May 19, 2014 by ECO Vietnam Group

1306 – Our Door Project

Time: 27May – 2June( 6 Days)

Place: Phuong Thinh, Dong Thap

Members: 50 Students of Paya Lebar Methodist Girls School

Achievement:

– Built 1 ECO Toiet.
– Road building (1.3km)
– English Teaching.

In the week from 27/5/2012 to 06/02/2013 , OUR DOOR project by ECO Vietnam Group ( EVG ) collaborated with the Paya Lebar Methodist Girls School , Singapore took place in Phuong Thinh commune , Cao Lanh district , Dong Thap province , OUR DOOR is a project aimed at helping and improving the lives of local people in Phuong Thinh .

In just 7 short days, nearly 70 volunteers actively perform many diverse activities such as teaching , building toilets , flagstone paths , visiting the poor , cultural night organized cultural exchange By the his enthusiasm , the volunteers have brought joy to the children and partly to share the difficulties of the people here through practical work .

Another interesting point of the project is English class of volunteers . The class attracted the local students . With lively teaching methods and friendly , the classes were enthusiastic children . The teaching session was short but had laid many beautiful feelings between the volunteers and the children , the tears of parting day linger .

Also in OUR DOOR this project, the volunteers were spread over 1km stone for the children’s travelling to school easier during the rainy season. Understanding the significance of this activity, the militia he, locals have tools to help support the volunteers performed better job.

In addition, the enthusiastic volunteers also participate in building toilets for poor households in the commune Phuong Thinh. Although inexperienced but mentally rolling his discharge was helping girls overcome the Methodist PayaLebar initial surprise and complete 1 toilet last working day at Thinh Phuong.

Saying goodbye, what remains on the shoulders of volunteers no longer just a backpack, but it is the crystallization beautiful, valuable lessons come from the journey Phuong Thinh, friendship and memories of their will not be forgotten.

May 19, 2014 by ECO Vietnam Group

1305 – Green Clinic Project

Time: 23May-01Jun( 6 Days)

Place: Gia Bac, Lam Dong

Members: 10 Students of NUS Medicine School

Achievement:

– 750 villagers receive the treatment from doctors, pharmacists and medical students.
– Survey on health

From 23.05.2013 until 06.01.2013 , GREEN CLINIC project by ECO Vietnam Group ( EVG ) in collaboration with Team Operation Medicine from NUS Yong Loo Yin School of Medicine , Singapore took place in an atmosphere rich warmth of love and compassion . Held in Gia Bac , Di Linh district , Lam Dong province is a project to help improve the health and life of the local people here .

In just 5 short days , the spirit of youthful enthusiasm and thirst for building , community development , 16 volunteers ( volunteers ) come from Vietnam and Singapore with the support of six Vietnamese doctors South , they have done a lot of work meaning for people ‘s lives Gia Bac . These include the typical activities in this project such as stations and dispensing free medical examination , carried out a home visit to each household as well as advocacy survey and measure blood pressure check and people visiting households poor .

Right from the first moment arrived in Ho Chi Minh City , the volunteers were quickly carried out the purchase of medicines and medical supplies needed to prepare for the examination in Gia Bac station .

In the first day at Gia Bac , the volunteers and doctors have started right away with examination work at the station and found free medicines to the people . Only 3 exams , but more than 760 people had blood pressure measured , examined and medicines , in the laudable efforts of the group . This is an opportunity for volunteers to be close to the original people , to understand , to create sympathy where people and create more favorable conditions in the later survey date .

The volunteers measure people’s blood pressure

End the job search at the station, the volunteers conducted Vietnam and Singapore trips to visit each household living in 5 villages and advocacy, guidance, sending information leaflets on health care and proper hygiene. At the same time blood pressure measured every survey people and get information, bandaged the wound healing skin if any.

Besides, the volunteers also visited the households in disadvantaged areas. The trip was not only small help bring physical and spiritual families, but it also makes each of you have the opportunity to volunteer and learn more close to Gia Bac.

May 19, 2014 by ECO Vietnam Group

1304 – Healthcare Campaign Project

Time: 20May-2June(14 Days)

Place: Gia Bac, Lam Dong

Members:o2 Students of NTU – SMU

Achievement:

– 180 water filter.
– 1 ECO Toilet.
-English Teaching

Project Healthcare Campaign was a cooperation project between EVG and the two high schools: SMU and NTU Singapore. Within 10 days at Gia Bac public library, 22 Singaporean volunteers and 4 Vietnamese volunteers contributed greatly to the community here, helping improve the living standard of the locals, especially health problem.

