Blind Shelter For Young Adults

Talented, inspirational and determined are just a few of the words that describe the young blind adults who live at the shelter. They spend their time doing crafts, drawing and learning how to play musical instruments while singing. Their families live very far away, so when they have volunteers who visit they enjoy showing them around and performing. I was nearly in tears when I heard them play their instruments and sing together!!

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August 12, 2009 - Posted by christiesvietnamtrip | Volunteering

2 Comments »

Wow Christie! This is all so amazing and very touching. I’m glad that although I am not able to experience this first hand that I am able to do so vicariously through your blog posts.

Keep us updated!
Nita

Comment by Nita | August 12, 2009 | Reply
its great to see your interest for a noble cause. I am from Bangalore, India and saw your blog which is quite interesting.

Comment by V Sridhar | November 30, 2009 | Reply

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