Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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New Blog Password: stephanie

Hello all! 

After over 40 hours on three different buses, I am now in DaNang, Vietnam.   

(Side note, Vietnam is a closed country. I will be using words that are not about the Big Man Upstairs or anything about Him nor His people. Got it?! I am also going to password protect my blog after I post this. I tried to make my password super difficult to remember- stephanie)

The new team I am with, team Lift, and I are volunteering at an amazing organization called Orphan Voice!  Even though we have only been with Orphan Voice in DaNang for five days we have already fallen in love with this city and the organization.  I wanted to highlight Orphan Voice for all the amazing work they do in Vietnam! 

Orphan Voice has many different programs in place.  In Vietnam, most children at orphanages (or more properly called group homes) do have parents. The parents are unable to afford to take care of their children. The parents view going to an orphanage as a step up and better than what they can offer the child. Because of this belief parents give up their child in hopes they will be better provided for.  Obviously, having children in an orphanage instead of with a loving family comes with it’s less than desirable effects on the children.  Orphan Voice tries to combat the problem at all angles.  They run a loving group home, have preventive care that tries to keep parents from sending their children away. They work with the state run programs to assist them in their overload of children.  As well as first ever programs for special needs children in rural areas. 

Below is an easy break out to understand all the different aspects of Orphan Voice and the problems with orphan care here in DaNang. 

  1. Orphan Care
    1. Promise House– Group home ran by Orphan Voice.
    2. Pai Loc– State run orphanage in DaNang. Orphan Voice assists the state run orphanages by sending teams once a week to play and interact with the children as well as provide food and encouragement. 
    3. 10 Rural Orphanages– Orphan Voice works along side many rural orphanages outside of DaNang as well. 
    4. 12 Boarding Schools– In the rural villages a student will go to boarding school away from their village for middle school and high school (this education is not provided within their village). The boarding schools usually only have teachers to teach during the day but the kids are pretty much alone and on their own to raise themselves outside of class times. 
  2. Special Needs Children
    1. Phu Ninh Therapy School– Special needs school, first in the area.
    2. New Beginnings School for the Deaf– No deaf school or programs in the area before this school was started.
    3. PET Carts– Motor transportation for those unable to walk.
    4. Cleft Lip– Most families don’t do anything to fix cleft lip when the babies are born.  Orphan Voice helps fund for the baby’s lip to be repaired.
  3. KFT- Keeping Families Together
    1.   An 18 month program working with families at risk for giving up their children due to poverty.  KFT is a preventative care program that focuses on raising the families income.  They help educate and give ideas on how the family can better sustain themselves independently.  
  4. Anti-Trafficking
    1. Hope House- Safe house for those who have recently escaped trafficking and their families.
    2. Victory House- Home for girls who have aged out of orphanages and have nowhere to go. This acts as a preventative measure for keeping them out of the sex industry. 
    3. Seminars- Orphan Voice speaks at local and rural schools educating students, staff, and parents about human trafficking.  Most villagers are unaware of the tricks and schemes used to abduct children into trafficking. 

Needless to say, Orphan Voice is making a huge impact here in DaNang, Vietnam.  I wanted to highlight Orphan Voice and all they do because they are in NEED OF VOLUNTEERS! They are in need of short term and LONG TERM groups/people to come and work alongside them!  You don’t have to be a NAITSIRHC (backwards) to work with the organization. The founders are NAITSIRHC but not all the staff are. 

If you feel that you have more to offer life and want to help make a difference in the lives of others. Take a chance!  Go to Vietnam!  Orphan Voice would welcome you with open arms regardless of your background or experience. Orphan Voice wants YOU!  

If you cannot commit to a trip or longer term stay in Vietnam but want to support Orphan Voice financially, please visit their website below!

http://orphanvoice.org/