Kids Without Borders

Celebrating Tet

2012-01-20T13:03:00.000-08:00

Saigon (Viet Nam) - January 15, 2012
Tet (Lunar New Year) is coming soon (starting on January 23, 2012), and one of the great Vietnamese tradition is to send off the old year with some good deeds - helping others.
It's my last day in Viet Nam (my flight back to Seattle will leave at 3:55pm) and this morning I joined my friends and colleagues from the Viet Horizon Club in a charity event.
We met at the supermarket at 7am, loaded up several shopping carts with boxes of cookies, candies, toys, milk, ... Everyone got involved with wrapping each gifts in festive papers, and stuffed the red envelopes (known as li xi) with new money bills.
Our group headed to the children ward of the Oncology Hospital (Benh Vien Ung Buou) and we distributed the gifts to 190 children and families. The sad condition of this hospital (which is very typicl in Viet Nam) is beyond any description. You have to see it for yourself (you can view some photos posted on Kids Without Borders Facebook page). Every rooms are jammed with wall-to-wall beds and straw mats, one child to each bed, and one on the floor space under the bed. The hallway on this foor is also filled with patients along the two walls on each side of the walkway.
After the visit, we were mentally exhausted but glad that we were able to cheer the 190 children (most are treated for cancer and some with terminal-ill conditions) even though only for a few minutes.
Wonderful work by our partner organization Viet Horizon Club and Ms. Minh, the founder.
May the NEW YEAR (of the Dragon) bring you and the many suffering children happiness, health, and success.
Son Michael Pham

Never too young to make a difference

2012-01-08T14:25:00.000-08:00

January 3, 2012 - HAPPY NEW YEAR

A big THANK YOU to the Alcott Elementary Student Leadership for their huge collections of toothpaste, toothbrushes, and hygiene supplies. These donated products will be packed, and carried (as checked luggage) by the participants of the Washington AGForestry Education Foundation International Seminar to Viet Nam and Cambodia. The group will visit many of Kids Without Borders programs and projects in Viet Nam. Follow their trip on Kids Without Borders Facebook page.

Teach Me To Fish

2011-12-29T15:17:00.000-08:00

FOUR BROTHERS

We talked in a small restaurant over rice and fish. In many ways the four brothers are like young men anywhere in the world. Duong Kim Thao, 19, is about to take his university entrance exams in June. Tall, handsome and a natural athlete, he seems more excited about being elected captain of his school soccer team than he does at the prospect of more school. Nguyen Van Nghia, 18 years old and as unlike Thao as two brothers can be, is taking his exams much more seriously. He has just ranked first in natural science, math and chemistry in his school and plans to study banking in university. He prefers comic books and music to soccer and swimming. Tran Ngyuen Hoang Phi, 17 and the baby of the group, lets his big brothers do most of the talking (though he does manage to do most of the eating). All three look up to their oldest brother Huynh Tung Hieu who, at 19, is the first one to attend college. He is a serious boy with thick rimmed glasses and serious interests – engineering, books and newspapers are his bread and butter.

However, in one important regard they are very different from young men in much of the world. The boys are orphans and brothers in spirit if not by blood. Their experiences, their challenges and their victories provide an insight into a less regularly examined part of the life of a Vietnamese orphan – leaving the orphanage and carving a new identity and a new place for oneself in Vietnam’s status and family focused world.

Family

The importance of family is hard to overemphasize anywhere in the world and no less so in Vietnam. Responsibilities, identities, duties, marriage, schooling and jobs often revolve around the complex network of family connections that keep the culture, neighborhoods and industries of Vietnam humming. Wealthier students not only attend elite schools but are able to access afterschool programs in English, science, math and a host of other subjects. And looming over every Vietnamese student hoping to enter this country’s growing middle class are the all important National University Entrance Exams held each year in June and July. For the college bound, their scores on these tests can define the rest of their and their family’s lives. Families save and borrow to send their children to the best test prep academies.

The four brothers have none of these advantages. Coming from a world of dedicated but impossibly overworked teachers and nurses, there were no extra classes, tutors or foreign teachers to help these boys perfect their math, science or English pronunciation. Yet, while their material conditions may be limited, there are no bounds to these young men’s aspirations.

The oldest, Hieu, has already passed his exams and is completing a degree in engineering and architecture. While modest and humble, he says he remembers every person who has ever helped him, it is clear that his own work ethic and talent are the source of his academic success. Nghia, with the highest scores in his school in science, math and chemistry is not far from college himself.

