The stalls are often manned by old ladies, the food is home made, it's very cheap, and delicious.

In the alley outside our office there are a few such noodle stalls. One of them is staffed by an old lady and a young teenage girl who helps out. The young girl, Trang, has had a difficult time of it. Abandoned when she was a tiny baby, she was raised by her elderly grandmother until that became too difficult, she then went on to live with other relatives.

While helping out at the noodle stall, Trang heard about our English classes and asked our staff if she could please join in. As our classes are designed and developed for blind students that just wasn't an option. But we did manage to find a way to help Trang.

Language link Vietnam has very kindly given scholarships for students who are living in poverty. An English school of this standard is usually far beyond the reach of the kids we deal with. When we spoke to our friend at Language Link on Trang's behalf, they were happy to help. As you can imagine, Trang is delighted to have this opportunity.

Just recently we found out that Trangs class was moving to the new Language Link campus on Yen Phu, quite a distance from where she lives, and a long, long walk. Although we were concerned, Trang was not too bothered by this and assured us that she would make the long trek to class. While we were trying to come up with a better option for Trang one of her teachers at Language Link kindly donated a bicycle to her.

Happy days for Trang!

We've also recently found out that Trang is a very good student, and she really wants to continue her education. ACCV will be helping her along the way...

Kind Regards

Alison & Rose

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Reaching conclusions...

2011-08-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

Recently I received a thank you letter from a young man who we have been sponsoring for the past couple of years.

Manh comes from a small family that has suffered enormous difficulties including death, disability and poverty. When we first met him he desperately wanted to further his education so that he could support his family in the future.

Manh had achieved the necessary high school results to gain entrance into Medical Secondary School (nursing college) but his family was so poor that paying for any sort of tertiary education was way beyond their means. ACCV agreed to fund his education and Manh became a part of our Christine Edith Sponsorship Programme.

Manh has worked hard over the past year and he recently graduated. He now has the qualifications necessary to find a decent job, and make life a little easier for his family.

Dear ACCV Organization,

I have been receiving donation and the great help from ACCV organization. With the great help from ACCV, I can continue going to school and following the job that I chosen.

I will try my best to earn a good job in the future and this is the best way I can express my sincere thanks to ACCV’s help and to my family.

I would like to send to all the members of ACCV organization the best thanks and wishing that you are always healthy. I hope that there will be more young poor students would get kind donation like me to help them to continue going to school.

Thank you, Manh

It's always nice when we have a good outcome from sponsorship, it's what we strive for...

There is no question that Manh's life has changed for the better, thanks to your generous support.

Kind Regards

Alison & Rose

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Teach a man to fish and charge a fortune for the rod...

2011-07-15T04:49:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to wrap my mind around microfinance and how it works. And to be honest it has me somewhat stumped....

I very naively thought that all microfinance loans were given at very low or zero interest.

I was a little more than shocked to find out that the interest rates are extremely high. Apparently the average rates are between 30% - 70% and some are even higher. One company hit the news because they were charging their poverty stricken clients 85% in interest!

I'm not sure why this is, the research I did also states that the default rate on micro finance loans is actually very low, at approximately 1.9%

Let me get this right... help poor people out of poverty by loaning them money to set up a business to earn a living... and charge them a fortune in interest rates?

Am I missing something?

Rose recently told you about one of our blind students Ms Nga and her quest to have a little room of her own. Just a simple place where she can live, socialise and set up her own little business.

We have entered into our first microfinance agreement with Ms Nga and she is now well on her way. Her room is all finished and she's very happy. It's nice for anyone to have a room of their own.

It looks great, and as soon as she has a hundred dollars to buy a massage table (hint, hint) she'll be on her way. She has done very well making her repayments on time.

I never did work out why there was a need for high interest rates.

So we've gone with an interest free loan.

Hope all's well in your world.

Kind Regards

Alison & Rose

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Our very own English Club....

2011-07-03T07:14:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, a young Vietnamese friend invited Rose and I to go along with him to his ‘English Club’. We had never heard the term before. It was a social evening held by a very motivated group of young Vietnamese people. They would meet up each week and spend time together to work on their English language skills. It was well organized, with pre-chosen topics, lively discussion, and a few fun activities, all in English.

Rose and I had a great time that evening and over the years we have talked about how wonderful it would be for our blind students to have their own English club. It has always been part of the plan.

Well here it is!

I’ve previously spoken with pride at the development of our students' language skills. It’s the truth, they have done so well. It is testament to their motivation and skills, along with dedicated teachers how well they have progressed. Our initial group of students now have the language skills that enable them to converse in English, send emails, and even plan their own English club get together…

Each week our students meet up and spend a few hours socializing, chatting and listening to music, all in English. Our staff members Dat Tran and Hong, select the topic and put together a report after the event. It's worth remembering that neither of them could speak a word of English when we met.

Our teachers and staff also kindly give their time to develop this programme and to work with the students so that the English club is both social and educational.

The ACCV English Social club is now well and truly up and running. It includes students from the four language programmes currently running, some students are just beginners, some are now quite advanced. Nevertheless, they are all learning from each other.

And having a great time too!

kind regards

Alison & Rose

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A Rose by any other name.....

2011-06-15T04:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Rose's birthday, it's amazing to say she has turned fifteen. Where did those years go?!

