1. About the project:

• FIGHT FOR GOOD CAUSE Project
• Time : 17/6/2015 – 1/7/2015
• Place : Long Vĩnh Commune, Duyên Hải District, Trà Vinh Province
• Participants: 19 students of Nanyang Technological University – Hall 16 and 5 Vietnamese volunteers (including 2 EVG members)
• Achievements:

+ Complete an kindergarten

+ English teaching for local children

FIGHT FOR GOOD CAUSE is the last project at Long Vinh Commune in first project season of 2015, in association with 19 students from Nanyang Technological University – Hall 16, the official participation of 3 Vietnamese volunteers and the support of 2 EVG members, to help complete the Long Vinh kindergarten – make opportunities for local residents to develop and improve their living & education condition, especially for the local children there.

The main activities of this project include: keep completing the kindergarten, teach English at Long Vinh Primary school, do housework everyday and oraganise  the Culture Exchange with local residents.

1. Activity process:

17/6/2015:

• 8:00 am, 4 Vietnamese volunteers with Harry (EVG’s president) and Yen ( EVG’s director) gathered at Tan Son Nhat airport.
• 9:00 am, Vietnamese team met and took picture with Singaporean volunteers at the airport.

• Because one student of Hall 16 had stomach problem, the schedule changed, all members had a short city tour around Ben Thanh Market, Diamond Plaza and Duc Ba Church for about 2 hours.
• 12:00 am, had lunch at Co Ba Vung Tau
• 1:00 pm, started to go to Long Vinh
• 7:00 pm, arrived at Long Vinh, with the help from local police, all members unloaded and brought logistics to Long Vinh B Primary School together.
• 7:30 pm, had first dinner at Long Vinh.

• 8:30 pm, boys and girls were divided into 2 teams and set up 2 rooms
•   9.30 pm, bathing and resting time.

18/6/2015 – 26/6/2015:

The main jobs in 10 days here were: continue building and completing the kindergarten, teach English for local children ( age from 9 to 14) ; do  housework; run Culture Night with local resident.

• Building the construction

The first day when we went to the construction area, thanks to the work of 1503 and 1504, the kindergarten was completed at about 70%. Our mission was complete it : plaster the wall, do the mural painting and continue to build a toilet.

The main work when we built the toilet was mixing the ciment, putting the brisk and plastering the wall.

Mixing the ciment was really a new and interesting experience for all of us. In the very first time, we just could only look at the way the buider worked, his skill and learned that a needy texture contained: sand, ciment, water with an exact proportion. And the proportion for putting the brisk and plastering the wall was also different. Because of all those difficulties and complicated things, as well as our clumsiness in the first time working, everything turned out not to be so easy and quick. In spite of all these barriers, all members of building team everday still tried all their best to complete their mission the best way they can. Sometimes, because of the state of the work that day, not all members could have work to do, it was the time we felt useless ( and unemployed :P ). This situation occurred more in the first days, and then, the next days, when everyone got used to their work and learn more things, they could themselves found their work that they could do. I think this improvement was really good and useful.

Plastering the wall was also a real challenge to all volunteers. This work required not only meticulousity, carefulness but also patience. The first time doing this job, many volunteers felt disappointed because the result was not as good as their expectations, that the wall became not as flawless as the result of the builders. But step by step, everythings changed, volunteers ‘ skill became better and better and they can themselves did their job to complete all the walls.

During the work, we cannot forget all the enthusiasm of all male volunteers, who was in charge of bringing all needy tools, from ciment, brisk to water. Sometimes they was quick, sometimes they was slow, but they all met our demand when we needed.

Besides building a toilet, we must plaster the wall of the kindergarten and then do the mural painting.

With the limited colors we had, we must mix color as many as we could so that we could have better result for the mural painting. Because of endless rainy days that seriously delayed our completing the kindergarten, the builders had to work overnight and volunteers had to draw at night with not enough light and quite cold and wet weather. But the desire to complete this construction was really a strong motivation for us to overcome all barriers we met.

Results:  We complete 90%  the toilet and 100% the kindergarten ( not included electricity system). Everybody felt happy and satisfied with the results. Learning about the patience in the work, not afraid of the difficulties, ready to solve the problems, listening more, solidarity between volunteers, efforts in working were what we have learned in this work.

