Thien Phuoc is an organization which cares and supports disabled children. Thien Phuoc was established in the community of West An Nhon, in the Cu Chi district, which is also a branch of the United Catholic Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. Under the Act 8128 QD/UB/UX passed in 30/12/1999, by the people’s committee of Ho Chi Minh City, it was decided that the organization should be established. This organization was self-sufficient in its expense, however, it also received financial support from other associations interstate and internationally.

Thien Phuoc is responsible for: Taking in, feeding, teaching, and treating handicapped children and those with infectious diseases and illness. There are also children, from newborn infants to 12 year olds, that are infected with poison that have been accepted into Thien Phuoc’s care, as well as orphans and those that are too poor for medication.

Picture Duy Son
The sisters at Thien Phuoc care for abandoned or orphaned children, helping and relieving the effects of chemical poisoning, as well as educating them.
Because of poverty, poor children that are unable to nourish themselves feed mostly on mice. These mice have been contaminated within the 2 hectors of the Cu Chi district, and is relied upon, by approximately 100 children, as the main source of their diet.
The scenery at Thien Phuoc is very unique with a wonderful and fresh air quality, which helps with the treatment and rest of the children. The sisters at the centre are gentle and caring, and with the appropriate setting for a centre, the people who have taken up residence at the centre are happy and pleased with way they have been tended to. We can say that Thien Phuoc is the congregation of charity.

The people there are compassionate for the disabled children from the war. Thien Phuoc puts aside differences making children able to live together freely without worrying about themselves physically.
The dreadful use of the orange poison by the American army during the Vietnam War has lead to devastating consequences, which effects has now become a huge problem. This becomes an eventual pain for families, which in the end is relieved by the mutual care of all. The establishment of Thien Phuoc definitely helps to console and relieve the pains of those who were poisoned. To achieve the goal of helping these people, Thien Phuoc needs the hands of compassion from all who can help.

Address: Lo 6 – An Nhon Tay Village, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

 Organizer: Sister Duong Thi Nhan Tel: (848) 8926386

1. CENTER’S AIMS: To take care of the neglected terminally-ill HIV/AIDS patients; To help patients to be reconcifed with themselves, with theirs families and with society, to be at peace during theirs last days; To create a favourable environment for the patients to become helpful, to participate and to contribute according to their condition, in the campaign against HIV/AIDS spreading.
2. POPULATION TARGET:
   1. Individuals:
   - Those infected by HIV /AIDS, terminally-ill:
   - not alcohol addicted:
   - must pledge not to indulge in heroin trading or addiction:
   2. Admission:
   Admission to the centre only patients introdeced by:
   - The Infection Departement E. Tropical Deseases Hospital
   - Pham Ngoc Thach Tubeculosis Centre
   - An Binh free of Charge Hospital.
   3. Before Admittance:
   A preliminary medical and social inquiry will be produced by the Center’s social worker.
   * MAI HOA Center don’t admit patients, who come directly to the center.
   The last resort for the people with AIDS
   Today, in Ho Chi Minh City, there are 7800 people suffering HIV/AIDS. Amongst them, 2800 people have developed to AIDS. 1000 people have now ceased. The problem facing those with AIDS, is the fact that there is not enough people to take care of AIDS victims during the last period of their life. Almost, all these people have been abandoned by their family.
   The first house is reserved for people with AIDS.
3. This is a vast building located in the middle of a big allotment at An Nhon district, Cu Chi – Ho Chi Minh City. The building is initially established so that people with AIDS can spend their last moments of their life there. On the opening of the building, the attendees were overwhelmed at the fact that the sisters and the blue uniform gave a warm welcoming. The head sister gave a tour of the building to the attendees, introducing each department.In the bed with a new pillow and blanket lays Mr. Bao. Mr. Bao is a patient at the center. He watches with sadness at the visitors who come and go, visiting the other patients. Solemnly, this is because Mr. Bao has no relatives left and is homeless. Mr. Bao has been transferred from Pham Thach Hospital. A sister is currently caring him. This has proved beneficial, as within a few days he has eaten better and gained more weight. Though, only 23, he is happy to live here, as he is treated with respect and is cared for. There are two barracks, including 12 beds.
4. The Canada Consulate supported the funding to build an extra of two more barracks. This will help more AIDS sufferers, as there hadn’t been enough room to receive more patients. The care and love for the sufferers is vastly visible, even when they have passed away. When they do pass away, the remains are burnt.The sister is held for responsibility to take care of the ashes and ensure that it remains in good hands. The building was built up and supported by many sources, as a support from The Vincent Convent in France, The Vincent charity organization in America, The Benevolentia in Holland, The Catholic in Germany and the Hong Bang Volunteer Group.With the insufficient supply of beds, there is not enough to supply the increase of AIDS sufferers. This is the consolation for depressed people, whom were abandoned by their relatives. Patients live a good life in this center. Patients are not treated differently and are treated as individuals, helping to build self esteem. Sister Tue Linh talkedto the visitors on the Open Day:”educating them to treat AIDS sufferers with respect and not differently to other people as well as teaching that AIDS is not contagious. Sister Linh also talked about those with AIDS need all the support and encouragement from their families as well as other issues. “Don’t Let Them Die Alone “We can say that the Mai Hoa center is essential for people suffering AIDS. However, to reduce the cost of running the center, the families and the community help make the center the best in caring for AIDS sufferers, in their last moments of life.” This is the comment of Dr. Nguyen Huu Luyen. The center has opened a network dedicated to those with AIDS, in hope to be able to link and share the experience of alleviating the sufferings. Also there is a counselor for those families whose member is a victim, to help educate and ways to prevent spreading the disease.Mr Thuy, a volunteer speaks about his personal experience, “There are many sufferers in the last stage of AIDS. They feel alone and isolated as ever. This has affected them spiritually and physically. Their families ignore them, as being scared of being infected by the disease. By being cared for by a volunteer, the sufferers become very emotional.”. Ms. Truong Hong Tam, another volunteer says, “Watching the sufferers die without homes and die along the coldness of a quiet corner of the street, where no-one notices. I wonder whether they think just before they die about their warm comforting homes and family before casting them out along the streets. “ 
5. Organizer: Sister Tue Linh Director Tel: (848) 8926135 e-mail: Aidsmaihoa@hcmc.netnam.vn, Address: Lo 6 – An Nhon Tay Village Cu Chi District Ho Chi Minh City – Vietnam