She was just a little ten year old on our first visit to Vietnam, she loved it as much as the rest of us and she was also very involved in our family decision to do something. She's been a fundamental part of ACCV since then, never missing a trip or an update. Sometimes she works really hard for ACCV.

Rose was involved when Quan and the other students began their very first English class, they know her well. She produces Braille materials for the classes and she likes to get to know the students. She was very excited to learn that one of the students was named "Hong" which means "Rose" in English.

Rose and Hong have had a very nice friendship since then, and Rose has taken great delight in Hong's achievements. As I have mentioned on the blog previously, Hong is doing very well and she now works with ACCV part time as she continues her studies.

Yesterday, Rose received this lovely birthday message from Hong, complete with grammar points!

Dear my cute sister.

May I call you like this? I know, Today is your birthday so I wish you

always happiest, luckiest, successful and beautiful.

I'm looking forward to see you in September.

Happy birthday.

When we met Hong she could not speak English at all....

As you can see, our English Language classes for blind students are going very well,
we're so proud of our students!

kind regards

Alison & Rose

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Helping great people to make lemonade....

2011-05-29T04:19:00.000-07:00

By Rose Vidotto...

Have you ever heard the expression “when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade” and wondered what it means? It basically means you should make use of an awful situation to make something good. That is exactly what this very special lady is doing.

On our last trip to Vietnam we met an amazing woman called Nga, she has been through a lot to say the least.
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Nga used to be a successful tour guide living quite a nice life, until tragedy struck. Her only child passed away and like most parents would be, she was so grief stricken could do nothing but pine and grieve for her lost child. She was so devastated, she didn't go to work, she stayed at home and did nothing but cry & cry. Her eyes were so swollen that they became infected, her immune system was weak and sickness took hold. Her husband then left, and her life went downhill further. The infection in her eyes became very severe, like many of our ACCV friends, she sadly went blind due to lack of medical care.

Nga's brother and his wife brought her to live with them and their children in their very tiny home. Here she was loved and nurtured while she built her new life as a blind person. She slowly learnt massage, made new friends and recently she joined the ACCV English language for blind students course.

When we first met Nga, we were astounded by her high level of English and her friendly nature. We soon heard her story and were deeply touched. We wanted to help her, but we didn’t know how. Until we discovered she wanted to renovate a basic room attached to her brothers home so she can practice massage and socialise with her new blind friends because they had nowhere to go to just hang out together.

To our amazement, Nga had already saved approximately 20 million VND and she needed double that for the renovations to begin. She had worked it out that it would take her a couple of years to save the rest. That was when we said that ACCV would loan her 20 million ($1000) and we would set up a small monthly repayment plan for her so the restoration of her room can begin.

She was so happy, she told us that she is so lucky because now good fortune is coming her way!!

Life gave her the lemons, but now she surely is making lemonade.

Kind Regards

Alison & Rose

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How to make a Mother's day....

2011-05-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

I recently received the best email I've had in a long time, I just couldn't stop grinning....

I have mentioned Quan and his mum on the blog a few times. When we first met, her fears and concerns for her child were very real to me, and they were a huge catalyst in the development of ACCV. Like many poor blind people in Vietnam, Quan was leading a very isolated and lonely life. Our initial hopes were for him to make some friends, learn to read Braille and maybe even open up the possibilities of earning a living one day.

Well, over the past few years Quan and his blind friends have blossomed far beyond any of our expectations. They are now living life, going to school, making a living and enjoying a social life that has just included a weekend getaway to go visit the folks!

Quan took along his friends Quy, Dat, Hong, Toan & Mai to visit his family over the holiday weekend. Quy actually comes from a country town near by so it was a dual visit. Mai very kindly documented their trip and sent it to me in this lovely powerpoint presentation.

Enjoy...

It's mothers day this Sunday, I guess it came early for Quan's mum....

Kind Regards

Alison & Rose

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An open letter ......

2011-04-30T02:43:00.000-07:00

ACCV has always been very personal for me, right from the start...

I'm just a mum, who relates to other mum's, who have sick or blind children, and very limited options. When the going gets tough, and sometimes it does, I imagine that if I was living in poverty and I met this Australian women with access to resources to help my child, I'd want her to keep going and do what she had to do to help us.

I had no idea that ACCV would grow as it has, or that we would meet more than 700 children with chronic diseases such as Diabetes & CAH going untreated. Due to poverty.

This is just astounding. A couple of weeks ago a little girl we sponsor died from untreated diabetes, aged 8.

We have met many children suffering with CAH because they are not receiving the necessary medication.

We are trying to connect the people who can help with the people who need help. So I have written this open letter.

Please pass it along to anyone you think may be interested.

Christine Edith Sponsorship Programme

Good evening,

My name is Alison Vidotto, I am the founder of a small Australian NGO operating in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Australian Charity for the Children of Vietnam (ACCV) is a registered charity in both Australia and Vietnam. ACCV works with underprivileged children and teenagers, many of whom are suffering from chronic Endocrine disorders, including Diabetes & Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH).

Our goal is to help as many of these children as we can to access adequate health care and improve their quality of life. Many of these children are not receiving the medicines necessary for them to lead a healthy life, simply because their family is living in poverty.