One of the most outstanding missions that the volunteers of Healthcare campaign project accomplished was to building toilets for the locals

As for teaching task, the volunteers already taught 2 classes at Gia Bac primary schools: 5A1 and 5A2.

The volunteers also distributed 180 water filter machines to poor families at Gia Bac

We successfully organized a cultural exchange night in the presence of more than 100 students along with teachers and local authority.

Leaving Gia Bac after 10 days, what still remained was wonderful memories they would never forget. Returning to HCM city, they had a chance to relax and visit many tourist attractions such as: Ben Thanh market, War Remnants museum, the tunnels of Cu Chi.

They said goodbye to Vietnam on one rainy day. Healthcare campaign came to an end with many beautiful memories, with the friendships had just formed. But the journey to help Gia Bac was still on its way. We are young, free and enthusiastic, we still keep on going and grow up. We hope to see each other again, at Gia Bac, on one sunny day.

May 19, 2014 by ECO Vietnam Group

1303 – Blue Bubble Project

Time: 18May-5Jun(18 Days)

Place: An Hiep, Ben Tre

Members: 18 Students of NUS- Mam Xanh

Achievement:

English Teaching

Built 800m2 of school yard

May 19, 2014 by ECO Vietnam Group

1302 – Spring Sprout Project

Time: 28Apri-11Mayl(14 Days)

Place: An Hiep, Ben Tre

Members: 40 Students of FIDES- SMU

Achievement:

English Teaching

Built 800m2 of school yard

So Spring Sprout Project in An Hiep Commune , Ba Tri District , Ben Tre Province has entered the implementation of the first day . Maybe with any project , unfamiliarity , and new difficulty is the inevitable . And Spring Sprout is not an exception. Fortunately . in this work the first day , everything went pretty smoothly.

As for construction, today you have embarked on land fill to flatten the pitch . However, this is a job that requires a lot of time and energy of people and will significantly affect the progress of the project . So everyone decided to rent a bulldozer tomorrow can embark on concrete yard .

As for teaching , the school was opened exciting fun game with H2O – a kind of cat-and- mouse game of Vietnam – volunteers from Singapore with the support of the volunteers VN . Thanks to this attractive activities that the pupils of four layers 1 and 2 of primary school Year 1 1 An agreement was feeling less shy when initially exposed to the ” teacher ” new to mingle into the game , as well as later periods . During school hours , the English alphabet are inherently monotonic , this vividly conveyed to them through the song ” ABC ” and the connection works as recognizing letters and words .

As for housework and cooking , the volunteers did not seem to encounter any difficulties with the enthusiastic support from her school principal . The bearing deep dish delicious Vietnam were volunteers Singapore enthusiastic ” response ” .

Hopefully, the next day would be the day enthusiastic , playful ; more experiences and memories for everyone .

October 23, 2013 by ECO Vietnam Group

Service Learning

What is Service Learning?

Service-Learning (SL) is a method under which students or participants apply and develop what they have learnt in school through active participation in thoughtfully organized service that is conducted to meet certain needs of a community. In other words, in Service Learning, participants not only learn the practical applications of their studies, they also actively contribute to their community.

Why is Service Learning?

To use your knowledge effectively and not wasting it
To emerge yourself in new challenges, new environments
To learn and serve at the same time for yourself and your community

Where is it in Vietnam?

The motto of education in Vietnam emphasizes “Study must be accompanied by practice” as a guideline for all education activities .However, as the matter of fact; Vietnamese universities’ programs are still limited in the application of theory into practice. Consequently, graduate students often do not meet the actual needs of the society; their lack of practical skills becomes their barriers to further success. On the other hand, there is very few social or educational researches mention about education on community responsibility for Vietnamese students. Meanwhile, in many schools and universities’ programs around the world, both education on civic consciousness- community services and the application of theory in real life are compulsory to students. In fact, they combine these two concepts to one method called: Service Learning.

Since the 1960s, SL has been applied in many universities around the world, in the United States has more than 1,000 universities and colleges that apply this method to more than 6 million students .For years, SL has proven itself as a sufficient strategy for sustainable development in a country.

Service Learning nowadays is a common study method in America, Europe and Australia; it is spreading in Asian starts with Singapore since more than 10 years ago and recently in Vietnam since 2009.

Service Learning 101

Service Learning is usually mistaken with soft skills courses or volunteer works where they either focus only Service or Learning. It is a misconception that can only be clarified once you actually involve in a real Service Learning Program.

Research shows that students learn by doing. Unlike those soft skill and life skill courses, Service Learning projects/courses are designed strongly close to real life. Some of the skills that can be developed through Service Learning are management skills, communication skills, team-works skills, etc. While some of these skills can be taught in a classroom or a course through class activities and team projects, they will not have as much of a long term effect, because through Service Learning there is a more personal and hands-on experiences.

