School For Deaf Children

I learned sign language today!!! We spent the afternoon working with deaf children from the ages of 14-22 years old. The students were so eager to practice their English and to teach us sign language. We had to be much more creative with the games we played to accomodate for their disability. While teaching English to them, it was sometimes difficult to get their attention and keep them engaged. Writing in their notebooks and drawing pictures helped to overcome the communication barrier. The students at this school are not disadvantaged and many of them have computers at home so e-mail requests were quite popular. We definitely need to put on our thinking caps and brainstorm some new games for them for the next time we see them.

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August 10, 2009 - Posted by christiesvietnamtrip | Volunteering

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About This Trip

Back in September, B Wyze presented their employees with a competition for a Social Responsibility Vacation. One employee would be given the opportunity to volunteer in a third world country for up to 3 weeks. I was fortunate enough to be this individual.

I will be volunteering in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for two different programs: an Orphanage for Children with Disabilities and a Shelter for Street Children.

The Orphanage For Children with Disabilities cares for abandoned children with mental or physical disabilities as well as children who are victims of agent orange. The orphanage helps to educate them to the fullest extend of their capabilities, both physical and intellectual. Finally, the orphanage helps them to learn to live independently. There are about 400 children at the orphanage.

Volunteers can talk and play with the children, help the physiotherapists when they do the therapies for the children, feed the children and teach some children to feed themselves and take them on their wheel chairs for a walk in the orphanage’s front garden.

The shelter for street children provides accommodation, education, recreational activities and opportunities for street children and orphaned children so they can get a job when they grow up and go back home to integrate with their own families or build their own live. There are 20 children at this shelter from the age of 6 years old. Volunteers at this project offer valuable support and education to the children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. I will be teaching conversational English to the children and offer support to the children while being a positive role model for the children.

A very special thank you to the CO-CEO’s of B Wyze, John Towsley and Rick Beaudry for giving me this opportunity!

Christie's Social Responsibility Adventure

Volunteering in Vietnam