The impact of a seriously ill child on a family living in poverty has far reaching effects, the family will often borrow large amounts of money, sell off any animals or assets in an attempt to seek medical treatment for their child. The slide into poverty is often inevitable.

ACCV is a small organisation, with limited resources. We have committed to funding medical care for approximately 85 children, there are more than 600 on the waiting list.

We have established a sponsorship programme to finance the medical care and associated costs for these children. This includes hospital check ups, surgery, transportation, nutrition and medication. Sponsorship is available for just $30 AUD per month, tax deductibility is available.

We are hoping to reach out to the wider community in the hope of connecting families here to their poverty stricken counterparts in Vietnam with a view to sponsoring a child.

We would greatly appreciate it if you could help us to spread the word amongst the wider community as we endeavour to help these families.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

Alison & Rose

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Bustin a move....

2011-04-16T04:16:00.000-07:00

A great highlight to every trip to Hanoi is time spent with ACCV blind students. I kid you not, these guys are inspirational. They're doing so well, in so many ways.
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Our visit coincided with the last class of term, so it was a good excuse for a bit of a celebration (not that these guys need an excuse).

This time we had good friends from Colombia, Mayra & Juan in tow. Juan designed our fabulous 'ACCV A Brighter Tomorrow' poster, it was great for him to meet those who benefited from his hours of hard work.

The students instantly welcomed their new guests and jumped at the opportunity to practise their English. It began very sedately, out came the fruit and Choco-Pies, Quan and Dat were getting to know there new friends, Quy was soon showing off his musical talents. Everyone was having a very nice time.

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And to be honest I'm not quite sure what happened....

Suddenly the decks were cleared, the sound system was turned up..

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And the Colombian dance lessons began...
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I have mentioned that our students are very quick learners....

And good teachers of Vietnamese traditional dances too....
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Teachers and students....

Management and guests...

A wonderful time was had by all!

Wishing you well

kind regards

Alison & Rose

A great evening.... for a great cause!...

2011-04-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

The first ACCV annual fundraiser held at the Australian Embassy was a great success. Our goal was to raise funds for our Christine Edith Sponsorship programme.

Interestingly, the event was held on Christine Edith's birthday, which was a wonderful coincidence!

We were honestly humbled at how well the evening went, and at the hundreds of people who turned out in support.

Thanks to our photographer Robert, we can let the photos tell the story....

The evening began in fine form with lots of children's entertainment..

Sing-&-dance along with the fabulous 'Toothpaste' was a major hit...

Our MC for the evening was our very own Australian Ambassador Mr Allaster Cox...

While the Ambassador was a tough act to follow, this talented little dance troop managed to pull it off...

The feast began with a good old Aussie sausage sizzle & salads

There was also plenty traditional Vietnamese delights...

The Ambassador then became auctioneer extraordinaire....

He did very well, as you can see he held a captive audience...

It was a great evening, and we were very sad to see it end!!.....

Our sincere thanks to all concerned, we were truly blessed with the support we received from the Ambassador and Embassy staff, our amazing event committee, donors, supporters, volunteers and guests who all gave so generously. It was without doubt a community effort.

We raised more than $8,000.00 for our programme to provide medicines for chronically ill children at the National Pediatric Hospital. As a direct result of this fundraiser we are able to take on another forty children.

That's forty families who can now give their child the daily medicines that are absolutely necessary for them to lead a healthy life. As we find sponsorship for these children, we will be able to help those who are waiting.

Thank you.

Alison & Rose

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With Gratitude to sponsors of our event.....

2011-04-08T18:25:00.000-07:00

The first ACCV Annual Fundraiser held at the Australian Embassy was a great success. This is of course in no small part to the wonderful contribution from our sponsors. We received many generous donations from local companies, which undoubtedly made the evening a success..... Thank you!!

What's your idea of a Brighter Tomorrow?....

2011-03-31T18:17:00.000-07:00

We asked that question of local school children, and we received some beautiful responses!...

The drawing competition for our A Brighter Tomorrow event at the Australian Embassy this evening has drawn some fabulous responses. It will be a difficult choice for judges selecting the winners... but every child attending the event will receive a prize for their picture.

100% of all funds raised will go to seriously ill children at the hospital

We look forward to seeing you there!!

Kind regards
Alison & Rose

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She's going to have A Brighter Tomorrow! .....

2011-03-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to little Khoi, we met her yesterday. She's actually about 8 weeks old although she looks like a newborn, until you look closely, there's a very sharp little mind there!
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Khoi really connected as she took in my blond hair and round eyes, she looked at me, looked back at her mum, with a what is this? expression on her little face, then she slowly offered a smile.

Khoi's sharp mind will have the opportunity to develop well thanks to sponsorship that will fund the medical support she will need her entire life. It is not complicated medical support, she simply has to take medicines every day to stay healthy and alive.

Khoi was diagnosed with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) an endocrine disorder that is certainly life threatening without treatment. Unfortunately, that basic medical treatment is far beyond the resources of the poverty stricken families we are working with.

Khoi is one of many children with this disorder that we would like to help, we are expanding our Christine Edith sponsorship programme to include a number of children diagnosed with CAH.

Without support, the prognosis for these children is devastating, with support there is 100% chance of a normal, healthy life.

It's mind boggling really!

If you would like to sponsor a child like Khoi...

I hope all is well in your world.

