Hope Center (VNM-16)


Type: Health: Disability - Country: Vietnam

Brief description and main aims

The Hope Centre is a non-profit, non-government day care organization based in Hanoi for the care of mentally impaired children. This centre was founded in 1997 by enthusiastic Vietnamese teachers, and then in 2002, it was expanded with the support of an American NGO. 
 
There are 11 teachers. All of them graduated from Hanoi National University of Education or have background in special education. Ms. Nga, the director, is not also a teacher but also a doctor of pediatrics. There are about 70 disabled children divided into 4 classes.
 
The centre’s mission is to provide opportunities for children with mental impairment to receive an education, and to feel included with their local community. In particular, the centre provides assistance for those children suffering from developmental disabilities including Down's Syndrome, Autism and Cerebral Palsy. The education programs also include physical education and therapy, yoga, painting and poetry.

Main Activities

The aim of the program is to jointly bring care, love and happiness to the children through volunteers’ activities.

Volunteer tasks

Here are some possible tasks that the volunteer can do:
  • Caring for disabled children
  • Assisting teachers in classrooms
  • Assisting the teachers and children during lunch time
  • Calling for charity or subscription (depends on volunteers)

Volunteer requirements / Skills

Volunteers should like to work with handicapped children as well as have maturity and initiative spirit.  Volunteers with background or experience in medical work or special education are preferred. However, volunteers without experience or background will still be able to join in different work as children are very excited about foreigners. Besides, volunteers should be very patient and at the same  time, creative and active in that working environment.
 
The volunteer should also be:
  • At least 18 years old
  • Open-minded and sociable
  • Willing to learn about different culture and adapt to different working style

Location

Hope Center is located in Ba Dinh district, around 5 km away from the city center. This is a very crowded place with many shops. It takes around 30 minutes to get there from VPV office by bus.
 

Duration

The minimum duration is 4 weeks.

Hosting Situation (Board and Lodging)

Volunteers will stay in a dormitory with rooms shared with other volunteers. Living conditions will be Vietnamese standard with a shared bathroom and a shared bedroom with bunk-beds. Mattress, blanket, pillow and mosquito net are provided.
 
Food will be provided at accommodation. Meals will be mostly local food, which vary from the daily cooking schedule. During working days, volunteers may either have lunch outside or eat with the staff at Hope Centre. They have to inform the cook at the centre one day in advance if they want to eat there. They can also eat at the volunteers' house.
 
It takes 40 minutes by bus to travel to the project.

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