Thank you the builders so much for helping, teaching and supporting us day by day, despite all our clumsiness and slowness.

• Teaching English for local children

We have English teaching lessons everyday from Monday to Friday, one class in the morning and one in the afternoon, each lasts for about two hours.

Teaching is a happy, interesting and joyful job. Having opportunities to meet, to teach,to play and work with the cutest kids must be the luckiest experience for each of us. The children are all cute, active and kind. Not just teaching, we also learned many important things from them, especially their spirit to learn, to find about new things, their spririt to win, to overcome all the barriers that make their learning not just easy as children with better conditions in other places.

Teaching was not a simple task. On the contrary, it was so difficult and complicated in many times. First, it was difficult to control the class well. They are all children, they are active and sometimes naughty and hyperactive. They just cannot concentrate on the lessons all the times. Second, because of language barriers between S-team and V-team, between S-team and the local children, sometimes the result is not good.. When we looked at the class and realized that not all could understand the lesson well, we felt so sad and disappointed. We wanted to bring as much as knowledge that we could, because the children are really precious.

We focus on teaching them small and simple conversations, not vocabulary. Because we want the kids to become more and more active and confident in communicating by English.  Besides, we tried creating games during the lesson with small and special gifts to attract them. Not only stopped at teaching English, we also taught them Science, for example, about volcano, with small model created by the children themselves.

Result : We made sure that after each lesson, at least 80% students can understand and remember what we taught, that they can be confident when have short conversation in English. Moreover, day by day, we are closer with the kids, not only taught, we also played with them after class, talked with them, sang with them. We understood them more and more, love them more and more. We made them understand that: everyone all loves them and hope them have better learning condition. Teaching activity was also a great chance for us : V-team and S-team became more closer, deleted our gap between us, helped us interact with each others more, and helped us have better teamwork.

• Housework

This was done by a team included 4 to 5 Singaporean volunteers and 1 Vietnamese volunteer, we changed the team doing housework everyday so that they could try other work too. All we had to do is: set up the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner, wash dishes, clean the sleeping place and toilet twice a day. Moreover, we also helped the cook prepare the food, dessert, sweep the school yard, replace the garbage bags and take the garbage around the school.

All the logistics needed were well-provided by ECO Vietnam Group and local goverment. The works were divided to the team very clearly. But the S-team was not used to washing dishes or cleaning stuffs, so the housework did not bring the best results in some first days, especially in the very first day, when the toilet was so dirty.  Later, when we got used to the cleaning work, we cooperated and did it more efficiently. The living and activity environment were clean and met the requirements.

Results: All housework was done with high responsibility and willingness to cooperate.

Culture night

The Culture Night was on stage from 6h30 pm to 8h00pm, and then Camp Fire till 9h30, with the attendance of Vice President of Long Vinh Commune, Director of ECO Vietnam Group, local residents ( especially cute kids), V Team and S Team.

We had performances of local police, the chidren, V-Team, S-team, a Vietnamese traditional dancing performance of both team.

Camp Fire was organized with enthusiasism and enjoyment of all people attended. We danced and played together in a warm and joyful atmosphere.

We ended the event with a mini game for the kids, then gave gifts to them.

Result: The performances occurred in a warm and friendly atmosphere with a lot of laughs. All the kids and the people came and enjoyed the show and the Camp Fire. All the kids were given gifts. Security was well controlled. We all had a successful night.

III.                        Thoughts about the project

Thought of Ngan, Vietnamese volunteer of ECO Vietnam Group:

Before actually starting the project, my main purpose was to improving my English knowledge and making friends (Happily, I finally can complete it). However, after some group meeting, I realized that we were the host, therfore, we had more responsibility than only participating and enjoying with Sing team. We havd to do everything that we could manage by ourself, for example, completing the Guide Book, buying and checking logistic, planing for Culture Night, etc.

Then, the thing that made me surprised the most was the commune that we lived for 2 weeks, not only because I had never known it before but also because I couldn’t imagine the poor living condition here: mosquitoes were everywhere at night and the toilet’s floors were full of insects, although I am not come from a rich family and I have already known some bad places like this before.