Kind regards
Alison & Rose

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Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covered

Tickets are available ........

2011-03-22T04:16:00.000-07:00

ACCV - A Brighter Tomorrow -

Friday 1st of April at 5.00pm
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Australian Embassy Hanoi

8 Dao Tan St, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
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This event will raise funds for seriously ill children at the National Paediatric Hospital in Hanoi.

100% of donations will go directly to the children of Vietnam.

Cost: 180,000vnd at the door, or pre-purchased tickets only 150,000vnd

Price includes a free drink, door prizes, fabulous live music and lots more!!!

Come along and help the kids, and have some fun!!

Help us to give them a Brighter Tomorrow! ....

2011-03-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

Our annual fund raising event at the Australian Embassy is really beginning to take shape now. We have planned a fun-filled evening for the whole family.

Children and adults alike will have a wonderful time, lots of food, drink and fabulous activities.

Tickets are 180,000VND at the door or 150,000VND if purchased before the event.

We really appreciate your support and we look forward to seeing you there!!

Alison, Rose & the ACCV team

~ 100% of all funds raised will go directly to help seriously ill children ~

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Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covered by the Vidotto family

Friday April 1st.....

2011-02-18T20:06:00.000-08:00

ACCV is currently seeking volunteers to work with us on our upcoming fundraiser at the Australian Embassy Hanoi.

On Friday April 1st, ACCV will host "A Brighter Tomorrow" fund raising evening in the beautiful grounds of the Australian Embassy .

Our goal is to host a well managed, fun and financially successful event to help us support seriously ill children at the National Pediatric Hospital and to increase awareness of the work of ACCV.

We will need a number of volunteers to help us plan and implement the following:

Advertising and Marketing
Promotions
Ticket sales
Entertainment and event activities
Sourcing sponsorship
Raffle and door prizes

We have a fabulous management committee to give direction and support in regards to duties and responsibilities.

This is a short term position commencing immediately and culminating at the event on Friday April 1st

If you would like to register your interest please email:

alison@accv.net.au chau@accv.net.au

kind regards
Alison & Rose

100% of donations will go directly to the children of Vietnam

chúc mừng năm mới....

2011-02-05T19:14:00.000-08:00

Lunar New Year, or Tet, as it is called in Vietnam, is the most important holiday of the year.

It is a time when people return to their families, a time to celebrate and fill the house with good wishes, good food and good company.

Tet is also a time of many traditions, little red envelopes containing ‘lucky money’ handed out to young ones. Traditional baskets and Cumquat trees, for adults and families, small gifts for friends and colleagues…

This year in the lead up to Tet, the ACCV staff have been very busy. They spent time at each of the different Blind Associations where our courses are running and spread the good cheer to staff and students alike.

They made sure that each and every child we sponsor received their lucky envelope and Choco-Pie.

We want to be sure that they all begin the year of the Cat on the right paw!

We have a great team at ACCV, and they wish you all a Happy New Year ....

Best wishes for the year of the Cat....

Kind regards
Alison & Rose

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Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covered by the Vidotto family

Brisbane floods....

2011-01-16T05:34:00.000-08:00

After spending the past week or so dealing with the impact of the floods here in Brisbane, we can finally see our way clear.

We were physically stranded at home for five days as the waters flooded nearby roads, blocking all access. Thankfully, our family is safe, and our home was spared, so we have no complaints at all.

This was my street a few days ago.

As soon as the waters recede, the mud is cleared and power is restored, we'll again be focused on our plans for ACCV in 2011 and the ways in which we can help underprivileged children in Vietnam

Kind regards
Alison & Rose

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Mixed feelings....

2011-01-07T20:43:00.000-08:00

It's day of mixed emotions at ACCV. The day began with a very real dose of sadness and absolute frustration.

And there's a sense of pride in there too...

I recently blogged about a young girl who was terminally ill due to thyroid disease and malnutrition. Her family had asked ACCV to pay for a photograph of her for them to keep.

Sadly, she has passed away.

For such a young life to end due to thyroid disease and malnutrition in this day and age is just untenable. Mai was barely a teenager...

Amongst the absolute sadness on hearing this news, I must say, I was so proud of how Toan handled the whole thing. He has worked with Mai’s family since ACCV became involved in July of last year. He is in fact involved with all the children at the hospital we are hoping to support.

When Mai’s mother called Toan to say she wanted to speak with him, it was obviously a very sad and emotional time for her family. That’s not an easy situation for a young man to walk into. Toan told me, “I felt scared, but I understood that she wanted to share some things with me”. And so off he went to their remote island home to see what they needed and how he could help.

Toan shows great empathy for the people we are working with. He’s just one of life’s good guys and we’re lucky to have him at ACCV.

Before she died, Mai wrote a letter of thanks to ACCV. And she asked if we would help her younger brothers. Sadly, it turns out that they also have thyroid disease. The parents are extremely poverty stricken and can not afford medical treatment for them.

Kind regards
Alison & Rose

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Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covered by the Vidotto family

Another year over, and a new one just begun.........

2011-01-02T18:42:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,
Happy New Year, wishing you all the very best from everyone at ACCV!

I hope you've all enjoyed the Christmas and New Year festivities. After a crazy, hectic year we spent a very pleasant few days as a family away from the crowds on a quiet Queensland beach. A very nice way to re-charge our batteries and welcome in the New Year....