Reflection is the most important process in Service Learning, where participant are becoming aware of what they are studying, they explore and link their experiences to their academic knowledge for self-criticism and learn from it. This is the Big L in Service Learning: acquiring and constructing knowledge.

Moreover, Service Learning projects are usually organized in needy places so the participants must solve the unexpected, inconvenient condition. Through Service Learning projects, they instill their civil responsibility and serve their community’s needs. This is the Big S in Service Learning: Serve disadvantaged community.

The outcome of a good Service Learning program is Big S together with Big L for both the students and the community that they come to serve.

“A good service-learning program helps participants see their [service] questions in the larger context of issues of social justice and social policy — rather than in the context of charity”

(Jane Kendall, 1990)

“Serve to learn. Serve to give back. But most importantly, serve to be an instrument of your gifts and talents, and to help where help is needed.”

(Niki Vaith)

EVG and Service Learning

Since establishment in 2009, EVG has embraced the values of service learning in all of our projects, EVG is the first non-governmental organization (NGO) that introduced this method in Ho Chi Minh City. We believe that every community service has to be accompanied by learning about the community’s needs and implementing our talents to further enhancement of future services. Many young people in Ho Chi Minh served the community for wrong motivations, such as a good resume or simply looking for interesting activities. EVG aims to change their mind-sets by imparting an understanding of the benefits of Service Learning Projects for their personal development and the community as well. With the never-ending supports from counterparts in Singapore, EVG has managed to slowly, but surely; bring the concept of Service Learning to other NGOs, clubs, and some universities in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

EVG’s Service Learning Conferences

1. Youth For Causes (YFC)

EVG organized the very first conference about Service Learning on June 2011. The theme for this conference is “What are community service and youths’ roles responsibilities in it?”. Based on this theme, EVG invited many representatives from various clubs and NGOs in Ho Chi Minh City to share their Service Learning: A method under which students or participants learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service that is conducted in and meets the needs of a community. Sustained by nature, sustained by talent stories in serving the community and how they have learnt from those experiences. Also, EVG invited some students and teachers from Singapore to share about how Service Learning Project is strongly enforced in Singapore education system and how it has benefited the participants tremendously. The first Youth For Causes opened up door of opportunities for these young leaders to build connections and better understand the values of service they are doing.

2. Youth For Causes II

The success of the first YFC has encouraged EVG to make YFC an annual event for young people in Ho Chi Minh. On June 2012, EVG arranged YFC II with the theme “Building Leadership Through Community Service”. Similar to the first YFC, EVG again invited many NGOs and clubs from Vietnam and Singapore to share about deeper issues, such as, their motivation in doing community service and how it has changed their lives. Through these sharing sessions, the youth are able to understand that community service encompasses two main components of Service and Learning about ourselves and things around us. Service Leaning

Projects move beyond simple act of service, they empower future generations to be leaders in doing community works through the learning process as well

3. Service Learning in Vietnam

After introducing the concept of Service Learning (SL), EVG desires to deepen the understanding of young Vietnamese on how to apply this concept into various community projects. In August 2012, around 70 Vietnamese students attended our “Service Learning in Vietnam” workshop , from which, they were introduced to Service Learning case studies from schools in Singapore and America and run a mini Service Learning project themselves. This workshop was very beneficial for the participants as they learnt about the benefits of SL Projects in developing their talents to serve the community more effectively. It also allows EVG to build stronger connection with Hoa Sen University and start discussions about bringing SL into academic curriculum.

4. Servant Leader Training Course

In December 2012, EVG closed this significant year by inviting a professional trainer and inspiring teacher from Saint Andrew’s Junior College, Singapore, Mr. Louis Ho, to held a three days training course for Hoa Sen University’s lecturers and 40 young Vietnamese leaders. This interactive and meaningful training is modelled from Youth Expedition Project (YEP) in Singapore. Participants in this course were prepared to be agents that will advocate the concept of Service Learning in Vietnam. From Mr. Louis Ho’s wisdom and passion, these youth were set on fire to arrange and lead SL Projects with deep understanding of the benefits to the society.

5. On-going Projects

EVG is working closely with Hoa Sen University’s Faculty of Languages and Cultural Studies to infuse SL into the academic curriculum. Lecturers in Hoa Sen University are extremely interested in the concept of SL and understand the importance of emphasizing SL Projects in developing a holistic education for their students. EVG also desires that more universities and schools in Vietnam can understand the importance of SL and work together with EVG to introduce SL into academic curriculum to nurture holistic future generations.