Organizer: Friar Hoang Van Binh Tel:(848) 9902079 e-mail: binhtephanhcm.fpt.vn

Address: 469/17C Nguyen Kiem 9 Ward – Phu Nhuan district Ho Chi Minh City – Vietnam

Pink Manger

This is a small house in an alley on the Nguyen Kiem Rd in Phu Nhuan district.
I call it the pink manger from an abandoned brain damage new born infant to a drug addict lying on the sidewalk, with tuberculosis, waiting for his time to come. In Nga Ba Ong Ta… Everyone has a sorrowful story of their life, but each have a good ending, where they can live their life.

Author: Le Huu Tuan

Through several people, I was told that 50 people were abandoned. I decided to seek the home of Hoang Van Binh. He was a 46-year-old man whose main source of income was cycling people to their destinations, like a taxi only instead used a cyclo.
Without making an appointment, I went to the house and found that a funeral was taking place there. The funeral was for a woman named Hieu aged 80. 2 years ago, she was taken in from the streets and was clothed and fed.
You could hear the prayers and weeping of Hoang Van Binh’s family. No one would have known that this woman had no relatives. Binh was very busy with the funeral, so he made me an appointment sometime after the funeral. I had many visitations to centres, but it was the first time I saw a man taking care of the elderly and disabled. He has helped the underprivileged and abandoned people for 16 years with one purpose, to help them. He found that looking after these people were fulfilling, but trying to find enough money and medication to support them was hard.

16 years ago, Binh was studying at Don Bosco in a teaching’s course.

After 1975, he rode the cyclo to earn money. During his cycloing, he had the opportunity to converse with the elderly and with children. One night during a storm, he found an old man with an addiction to drugs that was cast out on the streets. Binh brought the man home and looked after him. He found that looking after the old man had fulfilled him in some way, it had given him a sense of happiness, not only this it had also given a new friend. From then, Binh believed that bread and butter was only a short-term solution. In the long run it is much better to get these people back on their feet and become a useful member of society. Not only did he think about these matters but acted. Not so long after, he started adopting children with disabilities, both mentally and physically, as well as orphans.All were found, and brought home, from street corners, alleyways, etc. During work, he often begged for food, vegetables and sometimes fish, to nourish his ever growing famished family. Coming home from work Binh does his charitable work; he bathes and washes the abandoned orphan children. A complete stranger takes on the role of a loving caring mother. Something these children have longed for throughout their lives. From dusk till dawn Binh does not stop working, either cycloing to earn money as well as looking after his family. Although he is always tired, his heart is always filled with the joy as he fells that working a little extra can make such a big difference in other people’s lives.
Fortunately, not only does he have to do this alone. His biological family encourages and supports Binh. Binh’s house became crowded after he began taking people in, and so with the help of his parents they built a new house beside the old to accommodate the new family.