Now it's back to reality to deal with those new year resolutions and our goals for 2011.
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Our major goal for the year is to help as many of the young children waiting in the Endocrine ward of the pediatric hospital as we possibly can. We now have approximately fifty children in our Christine Edith Sponsorship program, and 160 seriously ill children waiting. Hopefully they won't have to wait too long.............. should funds allow.

Our other major program is of course with our young blind students. An absolute source of pride and joy, they are doing so well. So much better than our grandest expectations. As an English language teacher myself I am seriously amazed at their progress. I now receive emails from students who had sat alone in the dark for years, without any prospects at all. It's a direct result of the commitment and hard work of both students and teachers, it's wonderful!

The ACCV English Language and IT Education program is now running in three different districts in Hanoi, with a view to run a fourth program after the Lunar New Year next month, .......... should funds allow.

There are so many young blind people waiting in line for a shot at an opportunity to transform their lives. But we are now stretching our resources as far as they'll go. Fortunately, we are able to recycle most of the materials, but we really need an injection of funds to move things along.

As we enter our new year it's not too long until the Lunar New Year approaches in Vietnam, for many people it will involve celebrations and family get togethers. But sadly, for many people we know, it won't.

I hope all is well in your world.

Kind regards
Alison & Rose

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Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covered by the Vidotto family

And so this is Christmas....

2010-12-24T04:01:00.000-08:00

While thinking about writing a Christmas blog entry, I received this email from a young man ACCV is sponsoring.

Manh is a delightful young guy who is desperate to continue his education so that he will be able to support his disabled widowed father and his handicapped younger sister.

Dear ACCV Organization

I have been receiving donation and the great help from ACCV organization. With the great help from ACCV I can continue going to school and following the job that I chosen.

I will try my best to study well to be good student and to earn a good job in the future and this is the best way I can express my sincere thanks to ACCV’s help and to my family.

Thank you

Manh

Wishing you and yours all the very best for a safe and happy Christmas...

Thank you so much for your ongoing support of ACCV, there is no doubt that without your kind generosity we could not support these young people on their quest for a better life.

Kind regards
Alison & Rose

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Tax Deductible Donation

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Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covered by the Vidotto family

The spirit of Christmas & gifts that give ......

2010-12-04T23:11:00.000-08:00

If you would like to take the angst out of Christmas shopping this year, you can buy someone special a gift that gives again!

You can purchase a voucher from ACCV to make a donation as a Christmas gift for family and friends. Simply make a donation, you can choose the amount of money you spend, and how it is spent.

Have a scroll through the sample vouchers and the list of suggested donations and what that money will buy. When you have made your selection, simply make the donation and email us the details. We can create the voucher and email it directly to you for you to personalise your message. Or if you would prefer, you can send us the information and we will send the voucher on your behalf.

You can nominate your gift to go directly to our language projects with the blind students.

$10.00 will buy a Braille board and paper for a blind student.

$50 will pay for two blind siblings to attend school for a month.

$100 will pay for a digital voice recorder for a blind student.

$500 will pay for an English language course for ten blind students.

You may choose to donate directly to benefit seriously ill children at the National Paediatric Hospital.

$25.00 will pay for protein and fruit for a seriously ill child.

$50.00 will pay for nutritional support for a seriously ill child.

$100.00 will fund a child's medical care for three months.

$150.00 will pay for initial treatment for a seriously ill child.

Or you might like to assist young teenagers with a Vocational Education Programme.

$50.00 will pay for two blind siblings to attend school for a month.

$125.00 will pay for a Vocational Education Programme , including course materials.

Alternatively, you can make a general donation to assist us in supporting the many young people we are helping to break the cycle of poverty. We are happy to personalise your voucher to suit you

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kind regards
Alison & Rose

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Tax Deductible Donation

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Every dollar donated goes directly to the children of Vietnam - all administrative costs are covered by the Vidotto family

HIWC Charity Bazaar

2010-11-26T02:41:00.000-08:00

This coming Sunday, the Hanoi International Women's Club will host their 19th annual Charity Bazaar.

For the very first time, ACCV will have a stall at the Bazaar this year. It's very exciting for us, this is a wonderful event.

Unfortunately, Rose and I cannot be in town for this event, but we will have Chau, Toan and other staff members and volunteers there to represent us. Four of our blind students Quan, Dat, Hong and Hanh will also be on hand to say hello and to offer fabulous, on-the-spot head massages... they're a treat!

Chau and the rest of our staff have been working very hard to get things organised. They will be selling a few products, including a bit of home made jewelry produced by young people we sponsor, ACCV hats and shirts, and a touch of nail glitz and glamour!!

If you are in Hanoi, the Bazaar is definitely worth a visit. Please drop by the ACCV stall and say hello.

HIWC Charity Bazaar
Sunday November 28th 2010,
10am - 4pm, in the National Aquatic park outside the My Dinh Stadium.

Kind regards
Alison & Rose

Opportunities....

2010-11-06T15:22:00.000-07:00

The long term goal for our blind students has always been to increase their prospects for the future.