Fortunately, we could overcome these difficulties and adapted quickly thank to our effort and support from local gorverment and local residents. I will remember the day when we said that a lot of water couldn’t flow out, then someone there helped us immediately to solve this trouble and gave us the best living condition that they could.

I can say that, although this trip to Long Vinh commune will not teach us a lot of necessary knowledge and skills in our future life (such as, making cement, build the walls,…), the things that we could learn and bring into life is humanity, from the villagers, from S-team when they decided to come to this poor village and help them, and from our V-team when always be sympathized and and supported each other. Moreover, we learnt how to adapt to the new condition even though how difficult it was, and how to overcome and do better after falling. That was after the first reflection with Sing-team, we was scolded by Miss Yen because of starting too slow and being quite lazy and she was afraid that we could not finish the project as well as the 2 ceremonies at the end of project successfully.

Last but not least, I want to say that all the things we had done may be not perfect but surely they were done by our more than 100% effort, and these unperfection will help us be more perfect in the future. Thank you for giving us a chance to experience, learn, enjoy, and grow.

It is not only the first experience of the Singaporean volunteers, it is also ours. And we are very appreciated it. We will try our best for what we believe, what we want, and what is good for our community and your community.
END OF FILE

But not end of life! Keep moving forward! And you’ll see!

1. Project basic information:

• NEW DESTINATION Project

• Time : 18/5/2015 – 31/5/2015
• Place: Long Vĩnh commune, Duyên Hải district, Trà Vinh province

• Participants: 30 students of NTU hall 12; 5 Vietnamese volunteers and a member of ECO Vietnam Group.
• Achievements:

– Kindergaten building,

– English Teaching

– 5 poor houses visit

– Cultural Night

1. Feelings about project:
2. Tears

This time in EVG project, I bursted out into tears sooner than my expectation. During the 3 very first days of the project, I couldn’t hold it in and cried while being in the middle of the Reflection Night with Sing team. Change in living place, change in living condition lead to change in the spirit of the whole team. I was “bombed” about the heat in the village, the mosquitos and bathing condition. That was the time I couldn’t answer the basic question to myself: Why I’m here? To server people in the village or to server S-team members? And answers came to the time when I feel most disappointed, while hearing about the lessons S-team members had learned for those past 3 days. And when an S-team member mentioned about “taking things for granted” in Singapore, that was the tik tak my heart raced so soft and my eyes couldn’t hold my teares any longer. With the same living condition, teachers and kids in the village still live happily but we complaint too much and disturbed others too much.

2. “Don’t worry, I don’t think I can forget this project”

In a very normal night like others, an S-team member vormitted under the tree, which was an opening for the session so called “hopital time” of the project. There were two more members fell into sick in the next day, so I and S-team leader accomapied those three into the hospital and came back with lists of drugs. Next was the “hospital days” of quite-the-number members of the project, and one member had the happy birthday greetings inside the ambulance. iSOS transefered at night must be counted as the peek of “hospital time” of this project. At the end of the project, while giving a gift for S-team leader with the memo note: “Just a small gift so that you can remember you did have a trip like this to VietNam in your youth”, and we were surprised with his reply “Don’t worry, I don’t think I can forget this project”

3. V-team members: It takes much effort to understand a person

“Connection” can be counted as my hurtful weakness, always. For the first time ever, “Mortals and Angels” game was set up with the support of the whole members from V-team, for which, I think, played a role in connection both S-team and V-team. I even felt luckier when members which could connect quickly with S-team always looked back and support other members so that no one was left behind. This was the project which made me realize that to understand a person, it takes much effort from both side and “that is my personality” cannot be an excuse.

Feeling so appreciated for the moments that building team received cool lemon tea from housework team, I did. Feeling so appreciated for the moments housework team washed the bowls surrounded by mosquitos, a member quitely put the mosquito coil under the sink. That small actions did ease the hot days in Long Vinh.

4. And for unsung heroes…

This is the session for sending my thank to ECO VietNam Group members. Without the support of those unsung heros, this project cannot happened at the very beginning and each of us, both from V-team and S-team cannot have those valuable experience and grew so much through those short days.

About the project:

• Natural Spring Water Project
• Time : 14/05/2014 – 27/05/2014
• Place: An Hiep Commune, Ba Tri District, Ben Tre Province.
• Participants: 25 students of National University of Singapore; 5 Vietnamese volunteers and others members of ECO Vietnam Group.

