CHÖÔNG TRÌNH BAÏN TREÛ EM ÑÖÔØNG PHOÁ

FRIENDS FOR STREET CHILDREN (FFSC)

Catholic Committee

15 Tu Xuong Street, District 3

Hochiminh City, Vietnam

Tel: (848) 829-6951 E-mail: tohemi@cinet.vnnews.com Fax: (848) 820-1374

ffsc-hcm@cinet.vnnews.com

Office Branch: Thomas Tran Van Soi

140/97 Vo Thi Sau Street, suite # 201 Executive Director

Ward 8, District 3

Hochiminh City, Vietnam

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FFSC INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES
(May &emdash; June, 2002)

A. FFSC INFORMATION

In 05-06/2002, there were 14 times that individuals and groups visited children at Development Centers and the FFSC office. Four of the significant visits were:

On May 10^th: NIPPON Ham Co. visited Bình Tho Development Centerï. The visitors developed relationship with the children from the center. They enjoyed the dancing and singing of the children. The visitors and children became closer and more friendly. Ms. OOKOSO &emdash; the president of NIPPON Ham Co. &emdash; was very pleased with their visit to Binh Tho Development Center.
On May 27^th, Vietnam Mixed Concrete visited and offered gifts to the children at Binh Trieu Development Center. Each gift consisted of school-books (grade 2 to grade 10), a pen and pencil.
On June 21^st, Bình Thoï Development Center held the opening ceremony for its new building with 5 class rooms and 1 office room. World Air-sea Service (WAS) and Kids Earth Fund (KEF) &emdash; the sponsors of this new building &emdash; attended the ceremony. The children of the center had a number of well-prepared and interesting performances which expressed their happiness at having new classrooms. Their performances also expressed their gratitude to the sponsors and visitors who were with them at the ceremony. In addition, the children displayed their drawings and compositions which contained their blissfulness at having a chance to live and study in the new classrooms within a beautiful, clean, and comfortable compound.
In the afternoon of the same day of June 21^st, KEF made a visit to Bình Höng Development Center. The visitors taught the children how to make paper cards by using paper, flowers and glue. The children made 80 cards which were sent to Japanese sponsors in Japan. KEF gave these cards to the sponsors as the children’s love gift to the sponsors.

B. FFSC ACTIVITIES

EDUCATION:

May is an examination month for the children, especially elementary and high school comprehensive examinations. With the enthusiasm and whole hearted work of the teachers , the children have gained very good result as followings:

Bình Höng Development Center: 10 children took the elementary comprehensive examination and 100% passed.
Bình Trieäu Development Center: 3 children took the elementary comprehensive examination and 100% passed. Aside from that, one girl from Bình Trieäu Development Center passed high school comprehensive examination and she is going to take an entrance examination to the Women Studies Department at Hochiminh City Open University.
Leâ Minh Xuaân Development Center: 19 children passed the elementary comprehensive examination, 2 children failed and 1 child did not take the examination.
Phaïm Vaên Hai Development Center: 4 children passed the elementary comprehensive examination and 1 failed.
Taân Höông Development Center: 14 children took the elementary comprehensive examination and100% passed.

The good results are a result of the hard time studying and teaching. The teachers gave prizes for good pupils in order to encourage the pupils.

Presently, development classes and vocational training courses are on summer vacation. However, Bình Trieäu and Thuû Thieâm Development Center still organize summer classes for children reviewing and preparing for the new school year.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING:

On May 31^st, FFSC and Development Centers were invited to "The meeting of summing up 10 years of achieving the Law of Protecting, Caring, and Educating Children in Hochiminh City" held by the Committee of Population &emdash; Family &emdash; Children at Hochiminh City Committee of the Party, 111 Baø Huyeän Thanh Quan Street, District 3.
On June 6^th, Ms. Nguyeãn Thò Bình Minh &emdash; FFSC chief administrator &emdash; flew to the Philippines for a master course in Social Work. The course will last for two and half years. FFSC looks for scholarships to send staff to such courses where the staff can improve professional knowledge and skill so that its activities will be more effective.
On June 12^th, a representative from FFSC office and Development Center managers attended a meeting called "Street Educator Club" at Tao Ñaøn Park.
Recently, Bình Trieäu Development Center sent three children to Binh Minh sewing factory. FFSC and Development Centers look for places to sell the output or to send the children of the vocational training classes so that the children can be self-reliant. Presently, Bình Trieäu Development Center has a new source of embroidery order, which requires a new design. This embroidery design is easy for the children to make and provides a better income for the children who live at Bình Trieäu Development Center.

OUTING ACTIVITIES:

On the occasion of the International Children’s Day and "The Month for Children", the children from Bình Trieäu and Phuù Thoï Development Center were invited to games at City Youth Cultural House. At the same time, 34 children from Bình Trieäu Development Center, 40 children from Phuù Tho Development Center, 30 children from Phaïm Vaên Hai Development Center, together with children in very special difficult circumstance from other organizations participated in a camp named "Little Rose". Five FFSC children were awarded Nguyen Huu Tho Scholarships: 1 child from Bình Trieäu Development Center, 2 children from Phuù Thoï Development Center and 2 children from Phaïm Vaên Hai Development Center. Six children from Bình Trieäu Development Center won the prize for "Typical and Exemplary Pupils". The support and care of the local government organizations has helped the children overcome their difficult situation to attain happier and better lives.
Aside from activities which were held with other organizations, FFSC held a "Street Children Festival" for FFSC children on June 29^th at Vietnam Water World. As a tradition, FFSC organizes a festival for its children every year. While participating in the festival, the children have an opportunity to meet, develop relationships, and enjoy entertainment activities together. The festival was well-organized and safe. Some flowered brick companies offered hats for the children at the festival. Especially, Unilever Vietnam gave its products as gifts for more than 1,500 children participants on this day.

ACTIVITIES OF PARENTS

The following activities were held for parents:

Bình Trieäu Development Center:

On May 25^th: seminar on "Difficulties of family in educating children".

Leâ Minh Xuaân and Phaïm Vaên Hai Development Centers:

On May 15^th: group meeting with topic "parents and children’s health".

On May 26^th: workshop on "The role of parents and nurturing children become good".

On June 15^th: parents from these two centers had activities with parents from Phu Tho Development Center. A cooking contest was held for these parents.

Phuù Tho Development Center:

On May 30^th: workshop on the rights of the child for parents.

On June 30^th : training on "Knowledge on nutrition for parents" for parents.

Taân Höông Development Center:

On May 29^th, training on "Knowledge on health and nutrition".

On June 30^th, training on "Public health &emdash; prevention of the common disease".

Thuû Thieâm Development Center:

On May 25^th : workshop "The rights of the child and their application to family life".

Bình Thoï Development Center:

On May 28^th: training on "Mouth and teeth hygiene" for the parents

On June 26^th: discussion and sharing on educating children for the parents.

We at FFSC and the Development Centers continue to work hard to improve the current lives and future opportunities of the 1,600 children entrusted to us. Towards this end we will continue educational and health related activities for the children and their parents. We respectively thank our benefactor partners and sponsors without whose support we could not help the children.

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