SMU

by

1402 – Wings Project

About the project:

  • Wings Project
  • Time : 27/4/2014 – 11/5/2014
  • Place: Phuong Thinh Commune, Cao Lanh District, Dong Thap Province.anh5
  • Participants: 37 students of SMU (Singapore Management University); 5 Vietnamese volunteers and others members of ECO Vietnam Group.
  • Achievements:
    • Completing a EVG love house
    • English Teaching
    • Finance Teaching for local youth
    • Constructing 1km road
    • Culture Night
    • House visiting

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  1. Meetings – Tonight, we are young.

Although we are prepared to not sleep before midnight during our project, the actual feeling of having minimum sleep was really a test to us mentally and physically. It was 5.5hours of sleep on the first night. 4.5 hours of sleep on the second night and 3.5 hours of sleep on the third night. Sometimes, we could not even recognize our faces in the mirror, what was all these hard work for? It was the legendary Reflection Night, with the Sing-team and Viet-team, ending off with the leader meeting.

  1. Tears – What is  pressure?

I was crushed under pressure for the very first time in my life. Mr Harry was not there, he was my helping hand, my support for every mistake I made in the previous projects, but he was not there. This was my first time being a project manager, and I can feel the huge responsibility on my shoulders. I had to deal with Sing-team when they called off the Finance-class for the local youth, I had to deal with both team to break the ice and overcome the invisible wall, I had to fix thing right. I asked myself, ‘Why did I have to do all of this? Why should I take all of this pressure for nothing?’  I answered that question myself, ‘It is because I am young, because this is my community, I wanted to grow, to learn, and to give as much as I can, since life is short.’
Nevertheless, I realized I was only 21, and suddenly I felt powerless. I cried, cried for every little hardship I have to deal with daily. However,  many told me to persevere on: “No pain, no gain.”

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  1. V team Members – Warm from inside

I am lucky to be in this project, I have an amazing team. We supported each other, we care for each other. No matter how stressful it was during reflection time, they still paid attention to their teammate, they helped whenever and wherever it was possible. We were a strong team. I felt so warm inside despite the rainy season then.

  1. Sing team leaders

I was impressed by their leader, 4 different individuals, 4 different characters, but they had something in common which truly inspired me: detail planning, fantastic leadership and being meticulous to every team member.
It was the dry season in Phuong Thinh, and water supply was cut off from us every night. There was once, the 6 of us stayed up late till 3am just to discuss the solution for bathing.

5. Last project night

I always enjoy Culture Night at the end of every project. We danced around the camp fire along with stream of music. I felt young, I felt alive. THIS IS LIFE. It is now or never, I am not going to live forever, I just want to live when I am alive.

I want to join project like this, time to time, just to feel young forever.

 

What is OSL?

I. What is OSL?

OSL stands for Overseas Service Learning.
It is a program from Foreigner’ schools and Universities, in which, a group of elected and trained students are send to developing countries to do community projects. This model is preferred as Service Learning. This is why OSL project is called Overseas Service Learning Projects.

OCIP is a not-unfamiliar phrase with oversea students.

OCIP is a not-unfamiliar phrase with oversea students.

ECO Vietnam Group is proud to be the host for these projects in Vietnam since we were first established in 2009. Together with our partners from Singapore, we have made more than 20 successful OSL projects in poor regions and ethnic minority communities around Vietnam to make a better life and education in these areas.

OSL projects also have another name such as Regional Community Involvement Project or Overseas Service Learning where overseas students to come to Vietnam for providing the support and at the same time to learn from the community. It strictly follow the model called Service Learning.

II. What we have done

In each OCIP, our partners and we have worked for months of research (includes reece trips), preparation and training to come up with the best plan and the best solution for our 2 weeks working in the chosen region.
Since each OCIP has different targets, each with different needs, therefore our projects serve various causes depend on the actual needs of these areas.
For more than 3 years, our Singaporean and Vietnamese volunteers (all are students) have done many jobs from painting classrooms, repairing houses to building roads, kitchens, houses, toilets, and teaching as well, etc.

Harvesting coffee bean in Youth Project.

Harvesting coffee bean in Youth Project.

III. Where have we been?

+  GiaBắc commune , Di Linh, LâmĐồng province , Vietnam

+  PhươngThịnh commune,Cao Lãnh, ĐồngTháp province, Vietnam

+  TânQuới commune , ThanhBình, ĐồngTháp province, Vietnam

+  An Hiệp commune, Ba Tri, Bến Tre provine, Vietnam

+  Lộc Khánh Commune, Lộc Ninh, Bình Phước province, Vietnam

Girls from Paya Lebar Methodist School were building road in Phuong Thinh Commune (Dong Thap province).

Girls from Paya Lebar Methodist School were building road in Phuong Thinh Commune (Dong Thap province).

IV.   Who have we worked with?

Universities:

+ Nanyang Technological University
+ National University of Singapore
+ Singapore Management University
+ National Institute of Education

High schools:

+ Hwa Chong Junior College
+ Saint Andrew Junior College
+ Dunman High School

Secondary schools:

+ PayaLebar Methodist School
+ Nanyang Girl High School

During our five years in action, 1,037 Singaporean students and 708 Vietnamese young people have participated in our projects, with a total spending of 286,739 USD for contributing to community service and education. We have received awards and merit certificates from the government for numerous projects. More than 700 Singaporean teachers and students, 200 Vietnamese volunteers, 30 ECO Vietnam Group members.

Teaching English for children.

Teaching English for children.

v. What have we got?

Through these projects, our young generation of Singaporean and Vietnamese students has had the opportunity to experience a new –different world, to adapt into a different life routine to make friends across countries, to understand, learn and grow together.

Thanks to all the life lessons they achieve from the people they served, from their teachers, EVG’s advisor, their friends and also their self’s criticism during the project, these volunteers have become more confident, responsible and extremely enthusiastic with community service.

They were working very hard like real briklayers!

They were working very hard like real briklayers! – Building the IT room for Gia Bac secondary school

AND ALSO

[Until 7/2012]

+ 1 IT library room values more than 100 million VND for a Secondary School in Gia Bac commune.
+ 1 school-yard (800 meter square) for a secondary school in Tan Quoi Commune.
+  3.5km road.
+  5 kitchens.
+  3 ECO Love Houses for the poor in Phuong Thinh commune.
+ 500 trees.
+ 1000 kg rice for the poor.
+ 1,325,500,000VND
+ 3 Letters of Appreciation from Committee of Vietnam Fatherland Front – Cao Lanh District, the People Committee- Phuong Thinh Commune and Association of Vietnamese Youth League – Cao Lanh District.

OCIPs 2009 – 1/ 2013

OCIPs 2009 – 1/ 2013