As the new home was a lot larger than the old Binh decided to hire people to work for him under these circumstances. People who saw Binh’s missionary work felt touched and moved by his work and wanted to donate some money to help him.

Four years later, the home once again became very crowded and uncomfortable. A man decided to sell Binh a land beside the river, Binh Trieu, at a discounted price. By himself, Binh built a new large house to accommodate his ever expanding family, within a deadline of 4 months. All furniture was donated and he began to transfer the children and the elderly to this new house. This third house accommodated 50 people, 33 of whom were handicapped children and 17 were the elderly ranging from 70 to 92 years.

As mentioned in the above paragraph, everyone in Binh’s “BIG FAMILY” had a past story, before Binh all changed their lives. These stories are emotionally heart touching, as you will see for yourself.

Nguyen Thi Tuat (82 years) is an educated women as she can speak French fluently, and once a French teacher. Strangely she had no relatives left as many disappeared during the Vietnam War. She took shelter in an abandoned temple and made it home. This lasted for 40 years, living isolated and lonely. The only way to survive was to tutor children living in the district in French. All her hard work only paid a small amount which was that they provided food for her.
As if things weren’t difficult enough her. One day she fainted . Her students rushed her to the hospital and tried to save her. This resulted in her becoming paraplegic. Binh heard of this and has taken her in his home for the past two years. With Binh compassion and care for her, she is on the road to recovery. She can now walk with the assistance of a cane around the house and look after a couple of plants. She shows that her life now is very happy.

Nguyen Thi Suong 91 years old. Since 1954 till before Binh change her life, she live alone and was homeless living on the streets. A few year ago she fainted on the streets . A witness saw this and reported to Binh . He recruited her in to his family and made her feel “wanted” again. Now she is a healthy elderly.

Tran Ngoc Diep-From 1975 he has been a street vendor. He once again like Nguyen Thi Suong and Nguyen Thi Tuat has no family and is homeless.
This story is similar to Nguyen Thi Tuat fainted on the sidewalk and was rushed to hospital. It turns out he is paraplegic. A doctor reported this to Binh and now he is a member of a family. He now is a happy person as he has a happy compassionate family. A frail old lady call Hieu died within her time of this wonderful family. She was buried at a decent funeral.

The emotional story of the children.

Hoang Nhan Duc. This name was given to an orphan boy by Binh. It is obviously this boy feels lonely, unsure and confused of his identification but these feelings were he belonged and who he is (Binh’s family). Hoang Nhan Duc is now approximately 13 years old and legs are paralysed. Before meeting Binh he relied on rummaging through market rubbish as a source of food.

Hoang Nhat Tam is a 16 year old boy, who is in a terrible figure as he does not have enough nourishment for his body to grow. He is 16 years old but looks like a 10 year old. Not only this but he is also mentally ill but this didn’t stop Binh from adopting him.

Hoang Sinh Thuong is paraplegic and in a coma. When she was born her parents found that she was ill and placed her in front of Binh’s house. He has raised her for 6 years.

Hoang Anh Sao was abandoned on Christmas night. Binh found Anh Sao and named her after the state Binh found Anh Sao, under the stars.
All the children that are mentally, physically disabled are taught at home. All children that are well are allowed to go to school.

Binh supports the children’s future, as he believes education will change the way the world goes round. Binh finds providing education for the children is difficult as he has to find money for the school fees. The children take advantage of such a wonderful opportunity and work hard to get good grades. Very often the children are kicked out of school because they have not paid the school fees. Very often the have to sell their own food to get enough money for the children’s education. Through these difficult circumstances the children strive to excel in their school work and they are doing very well. Now there is 3 children in a year 12 ,1 child in a year 11 , 4 children in year 6-9 and a some in a primary school.

Especially, Nguyen Thi Le (older sister). Binh has adopted 16 years ago .She is now a final year graduate of accounting in university.

In the family, all the older washes clothes, washes dishes, cook and teaches the younger siblings. Though, they are not blood relatives they treat each other like they are true brother and sister. Binh says with the mentally challenged children, they will never get a chance to see the world which is a shame as they will need Binh to look after them.

In conclusion, I will tell you a story about Ms Muoi.
She is a woman living in poverty but amazingly she saves US $5-10 per month to help the children, she saves up extra money to buy Anh Sao milk .This is done instead of using the cyclo (cyclic transportation) to visit the centre, where she walks the whole 3 Km. Binh tell us that with such encouragement it boosts up his energy to continue this charity work.