Achievements

• Built 26 water tanks
• Installed Plasma Filtration System
• Conducted English lessons

Natural Spring Water is the first project for the year 2015, conducted in association with National University of Singapore, NUS, the official participation of 5 Vietnamese volunteers and the help of other EVG members. The aim of the project to improve the standard of living of the villagers and the children in An Hiep commune, by building water tanks, teaching English for the student in An Hiep primary school, conducting house visits for the needy and organizing Culture Night for Vietnamese team (V-team), Singapore Team (S-team), Macau Team as well as the local students and villagers.

1. Activity process:

14/05/2015

• 8.30 am, 5 Vietnamese volunteers and EVG members gathered at Tan Son Nhat airport.
• 9.15 am, V-team met and took pictures with S-team the airport.
• 9.30 am, travelled by bus to An Hiep commune

V-team and S-team at Tan Son Nhat airport.

• 30 pm, arrived to Ba Tri Town, had dinner at Ba Tri restaurant.
• 30 pm, checked-in to Phuong Nam hotel.
• 30 pm, paid a visit to An Hiep Commune’s People’s Committee.
• 30 pm, Welcome Ceremony in An Hiep Commune.
• 30 pm, went back to the hotel to rest

15/05/2015 – 24/05/2015.

Building water tank:

While this was the most important and difficult part of the job, it was also the most interesting one throughout the entire trip. Everyday, 2 teams comprising of 1 members from the V-team and 5 members from the S-team are deployed to different parts of the commune to build water tanks. Each day, a total of 4 tanks were built. Since most of us are building and casting concrete for the first time in our lives, this required us to work together closely as a team. The members of the team needed to observe and analyse the method used by the locals so that they could cast the concrete tanks in the most effiecient manner. I was sure after this project, everyone will know how to mix up a fresh batch of concrete!

Volunteers mixing concrete with spades and hoes.

As the days go by with the building water tanks gradually becoming easier, the members began to interact with the local villagers. Through their sharing, we learned more about the life in An Hiep and we also discovered the importance of building these water tanks. The water is polluted and saline and in time of drought, water becomes scarce and the locals will need to purchase water for their daily consumption and therefore it was a necessity to build these water tanks for the locals.

Each house, we built 2 water tanks next to each other.

The cover of the water tank

Installing Filter of Hope after building the water tank

After a long and hard day of working, it is always nice to unwind to some creative moments like this.

Relaxing after a hard day’s work.

Results:

We built 26 water tanks and installed Filter of Hope for 4 families. Everybody was happy and satisfied with the results. Patience, overcoming obstacles, problem solving, lending a listening ear and solidarity between volunteers are some of the important values we’ve learned throughout the entire trip.

Teaching English:

As with the building team, there were 2 teams teaching in An Hiep primary school, each team included 1 members from the V-team and 5 members from the S-team. We spent whole day in School and taught students there also. We had 2 classes (grade 4) in the morning and 2 classes (grade 5) in the afternoon. As 11 days in An Hiep is a rather short time, we could not teach English like the school will teach them english, but instead we taught them simple sentences they could use in their daily conversations. The most important things at the end of the day was that we encouraged and inspired them to learn English. Students in An Hiep don’t have the same conductive environment to learn English like that of the students in the city We taught them instead through the application of educational games as well as the creation of simple toys. We hope that through these initiatives, they will have inspirations to learn not only English but also a lot of different things. These students were incredibly motivated to study and develop themselves, and of course lovely adolescents. Volunteers did magnificent jobs for these kids and we was grateful and glad to have a chance to contribute to this project.

Students showing their telephone made from cups all by themselves

Volunteers and students after class

Results:

Students now know some simple English words and sentences that they can use to communicate with one another. They can also make some toys by themselves and learned how to play some games. The most important thing was that they grew to like learning English through those activities. We had happy and relaxing together. Kids liked volunteers very much. They gave a lot of gifts to volunteers and always stayed behind after school to play with us. Sweet memories were made with kids of An Hiep Primary School.

Housework

This was done by a team which consisted of 1 member from the V-team and 5 members from the S-team and the team will be rotated every day so that to ensure that everyone will get a chance do at least one of each type of. All we had to do was set up the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner, wash the dishes, clean the sleeping place and toilet twice a day. We also helped the cook prepare the food, dessert, replace the garbage bags around the house, the school compound and library.