Our English language program for blind students has developed really well. We’re so proud of the students, they have blossomed in a way that we never expected. It has been a privilege to be involved. They have developed friendships, cheeky personalities and their English language skills are really coming along. They're doing so well, we have some bright young individuals in our program (we have some great teachers too).
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Ultimately, our goal has always been to equip them with the necessary skills to increase their employment prospects. Not all blind people want to make brooms or toothpicks!
.

And now, opportunity has come knocking..

The popular Donkey bakery in Hanoi employ’s people with disabilities as part of their socially responsible program. They appreciate the fact that people with disabilities can successfully play a role in a competitive business. This wonderful organisation has provided an opportunity for one of our students to enter their training program.

So we sent along our three strongest students for an interview, their very first!! We were all a bit excited and anxious on their behalf. This is such a milestone for everyone, hopefully the first of many.

Lo is a young lady with quite a dynamic personality and her English skills are quite strong. We have been very impressed with her, and so were Donkey bakery. She will start immediately!

Congratulations Lo, and thank you Donkey bakery.

The other two students really enjoyed the interview process. They have been advised to keep studying hard and return in six months. Nothing like a good incentive

And of course a huge thank you goes to our supporters. We cannot do this alone and these young people are so deserving of an opportunity.

Hope all's well in your world.

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

MAKE A DONATION

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(please drop us a quick email so we can acknowledge your kindness)

Sometimes the little things aren't quite so small….

2010-10-24T04:47:00.000-07:00

When we established the Christine Edith Sponsorship Program we wanted to help children in need of education and medical care…
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But we also wanted to help with the extras, bus fares, food for the parent waiting for days or weeks at the hospital… All those little extras outside of the medical and educational expenses, the little things that put so much pressure on a family living in poverty.
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Yesterday, a lady contacted Toan, her daughter is one of our sponsored children, she suffers from a thyroid condition and malnutrition. The doctors have recently told the family that she won’t make it and she will die soon.
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The mother asked if ACCV could please pay for some photos of her daughter for the family to have in the future. They don’t have any money and they would like to have a photograph of their child to remember her when she passes.

Sometimes the little things aren’t quite so small, they're huge.

.
.

Hope all's well in your world.

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

MAKE A DONATION

Tax Deductible Donation

(please drop us a quick email so we can acknowledge your kindness)

A Brighter Tomorrow...

2010-10-08T15:54:00.000-07:00

The major focus of our trip this time was to organise and host the ACCV - A Brighter Tomorrow fundraiser. It was a big day...

It began with a group of delightful young volunteers.
They donned our caps and flags...

And they headed out into the streets of Hanoi...

They rode around to spread the word of our Brighter
Tomorrow Program and event...

They continued riding until the rains came.
And the Hanoi rains, they really came....

But our event went right ahead as planned....
.

Chau, Dat and the rest of the ACCV team were all ready to go...

Drum circle...

Fire twirlers...

We had a great music line up with local bands "The Brass Monkies"...

And "The Props"...

The place was jumping for a while...

Our blind students really enjoyed themselves...
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We raised a few thousand dollars for our program at the Children's Hospital, we managed to successfully promote who we are and what we do, and we had a great time. It was a good night all around.

Hope all's well in your world.

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

MAKE A DONATION

Tax Deductible Donation

(please drop us a quick email so we can acknowledge your kindness)

ACCV Slideshow.. who we are... what we do....

2010-09-26T14:29:00.000-07:00

A wonderful friend to ACCV, by the name of Valentina, kindly volunteered her time and talent to produce this slideshow for us....

It was a great success at our fundraising event, I hope you enjoy it too...

Hope all's well in your world.

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

MAKE A DONATION

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(please drop us a quick email so we can acknowledge your kindness)

It's just so basic....

2010-09-23T18:23:00.000-07:00

We spent some time at the hospital today. It's always quite confronting, but it also strengthens the resolve to do something.

Rose and Brent came along too and we met up with some of the families we are supporting. As we talked about it later, Brent commented on a situation that really affected him.

We met up with a young guy we are helping. He's a terrific kid, quick with a smile each time he sees us. His smile wasn't quite so quick this time, he's now quite obviously a very sick little boy. He's nine years old and he's battling cancer. He's travelled a long way to Hanoi for his fourth round of chemotherapy, but he has become too weak with a fever and infection so they cannot go ahead with this treatment (he requires seven or eight). Talking to his parents we could see the concern & fear that you would expect for people with a seriously ill child. Chau spoke with them and translated for us.

They were very worried because to take their son back to their hometown and return to the hospital in two weeks time, when he is a little stronger, means they must buy extra bus tickets for the 8hr each way journey. At 200,000vnd (about $10) that is out of their reach.

The relief for these people knowing that we will help with medical expenses, and extra bus fares, was palpable. Now they can get back to the serious business of supporting and caring for their child.

As Brent said, "it seems so wrong when parents with seriously ill kids don't have enough money to pay for busfare or to buy fruit, their needs are just so basic...."

It strengthens the resolve to do something...

ACCV - A Brighter Tomorrow...

An award winning surprise....

2010-09-20T16:33:00.000-07:00

Once again our trip to Hanoi coincides with my birthday. No complaints there, I do very well out of the whole deal, celebrations with the family before I leave Australia and then celebrations when I arrive here. It's not intentional, it just so happens that my birthday falls on the school holidays, which is a good time for us to travel. In fact, it was on my birthday back in 2006 that we made that very first trip to Friendship home.