Overall we should not take thing for granted even little or essential things, as many others their stories and situations are different.

Once this diagnosis has occurred, family, medical teams, and educators come together in a cooperative team effort, and this, along with the equipment needed, is extremely important. However, the family remains at the center and is the most important element in assisting a child with hearing impairment.

Thanks to modern scientific techniques, such as electronic measurement of the brain and ears, hearing impaired children can be discovered when they are only months old. They are then able to be fitted with a hearing aide and admitted into an early intervention program. Parents, following the instructions of experts, are shown how to play with and teach their children. This phase of training lasts about 2 years, after which, and when the children can speak, they are then admitted into preparatory school. After a few years the children are re-tested, and, if ready, admitted into the first form of school.

In Vietnam today the more advanced treatment regimen has already been implemented, but, due to low standards of living most families are still not informed of the news of its existence. Therefore, because of this lack of communication and other factors the usual treatment in Vietnam is as follows:

1. Simple sign language is still used today. From 1886 to 1930 this was the primary communication skill taught, and signing is a non-verbal means of communication using the hands.

2. In mixed method, intervention occurs early and children are provided with a hearing aid and taught to use every day articles. They are taken on sightseeing tours and other activities to help them learn verbal skills.

3. The listening and speaking method also involves early detection of the problem. Hearing is one of the most important senses in the development of language, so deaf children must be located and fitted with hearing aids early for language to develop.

4. The sooner they are discovered to be with a problem the sooner parents can be instructed in how to communicate to their children. If this period of language improvement is successful the children will develop and improve their language skills

5. Organizer:
   Sister Ngo Thi Mai Anh
   Tel: 0650-755587
   Fax: 0650 753007
   e-mail: mariemaianh@hcm.vnn.vn

• Embroidery
• Sewing
• Woodworking
• Handicrafts
• Barber training

When children start form 3, which means that they are able to read, write and perform basic calculations, the children are divided into the above classes. They then spend four afternoons a week in vocational training while continuing with primary studies in the morning. After graduation from primary classes, the children are provided with some further basic training which provides career and family building skills. They continue to develop within their families, and almost all the children are able to earn a living when finished with the career training at the center.

Organizer:
Sister Ngo Thi Mai Anh
Tel: 0650-755587
Fax: 0650 753007
e-mail: mariemaianh@hcm.vnn.vn

Organizer: Sister Ngo Thi Mai Anh  Tel: 0650-755587 Fax: 0650 753007
e-mail: mariemaianh@hcm.vnn.vn

 Hearing impaired people undergo many challenges and much suffering as a result of not being able to communicate their ideas and feelings with others, leaving them isolated and lonely. Their personal talents cannot be developed and often go unrecognized making it difficult for them to achieve an independent and successful life as adults. For children, we provide a general education up to the fifth form of school, and nuns from Saint Paul’s offer training in handicraft trades so that the children will be self sufficient as adults and so that they can assist with helping their families.Thuan An Center is also a teacher training center for teachers wishing to specialize in teaching hearing impaired children all over Southern Vietnam.Dear Friends,
Thank God that we are without disabilities so why not share our happiness and talents with those children who do have them.Our center hopes very much to have the support of domestic and foreign individuals and corporations in order to have sufficient facilities and staff to achieve those goals.Thank You,
Thuan An Center.

The center is also cooperating with the Special Education Department of the Teachers Training University in providing a specialized course for teaching those with hearing difficulties.
In the years 2000-2004, this department is training, or has trained, 27 full-time students who will graduate with a bachelor’s of education for the disabled. 

Organizer:
Sister Ngo Thi Mai Anh
Tel: 0650-755587
Fax: 0650 753007
e-mail: mariemaianh@hcm.vnn.vn

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On 1.06.2001 visit the compassion class in Vinh S?n in Binh Loi .	On 1.05.2002 visitation of the children with HIV, nourished and looked after at the Hope house in Binh Hung Hoa, Binh Chanh Distric, Ho Chi Minh City.	In 1996 visited paralysed children in Mam Non 6.
In 1996 visitation of the leper camp in Soc Trang Province.	In 1996 visited day care centre within the Leper camp in Soc Trang.	In 2001, supplementation of a well in the leper camp in Phouc Tan.
In 1997, donations and assitance of the people affected by tornado Linda, in the Ca Mau province.	Help and assistance for the people affected by the flood in Long An Province.	In 1997, donations and assistance of the people affected by tornado Linda, in the Ca Mau province.
In 2000, helping people living on the plains of Cuu Long River affected by storms.	In 1998, visitation of Historic Museum in Di Linh	In 1998, visited Lang Bang parish of the Da Lat province.
In 1993, visitation of the leper camp in Thac Ba, Yeu Bai Province.	During the Lunar festival of 2001 visitation of the leper camp in Ben San Town.	In 1999, helping the people affected by floods in Central Vietnam. Also meeting Bishop Nguyen Nhu The.