S-team was not used to washing dishes or cleaning, so the housework tool quite a lot of effort to be completed during the first few days. Later, when we got used to all the cleaning, we cooperated and did it more efficiently. We will also never forget “mama” and “mami”, the two ladies who always smiled, were humorous and cooked us a lot of delicious food. She was liked our mother.

Housework team is washing dishes

Results:

All the housework was done with dedication and willingness to cooperate. We also knew more about each other through stories shared as we did all these work.

Install Plasma Filtration System

We all know that An Hiep commune lacks a source of clean water. Therefore, project 1501 installed a Plasma Filtration System in conjunction with UTE for An Hiep Primary School.

Volunteers are installing Plasma System

Results:

The Plasma Filtration System was successfully installed in An Hiep Primary School where the students can have access to clean water for drinking.

Farming

Volunteers spent one morning visiting the cow farm and helped the locals feed the cows. Despite the sunny weather and the fact that everyone got sunburn, the volunteers showed their teamwork and spirit regardless.

Results:

We knew how the cow farm worked and how difficult it is to farm on a daily basis; from harvesting grasses, bringing grasses on to the boat to feeding the cow. While everyone got sunburn, the more important thing to take note was to never take our food for granted having seen how hard it is to produce food in a farm.

Volunteers are bringing grasses for cows

Visiting poor families

Volunteers visiting a poor family in An Hiep Commune

In Day 2 of the project, we divided group into 2 teams and visited 5 poor families in An Hiep commune. We prepared some gifts for them like rice, sugar, salt, milk and cooking oil. While they were not really valuable gifts, they appreciated just as much because these items were things that they need in their lives and yet have little to no means to obtaining them. We went to their house, talked to them, heard the stories of their lives and encouraged them to overcome these adversities.

Result:

Through stories about their lives, we knew more about An Hiep Commune and the people here. Most of them haven’t had a job or a low paying job. Therefore, we decided to come back here one day and try to conceive a solution that will bring these people greater opportunities.

Culture night

The culture night was held in An Hiep Primary School on 22^nd May from 7pm to 9.30pm. Performances in Culture Night were contributed not only by S-team, V-team but also by students from University of Macau, Hong Kong (Project S1). This was an opportunity for volunteers know more about locals and the culture here. This also was the chance to exchange between Vietnam, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Culture Night with S-tem, V-team and Macau team

Campfire in Culture Night

Results:

The performances occurred in a warm and friendly atmosphere with a lot of laughter. After all the performances, we had campfire. It did not matter if you was Vietnamese, Singaporean or from Hong Kong, everyone went singing and dancing around the campfire . This was a night to remember for all of us. It also remarked the near-completion of the project.

1. Thoughts about the project

Thought of Khue, Vietnamese volunteer of ECO Vietnam Group:

The memories in An Hiep commune will not be definitely forgotten by me. This project brought to us – V-team and Steam that wonderful lessons. We built water tanks, cooked the meal, taught English for children. Not only we taught, also we learnt from them how to laugh and the way made our own life happier.

The culture night made us get closer. We danced, sang together with music that came from different countries, we also danced around the fire.

We will not forget…

The meals were covered by laughs and funny saying “ moi an com” from Singaporean friends,

The sweats, the laughs after building times,

The students spoke louder when they have been learnt a new lesson,

The jokes of “mama” made us happier,

We worked together as a big team on the field,

The sugarcane glasses, coconut juice that we got them from households, the coffee cups helped us stay up to confess everything after a hard working day,

The time we took care each other, the angels fed us watermelons,

The dances, funny games,

We gave the note papers each other with gifts,

And other things… I can not tell….

I would like to say thank you so much to EVG that have brought us together, gave us experiences. Also, I want to say thank you good-hearted and simple-minded residents in An Hiep commune and good friends who come from Singapore, I have learnt many things from them. I feel proud of myself and did a meaningful thing for the last days of 20 and to prove : Life is adventures.

