Description

Ky Quang Orphanage is run by Ky Quang Pagoda, which was built in the early part of the 20th Century in 1924 and is quite famous in Ho Chi Minh City. The pagoda is now a place of charity for unlucky children and also helps treat diseases. Now, the pagoda is taking care and bringing up more than 200 children in the South of Vietnam. The children here have unfortunate backgrounds as many have been abandoned by their parents and relatives. Every few months, the monks find a new baby left in front of the pagoda gate. The head monk sometimes receives phone calls from hospitals requesting him to take in abandoned babies. At the moment, about 200 children are living in the Pagoda, their ages ranging from 5 days old to 40 years old. 90 of these are orphans that are suffering from cerebral-palsy, blindness or Down's syndrome. At present, about 30-40 local children have a chance to study at Ky Quang as some local teachers teach Vietnamese for them in the morning.

Volunteers will spend time with the children and help improving their English, organizing games and other activities for them. Volunteers will also do some manual work to improve the houses and classrooms of the children, such as painting and cleaning the area. Volunteers will get closer to the children's life and try to build up wider horizon for the children and encourage them to learn better for brighter future.

There is an extra fee of 170 Euro that goes to support the local host of the project.

Highlights

Study part: Disadvantaged children in Vietnam

Qualifications

Interest and motivation for working with children in difficult situation.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

310

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country staff support
• Registration fees
• Written materials pre-departure

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Motivated to work voluntarily within an international team, tolerant, open-minded and cooperative person with adventurous spirit.

Age Range

18 and over

This Program is open to

American and Canadian Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Dormitory
• Group living

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

CADIP - Canadian Alliance for Development Initiatives and Projects's Mission Statement

CADIP promotes peace, cooperation, tolerance and understanding in international, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural surroundings. The organization also promotes patterns and examples of civil activities focused on serving others, on building social ties and strengthening communities, on supporting civil society development. Aims and general objectives: * To promote volunteering as an expression of civic contribution * To strengthen the international contacts among young people * To build tolerance and understanding in multicultural and multi-ethnic surroundings *To promote multiunderstanding among youth all over the world * To facilitate the individual growth of the volunteers through the acquisition of work, life and learning skills * To work for the recognition and promotion of non-formal learning * To support the community initiatives and assist in community development.