Dear All!!!
Same same, but different. Got picked up by our government driver and the local representative of the local Da Nang education department. She showed us several schools and pre schools in the area … lobbying for help … asking us to buy a dentist chair … or fitting out a classroom with 16 lap tops.
Again we made it very clear that want to sponsor individual children …. Then she finally took us to a block of flats. We met with Lien Chan, who is 19 year old student. She has got a younger brother (13) and an older sister Nam Tran (21). Her parents died four month ago in tragic boating accident.
Lien studies architecture and her sister Tran studies marketing. They currently live in the apartment of their parents, but will move soon to a government flat where the government is paying the rent.
Need: Hex fee payment. YES, that is a case for us!!!! Finally after driving around for hours we found what we have been looking for. We agreed to pay the UNI fees for both girls in full for one year, roughly 16 million dong ~ $ 1000.00.
Currently the girls pay a reduced rate, due to their circumstances. The representative of the local Da Nang education department will help both students pay reduced hex fees, which means there will be extra money for general support.
Both girls are working to support themselves and their brother. When Uli asked her what they needed most she humbly replied “Nothing”. We left with a very good feeling.
We stopped by at the Da Nang centre for Agent Orange victims. The kids have simular birth defects than the children at the Peace Orphanage, but here they use a different concept. The centre is training the victims in life skills, some of them work there, doing embroidery, sowing and handy craft. Most children live with their parents, which makes all the difference, as they can go home at night. The principal was unavailable, we had a good look around and wanted to buy some necklaces but no one had a key to open the glass cabinet.
At two a clock we finally had lunch and a well deserved rest.
Met with the Da Nang officials late afternoon to hand over the funds and write down the conditions of the sponsorship. And to our surprise the principle of the Agent Orange orphanage was there as well. The girls bought necklaces galore!!!
It was already after seven when we drove to the headquarters of the – Lien Chieu district to discuss funding arrangements for the five orphans we are sponsoring and to hand over the money. The head of the education department promised us to deliver the funds on a monthly basis. He will also report about the children and send us a photo every month. Great news!!!Excellent results for us, so we could finally go to dinner. It was after nine pm!!!
By the way, we wanted to go on an evening river cruise – we missed out again. May be next time!!!
Bye bye Da Nang … tomorrow we go with our friends Bob an Hien and their 6 year old daughter Minh Thi – called Rosie to Hoi An for a well earned rest!!!
We’ll keep you posted!!!
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