We are volunteers from Vietnam and throughout the US who:
- Raise modest amounts of money in the US
- Travel at personal expense to Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City
- Purchase in local markets large quantities of medicines, food, clothing, school books and supplies
- Rent a van to transport these materials and volunteers
Each year we deliver basic necessities to small Buddhist temples and Catholic homes, located within a few hours’ drive from the city, which care for some of the Vietnam’s most needy youngsters. These direct visits allow us to get to know the orphans and their loving caretakers, and to watch their progress over the years.
Since HCV began doing this work, we have:
- Visited more than 45 different Buddhist and Catholic temples, orphanages and schools
- Held, fed and played with up to 4,000 orphans and impoverished children
- Purchased locally and distributed nearly $100,000 worth of medicines, food, clothing and school supplies
- Identified six places on which to concentrate our efforts
We have also developed a grant-making program to help meet more long-term needs of the orphanages: water filtering systems, new roof and latrine construction, dormitory renovations, purchases of bicycles and study desks, vegetable garden irrigation, playground repairs, and many scholarships and tuitions to enable those orphans who can do so to continue their studies beyond the minimum level.