Our activity’s photos – Summary of activity 2000 – Summary of activity 2001 – Public letter - Living with compassion and share – Who are my brothers – chuong trinh nhan ai la anh em toi

• Relieve the compatriots of torrential rain and flood in central Vietnam :
  • Help the poor and compatriots from the torrential rain in the district parish of Quy Nhon :
    10 bags of rice (500 kg) and cash
  • Helping people living in poverty from Hue Parish :
    giving clothes bags, 350 kg of rice (7 bags of rice), 15 million Vietnam Dong.
  • Helping the poor from Tra Kieu village including :
    100 kg of rice , clothes and cash
  • Helping the poor of Quang Tri province including :
    250 kg of rice, clothes and cash.
• Helping people with leprosy living in Kontum :
  • Helping the families suffering poverty :
    10 million Vietnam Dong
  • Organising a summer camp for children with leprosy.

March and April::

• Help Stieng, M’nong children in Phuoc Long :
  2 bags of rice (200 kg), instant noodles, cakes, lollies, milk.
• Helping ‘Leprosy camp’ in Phuoc Tan and Binh Minh in Dong Nai province :
  4 boxes of vitamins and medicine, rice, noodles and children clothes.
• Helping orphaned, deaf, dumb children in Lai Thieu :
  Clothes and cash
• Helping homeless children in Buon Me Thuot, Dac Lac Province:
  material fabric and a variety of clothing.

May and June:

• Helping poor people in An Thoi Dong Village, Can Gio District :
  250 metres of material of fabric and five million Vietnam Dong.
• Helping poor people in Dong My Village, Tuy Hoa District of Quy Nhon Parish:
  Four million Vietnam dong in cash.
• Distribution to children of the leprosy patients during the holiday camp time:
  100 articles of clothing and 2,000,000 Vietnam dong

July and August :

• Helping and organize camping for children with leprosy :
  30 T-shirts, 15 blankets, 450 instant noodles, 5 kg of sesame lollies, 3 dry bread of bags and 3 million of Vietnam dong in cash.
• Helping compatriots of torrential rain in central Vietnam :
  8 clothes bag.
• Help children in ‘Leprosy camp’ Phuoc Tan in Dong Nai Province :
  Noodles, bonbons and cake
• Helping compatriots of torrential rain in Melkong Delta :
  500 exercise books and 3 clothes bags
• Helping ‘Leprosy camp’ in Phuoc Tan in Dong Nai province :
  Noodles
• Helping compatriots of torrential rain in Tra Kieu Province :
  7 clothes bags and noodles
• Help children in ‘Leprosy camp’ Phuoc Tan in Dong Nai Province :
  300 books and 200 pens

September and October:

• Helping 400 poor students in Compassion Class during the Lunar New Year :
  Each child receives: moon cakes, lollies and lanterns.
• Giving moon cakes to young homeless children in poor areas.
• Giving scholarships to poor students :
  200,000 VN dong each year.
• Supporting poor students :
  150,000 VN dong each month.
• Relieve the compatriots of torrential rain and flood in Dong Thap, Moc Hoa, Kien Binh province :
  300 gifts each one including 20 kg of rice, clothes, instant noodles and 100,000 VN dong.

November and December:

• Helping poor people in the province of Tra Vinh, whose houses have been destroyed by the typhoon :
  4 bags of clothes, rice, instant noodles and cash.
• Helping poor people in Ben Sieu Parish, Dong Thap province :
  2 bags of rice (200 kg), 10 bags of clothes and cash.
• Helping poor people of Dong My, Tuy Hoa (Quy Nhon Parish) :
  2, 000,000 VN dong, rice and instant noodles.
• Helping the compatriots of torrential rain and flood in Kien Binh, Song Xoai, Tan Thanh District:
  300 gifts: each the value of $100,000 VN dong. Total 30, 000,000 VN dong.
• Helping sick people on the Christmas season :
  cash
• Organising a Christmas party for street children and orphans
• Helping adopted children in Binh Hung Village, Binh Chanh district :
  $500,000 VN dong and instant noodles.

Our activity’s photos – Summary of activity 2000 – Summary of activity 2001 – Public letter - Living with compassion and share – Who are my brothers – chuong trinh nhan ai la anh em toi