So here we are, four birthdays later, and again we're in Hanoi. Chau organised a lovely surprise birthday party at the office for staff, students and volunteers, it was so nice to see everyone. Even Dat and his girlfriend Van travelled from Bac Ninh for the occasion.
As you can see my photoshop skills are not brilliant, but you get the idea!

Today we headed off to visit the blind students which is always a real highlight to our trip. The main reason for our visit today was to witness the opening ceremony for the latest IT course which will begin this week. The students are doing so well with the computers, they are really showing how much they have learned. It has really opened up the world to them, the potential is huge. It's great to observe their progress. I think I mentioned the recent emails and skype sessions, they're amazing.

What I didn't expect was another lovely party to celebrate my birthday, complete with cake, flowers and sing-a-longs! We had such a lovely visit and a great catch up on all the happenings at the association and with each of the students. They are all doing very well and really looking forward to the big ACCV event next Saturday night. Brent has come along with us on this trip so they were very focused on catching up on his news. They even managed to get him and Rose to join in their sing-a-long birthday gift to me, a rendition of the Beatles "Hello, Goodbye".

When we got down to the business end of things, we were absolutely floored to be informed that we had been given a medal and award issued by the Peoples Committee to acknowledge our contribution to the blind community in Hanoi.

Hope all's well in your world.

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

MAKE A DONATION

Tax Deductible Donation

(please drop us a quick email so we can acknowledge your kindness)

A sponsor for a big night out....

2010-09-11T00:13:00.000-07:00

It is only two weeks today until our very first big fundraising event in Hanoi and if we consider the amount of effort and the fantastic people involved, then it's going to be a great night...

Our manager Chau and the rest of our staff are doing an incredible job. We've also had a number of friends of ACCV volunteer their time and resources to helping us out. We have some great acts, including live music from The Props, The Brass Monkies, DJ Kulture, Drum Circle... We have Fire twirlers, magician, belly dancer, on and on... so many wonderful people who have kindly donated their talents ...... it's going to be great!

And then there is the venue...

Green Mango Restaurant is the go to place in Hanoi, and the owner Mr Hai, has been truly amazing helping us to put together a really worthwhile event, alot of his own time and expense. He's a good guy!

Now talking of good guys, you're all familiar with Quan, Hong, Dat, Quy and the rest of the gang, well I was thinking.....

These guys have discovered the joys of a social life, and the joy of music and there is no question of how much they would love to come to our event at Green Mango. What we need to do is to find someone or a few someones who would like to sponsor a fun night out, for some great people, for a great cause!!

We would also like to include the students from our new course. They are also a delightful bunch, and in exactly the same boat as Quan et al a couple of years back. It will be a great way for them to get to meet those who are paving the way.

The entry fee is our treat. We figure that for a couple of hundred dollars we can organise taxi's, and a little money each for them to buy a drink or a couple of raffle tickets. The enjoyment they will have from the big night out will last a long time.

Any excess funds will go directly to the children at the hospital...... so it's a win/win!

Hope all's well in your world.

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

MAKE A DONATION

Tax Deductible Donation

(please drop us a quick email so we can acknowledge your kindness)

ACCV's Hanoi Fundraiser...

2010-09-09T02:12:00.000-07:00

ACCV - A Brighter Tomorrow -

25 September at 7.00pm
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Green Mango Restaurant & Hotel

Hang Quat, Hanoi, Vietnam
.

Join us for a great evening, a great cause,.....

This event will raise funds for seriously ill children at the National Paediatric Hospital in Hanoi.

100% of donations will go directly to the children of Vietnam.

Cost: 150,000vnd - This includes 2 free drinks, door prizes, fabulous live music and lots more!!!

Come along and help the kids, and have some fun!!

Tickets are now available:

How far they've come….... how far they'll go!

2010-08-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was sitting here at the computer, wading through the end of financial year administration jobs, thinking about what I'd rather be doing. The admin side of things is not my idea of fun I must admit. But I was soon reminded of just why we're doing this, and why I'm so lucky to be doing this.

Gmail has a chat function to speed up written conversation. Out of the blue a message popped up, "Hello Mrs Alison, are you had dinner?" (sic)

On further investigation, I realised that the sender was Hong, one of our blind students, and recent ACCV staff member. I was very impressed at how well she was doing with the computer, gmail functions etc., and I told her so. She then asked me if I had "skype" because the students would like to talk to me.

What followed was without question, the highlight of the week.

All connected up, I had the loveliest chat with a number of our students. They were great fun! Giggling away, they fired questions at me, what did I have for dinner? How are the different members of my family? Who's coming with me on my next trip to Hanoi? They interrupted and corrected each other, tried out a few new words.

The voices and laughter drew my son Alex into the room, so they had a bit of a chat with him too. They are such enthusiastic, fun loving, bright sparks!

The conversation only lasted 15 - 20 minutes, but I have thought of it often since. I have thought back to when I first met each of the students, the sad and lonely existence they were leading. I thought about when we first talked about an English language program for blind people. I thought about the first time we funded an IT course, when we organised computers for the centre. I remember thinking about the completely untapped potential of these young people.

I never dreamt of having a live skype chat, totally initiated by the students, totally in English, no teachers were present.

Yes .... I'm very lucky to be doing this.

kind regards

Alison & Rose

MAKE A DONATION

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(please drop us a quick email so we can acknowledge your kindness)

Thank you!

