“Volunteer challenge”, one of major programs of Volunteer House Vietnam (VHV), was organized in 2 days of September 14 and 15, 2015. After about a month of fund-raising and calling for sponsorship in HCM city, the organization had 2 meaningful days and a night with local people and poor students at street 10, Bù Đăng district, Bình Phước province.
The program was organized for the sake of tightening bonds between volunteers as well as giving away presents, scholarships to encourage the enthusiasm for education and bring a day full of happiness to children and poor people.
The journey “Happiness for highland”
At 4.30 A.M. on September 14th 2015, 45 members including the founder of VHV and friends met at the meeting point on 120th street, street 77, Tân Quy, District 7, HCM city. After moving and checking necessary stuffs for the program such as presents for children and game material…the team carried goods to the vehicle. Everything was done rapidly, within an hour everyone was settled on board. Hardly after the bus had started to move, the city got crowded and noisy.
The members was ready to get on board.
Along the journey, the bus was full of laughter of members who participated in team building games to get members closer and be connected to each other.
The organizers prepared small games for members to get closer and connect to each others.
The trip was longer than expected with 6 hours of driving, about 12P.M.,the team arrived at People’s Committee department of street 10, Bù Đăng district, Bình Phước province. Everyone was warmly welcomed by the friendliness of people and innocent and curious eyes of children here.
Shortly after the arrival, the members hurriedly carried items and equipment into the committee house and had lunch together at a nearby small restaurant. After finished, all members quickly returned to committee house to distribute rice, towels, shampoo, noodles…into packs of present to prepare for present giving away program to the poor and candies to children at 1.30 P.M.
The members carried stuffs into Committee house and started to prepare presents
By 1.30 P.M. all poor families and children had arrived. The presents giving away and candies for children program took place. The presents in total consist of 1 ton of rice, 3000 packs of noodles, 100 liters of cooking oil, 1.500 point pal pen, 600 big towels, 8000 packs of shampoo, 180 packs of toothpaste, 70 backpacks and a large amount of fresh milk, condensed milk, peanuts, salted shredded meat, snacks and candies, notebooks, scholarship for children and other necessities were packed and distributed to people.
Volunteer House Vietnam gives presents to the poor.
Children did not only receive presents and candies but also had free haircut by skillful “Golden scissors” of Volunteer House Vietnam.
Children is having free haircuts from members of Volunteer House Vietnam
About 3 p.m, the team moved to Nguyễn Khuyến secondary high school to meet and give scholarships to poor but outstanding students at school.
While preparing presents, the team organized activities and games for children such as: blowing bubble for random funny questions, interactive games, mini sport games and prizes for winning was snacks and candies. Those were ordinary games but in this poor living condition children had very little chance to play those games. Activities and games helped to break the ice between children and members of the team, children became more open and laughter filled the campus.
Warming up atmosphere before the program take place
Children had opportunity to meet and speak English with teacher Josh from England, Josh is also a teacher of Volunteer House Vietnam
Because some of the children live very far away, the organizers had to start giving away presents and scholarships early so that they could go back home not so late. The team started to give away presents, each pack included a backpack and a present of shampoo, a towel, toothpaste, noodles and pal pen. Besides, Volunteer House Vietnam also gave 50 scholarships to some poor but outstanding students.
Founder Võ Mỹ Linh gave scholarship to some poor but outstanding students
Not just a challenge, not only a volunteer trip…
About 5 P.M. to 6 P.M., the members rallied in groups, divided into 3 subgroups and each group was given 100 thousand Dong and 2 secret things. The members had to sell and buy ingredients at local market to cook dinner for the group. The organizers demanded not to use any other equipment but woods and leaves that had been prepared in advanced to cook and serve the meal.
Brother Triều, a member of Volunteer House Vietnam, shared “The journey of each group was full of challenges and required sensitive sale skill. One team chose to persuade by scientific explaining and functions of condom in real life and some special functions like water proof for iphone, can use as a bubble,…A team used seduction strategy, the other played insane and crazily danced around just to sell their product. So we know customer is God and when God is pleased, he is willing to pay more than the true value of goods.”
Finally, after having used so many tactics, all the groups have excellently completed the challenge of the organizers and got ready to go to the market and buy ingredients. And all the teams moved on to the next challenge that they weren’t allowed to use pot or pan to cook but traditional equipment that the organizers provided. About more than 7 p.m all teams had served foods such as: Rolled noodles with meat and melon, and salad. Besides that there were boiled eggs, grilled sweet potato, barbecue, green rice, bananas, boiled vegetables, green tea, etc.
Members accomplished sale mission with stuffs provided from organizers and went to the market to buy food.
And prepare meal without pot and pan.
Delicious and tasty foods by members of Volunteer House Vietnam
After the dinner, members of Volunteer House Vietnam met unionists and local young people from town then went back to play games, through those games members were closer and more understanding.
4.30 A.M. on the second day of the trip, members woke up to play big game that was organized by organizers. At about 6 A.M. members exercised together, had breakfast and started morning work that was removing grass under trees of committee house, collecting trash and removing bushes before entrance of committee house.
Teams play games prepared by organizers
Members removing bushes, grass and collecting trash at communist house
About 9 A.M. team divided into small groups and traveled by tractors to poor families‘s house in order to greet and give away presents.
Members of Volunteer House Vietnam greeted and gave presents to poor families.
After that, members had lunch and got on bus to visit Soc Bombo hill, at this place members had the chance to visit a historical landmark that was considered a totem of Bombo people in stage of war and founding village. At 1 P.M. everyone got on bus and went back to city.
All volunteers took photos at Soc Bombo before going back to city
The journey “Volunteer challenge” held by Volunteer House Vietnam is not only to challenge members’ willingness, dedication, courage but also to give members a chance to share love with unfortunate fates through realistic volunteer works, which teach them to cherish their life more.
Obviously those two aims was accomplished completely. Active, energetic, fun, humorous, romantic and meaningful, the trip left everyone a beautiful trace in their youth that only comes once in life and Volunteer House Vietnam had another great memory to remember and cherish.
Kim Liên
