Kerry Wills, Viet Nam
27 May 2010
You may remember Kerry from her previous AVI assignment, working
with young Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Kerry has now begun a
new assignment in bustling Ho Chi Minh city, Viet Nam, working as a
Fundraising Development Advisor with NGO Education for
Development.
A new challenge, sense of adventure and great support from AVI
has brought me to Viet Nam to work as Fundraising Development
Advisor with NGO Education for Development (EFD).
Living, working and learning alongside the locals here is a joy,
however being based in Ho Chi Minh City does have its challenges.
This is a chaotic city which throbs with life and energy. My
regular 'xe om' motorbike driver assures me there is a sense of
calm and logic about road rules. I'm keeping an eye out for it but
it's not too clear as yet!
Viet Nam is a country striding ahead economically and yet
pockets of poverty remain and it's the children, the disadvantaged
children and youth who live on the streets, in orphanages, with
poor families lacking basic necessities, who appear to be falling
through the cracks.
EFD provides small grants, training and advisory support for
local social organizations in and around Ho Chi Minh City - for
special education schools, vocational training centers,
catering and hospitality schools - resulting in improved and
expanded educational services for all disadvantaged children and
youth under their care.
Every disadvantaged child and youth has an absolute right to an
education, leading to happier and healthier lifestyles and greater
opportunities … I am particularly proud to be a member of our
dynamic EFD team focusing on exactly this in Viet Nam.
Kerry Wills
November 2009