Happily ever after ......

2010-08-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

You all know Brian, he's been our main man in Hanoi for the past couple of years. He does a wonderful job supporting us and handling all the finances. He's a great asset to ACCV and a great friend to us. Brian would be described as one of life's genuinely good souls. He's a good man.

He's also a very lucky man!

Brian recently married Kirsten, a truly lovely woman, inside and out.

Two good people, together they make a wonderful couple.

We wish them both every happiness...

kind regards
Alison & Rose

ACCV - Child Sponsorship Program...

2010-08-08T02:32:00.001-07:00

Over the past few months we have spent time with many families in dire need of assistance. Some of them are desperate to provide their children with basic nutrition or education, others are so poor that the medication necessary to keep their child healthy, or even alive, is beyond their means.

At times the situation was quite unfathomable. We met with a young father who had spent twelve hours on a rural bus with his unconscious four year old son. The child is diabetic, and his parents simply didn’t have enough money for both food and insulin.

Another family had sold off everything of value to try and pay for their child’s medical treatment, they are now in debt and they cannot afford the ongoing medical costs.

There are many, many stories of families living in poverty who need support to give their children the basics in life. For any child to reach their potential they need nutrition, medical care and education. It is with this goal in mind that we have decided to launch;

ACCV – Christine Edith Sponsorship Program.

A simple donation will go into a central fund to meet the expenses of all disadvantaged children in the program.

Individual sponsorship will directly support a child and the sponsor will receive a child’s profile, photograph and updates.

At this point we have fifty children we have agreed to support. In the hospital alone, there are another 170 children waiting for our assistance, many others are waiting for educational opportunities.

We hope to offer them support once we have adequate sponsors and funding. We’re trying not to bite off more than we can chew!

At this point we have three forms of sponsorship available:
.

a) $30.00 per month:

Will support a primary school child’s education and basic needs.

Will support a chronically ill child requiring daily medication to sustain a healthy life.

Nutritional and transportation funding will also be provided when necessary.

b) $50.00 per month

Will support a teenager through their senior high school and university education.

Will support a seriously ill child requiring hospitalization for treatments for cancer, heart disease and
other serious illnesses.

Nutritional and transportation funding will also be provided when necessary.      $30.00 per month

c) Individual donation to our general funds

We work on an individual, as needs basis and this will not change for children registered in our sponsorship program.

When families need additional support this will be financed from our general funds.

Your sponsorship can make a huge difference in the life of a child and their family. If you are interested in sponsoring a child, please Sign up with ACCV

Please remember that 100% of donations received by ACCV go directly to help the children of Vietnam.

If you would like more information, please contact us accv@bigpond.com

Once again we would like to thank you for your ongoing support.

Kind regards

Alison & Rose

MAKE A DONATION

Tax Deductible Donation

(please drop us a quick email so we can acknowledge your kindness)

ACCV - the journey so far......

They can see a Brighter Tomorrow...

English Club Topic: Traditional Vietnamese Tet...

Chuc mung nam oi 2012 with best wishes from all at ACCV!

Event planning volunteers....

Christmas wishes & gratitude...

A helping hand, not a hand out...

Home is where the heart is....

Winners, grinners & raffles....

Thank you so much to those who attended the Vidotto Group charity event on Friday evening. And to those who purchased raffle tickets. It was a lovely evening and we raised over two thousand dollars- enough to fund the hospital treatment for little baby Huyen!

Thank you! Thank you! .... Lou, Alison & all at Vidotto Group (& of course baby Huyen and her parents :)

kind regards Alison & Rose If you would like to sponsor a child...

Make your Christmas easier & their life better ......

Building bridges, breaking barriers...

So of course we said yes...

Living the dream... ACCV English Club goes to British Council...

Back on their feet......

Role models....

Dream big........ never give up!

A terrible compromise.....

Noodles, links & bicycles...

Reaching conclusions...

Teach a man to fish and charge a fortune for the rod...

Our very own English Club....

A Rose by any other name.....

Helping great people to make lemonade....

How to make a Mother's day....

An open letter ......

Bustin a move....

A great evening.... for a great cause!...

With Gratitude to sponsors of our event.....

What's your idea of a Brighter Tomorrow?....

She's going to have A Brighter Tomorrow! .....

Tickets are available ........

Help us to give them a Brighter Tomorrow! ....

Friday April 1st.....

chúc mừng năm mới....

Brisbane floods....

Mixed feelings....

Another year over, and a new one just begun.........

And so this is Christmas....

The spirit of Christmas & gifts that give ......

HIWC Charity Bazaar

Opportunities....

Sometimes the little things aren't quite so small….

A Brighter Tomorrow...

ACCV Slideshow.. who we are... what we do....

It's just so basic....

An award winning surprise....

A sponsor for a big night out....

ACCV's Hanoi Fundraiser...

How far they've come….... how far they'll go!

Happily ever after ......

ACCV - Child Sponsorship Program...

Thank you so much to those who attended the Vidotto Group charity event on Friday evening. And to those who purchased raffle tickets.

It was a lovely evening and we raised over two thousand dollars- enough to fund the hospital treatment for little baby Huyen!

kind regards
Alison & Rose

If you would like to sponsor a child...