Thought of Sang, Vietnamese volunteer of ECO Vietnam Group:

First of all, I would like to say thank to EVG/ EVG staff ( Mr Harry, Mr Han, Ms.Yen, Ms. Duyen, Ms Dung..) V-team ( Diem, Thuong, Thuy, Khue, Ms.Linh) and specially S-team for not only making a considerable change in myself but creating unforgettable memories which will stay deep in my heart during 2 weeks.

Initially, as regards EGV and EVG Staff. EVG did make an amazing bridge between international students and Vietnamese people, between boring theories and vivid field trip. Simply because fortunately, EVG has young, wild and free people, who always try their best to finish their job with love and passion. Project 1501 was really lucky when be supported by Ms Yen and Mr Han- who have to wake up earlier, deal with many issues more than other.

Besides, It is V-team, I’m truly glad to know all of you. Thank to meetings, reflection, preparing days.. They helped us from strangers who have no idea or even have negative feelings about each other to getting closer. During this project, perhaps I cannot count how many times we have to tackle difficulties. However, by your supports, encouragements which made our project finish successfully.

I have to thank S-team again, you are adorable, big-hearted people. I know that in order to take part in project OceaNUS, you must give up, miss crucial things in your life, but you finally decided to go to Vietnam. I also heard that all of you did prepare 10 months before for only 2 weeks in Vietnam. Designing and selling T-shirt, washing cars..made me more appreciate you. Hope that you gained abundance experience, learned loads of skills which will certainly help you in your future.

About myself, through project 1501, I realize that I eventually received too much more than what I expected. First, I made friends with a bunch of new great people( S-team, V-team, EVG staff..), who I am able to study many amazing unlearnt lessons from, as well as sincerely helped me when I needed the help. This is a wonderful experience which I think I will not have second chance to try such as shouting before having meals, dance crazily in Culture Night, Cleaning toilets with unbearable smell..Somehow, It changed my ways of looking at life, human surrounding. Absolutely I am the young generation, therefore devoting energy, time, attention to needy community seems to be a must.

2 weeks with all of you guys will be precious and memorable time in my entire life.

Thought of Thuong, Vietnamese volunteer of ECO Vietnam Group:

Natural Spring Water isn’t my first community service project, thus in my first thought about this project I reckoned that I’ll not run into difficulties with it. From the first days, the preparation planned carefully, clearly and precisely make me recognize that it is familiar with other projects and I must give it my best shot. This program not only contributes to community in need, but also helps yourself learn the practical applications, therefore I always set my goal clearly to develop myself. The first thing impressed me is the aim of this project which is long term support for communities, that teach me that if I want to have a sustained result, I must invest in long-term.

On that days I worked in An Hiep commune, I experienced the hard life that lack of water in hot weather in many consecutive months, some household don’t have enough money to raise a living, let alone buy water that cost a much money. The first days in An Hiep commune really challenge me, I faced the fast work pace and the heavy burden, but day by day when I got used to it, everything became easy.

Through reflection, I realize that make me grow up every single day by evaluating my behaviour and learning from my partner. Not only I was taught how to scientific work and team work skill from V-team. From S- team I also learnt the efficient and serious way in working as well as energetic and enthusiastic way in outdoor activities that made me revise when I felt exhausted after working day.

When this project comes to end, we look back at all team achievement, but all of it doesn’t live up to us expectation, because we think we can do more than that. Hope that the next projects will always success and bring community power to change An Hiep commune.

Thought of Diem, Vietnamese volunteer of ECO Vietnam Group:

Our project went to the end but our friendship still continue. 11 days in An Hiep commune help us know more about the local people, the culture and the important of clean water system here. I will never forget things happened in this project.

I miss mama and mami, who cooked delicious meals for us.

I miss every time we were on the farm truck to the place we built water tank.

I miss flame trees in An Hiep school, and we made butterfly from them.

I miss cute students there, they always wanted to play Bang bang game

I miss coconut juice that the local always gave to us every time we build

I miss NUS students, they were an important part that made this trip happen. They’re friendly, enthusiastic, work hard and play harder. And 25 members in S-team will be in my mind, forever.

I miss V-team, we prepared everything together. Sometimes, we faced to difficult problems, we argued to each other, but we tried to solve and help others overcome any trouble.

I miss….

I don’t know if we have a chance to meet all members again but I will keep all little things in my mind..

“Alone you can do so little, together we can do so much”