Tuân is a young man with cerebral motor handicaps. Because he is from a very poor family –their monthly budget was only 39 € last year — he was not sent to school, it is so expensive and what is the benefit anyway?

His parents have a small, 3000 m2 parcel of paddy; they also work at the brickworks. While at work, they try to entrust the children to neighbors or to the grandmother to avoid accidents. The well is dangerous; the wellhead is very close to the ground.
But the school head mistress came to fetch Tuân and she convinced his parents to send him to school. The teacher did not have any special training and certainly no budget for this. She willingly took one more child into her class, one who requires tremendous attention and energy

Mekong Plus has realized the very poor sometimes face impossible problems, and just providing microcredit is not enough. In fact, it can make things worse if they cannot repay the loan.  Except for the fantastic generosity of the neighbors, the school and the teachers, there is no assistance for children like Tuân.

Mekong Plus has launched a training program for the teachers with the help of Vietnamese and international experts. Two Dutch volunteers will soon join the team. The goal is to adapt the school to the children to help them reach the their full potential. They will remain in grade one or two for 3 or 4 years, but they will learn as much as they can. Their social life will become much happier. And the classmates help them. Tuân dribbles a lot, and it is touching to see the little girl sitting next to him wipe his mouth so that he would not dirty the notebook. Tuân smiles. He makes progress in maths. He shows gratitude as he can, and this is very moving.

Dung, Tuân’s father, is grateful in his own way. He is not ashamed any more, and has even volunteered to be president of the association of parents with handicapped children. A microcredit has increased the family budget by 20% in one year. If everyone tries to helps, in whatever way they are able, so much can be done!

Bernard KERVYN, with Quyên in Dúc Linh. Quyên, and the 4 teams work with more than 144 children already. Watch the moving video (10′): “Hàng, super star“

 

For 2009 we have, of course, unreasonable projects. Make this world, of which we are sometimes ashamed, a little better.  Sympathizers, partners, villagers, the teams: 2008 has been fantastic, to all sincere thanks. With you we will do even more.