Role Models

All four boys mentioned that adult sources of inspiration, advice and motivation were few and far between. While most mentioned that they appreciated their teachers they noted that in Vietnam’s conservative culture, teachers felt it inappropriate to discuss the personal problems or lives of students. A teacher is an instructor more than a friend or mentor. When asked about heroes and role models, the brothers all pointed to other children in the orphanage. Successful orphans became role models and older children offered not only academic help but advice on life, mortality and the all important transition to life outside the orphanage.

With 18 year olds given the impossible task of teaching 14 year olds how to be a man, it’s no surprise that the boys could think of numerous instances in which they had intentionally attempted to provide a good role model for the younger children. Of course they wouldn’t be children without plenty of stories of sneaking extra food, stealing candy from the teacher’s office and sneaking out after curfew to go swimming at the neighborhood pool.

But talking to these young men, one is struck by their commitment to building a community. Helping elders in the community and assisting victims of automobile accidents were good actions not just because they helped the people in question but because they helped to teach the younger children the difference between right and wrong.

The Future

When asked how they had managed to achieve success in school and life more generally, the boys pointed to many factors. Hardworking teachers. Good friends. Older students. Their own desire to prove they could succeed. And they mentioned the impact of volunteers from across the world that they had met as they grew up. The friendship, advice and glimpses of a wider world that volunteers had offered over the years all clearly mattered enormously to these young men, even when the volunteers were there only briefly.

Son Michael Pham, founder of Kids Without Borders (KWB), has personally mentored these young men and women and walked with them from the orphanage into the world outside. KWB Teach Me To Fish program has connected hundreds of volunteers from around the world with these youth and has lent them a hand when they need one to lean on.

As they leave the orphanage and attempt to carve their own way, these young men will wrestle with many obstacles that lie in their path. But as difficult as life is for a Vietnamese orphan, their friends, foreign volunteers and their ‘family’ of brothers will have served them well. They go into the world armed with confidence, good friendships and a stronger sense of family. What happens next will be up to them, but Son Michael has the utmost confidence that these young men and women will manage the tough roads in front of them.

To learn more about Kids Without Borders Teach Me To Fish Program and how you can support/contribute, please contact us at info@kidswithnoborders.org

Viet Nam Miracle Baby

2011-06-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

An update on our Viet Nam Miracle Baby Thien Nhan

Thien Nhan (right) and Thao (KWB Volunteer)

in Hanoi (March 2011)

Child's survival, recovery inspires a nation
by Nguyen Minh Thu

Phung Thien Nhan is leading a happy life after his latest surgery in Italy. — VNS

HA NOI — Seeing the five-year-old boy jumping up and down restlessly on his sole left leg, people just cannot believe it is the same child found abandoned with his right leg and ... read more http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/Social-Isssues/Owners-Of-The-Future/210726/Childs-survival-recovery-inspires-a-nation-.html

Compassion In Action: University Temple United Methodist Church

2011-06-14T12:54:00.001-07:00

April 22, 2011: Kids Without Borders delivered donated products to the University Temple United Methodist Church. Volunteers of this church manage and operate a service center serving the homeless and marginalized people from the surrounding University District area.
To volunteer at the service center, please contact us at info@kidswithnoborders.org

April is National Volunteer Month

2011-06-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

Without our Volunteers, our work would not be possible. THANK YOU.

Japan Relief

2011-04-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

A project of Kids Without Borders, Friends of MeySen has raised more than US$20,000 for Japan Relief.

View photos and stories reported in this blog by an American volunteer working side by side with the MeySen team. http://www.michaelthemaven.com/

Learn more on how the MeySen volunteers in Sendei use the donated funds to aid victims of the earthquakes and tsunamis, visit http://friendsofmeysen.wordpress.com/ , and you can make your online donation.

Latest news: April 7, 2011
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake (scaled back from an original 7.4 measurement) has hit Japan near the eastern coast of Honshu. According to the USGS, the quake occurred at a depth of 25 miles and is estimated to have hit 215 miles away from Tokyo. The AP reported that a tsunami alert was issued for the northeast coast--the same area hit hardest by the March 11 quake which measured 9.0--warning of waves up to 2 meters. According to Reuters, the quake hasn't had an impact on the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, which is 90 miles away from the epicenter of the quake. No injuries were reported among the TEPCO workers at the plant, but NHK's English live TV feed has reported that these workers have temporarily taken shelter at the facility. The news outlet also relayed an alert from Japan's NHK public television saying that those "in areas where the tsunami warnings were issued should evacuate to higher ground." Thursday's quake is currently measured at a larger magnitude than the Kobe Quake of 1995, which measured at a magnitude of 6.8. This is the strongest aftershock--assuming it can be so termed--to have occurred since March 11, which resulted in an estimated 25,000 lives lost and $300 billion dollars worth of damage.

Travel With A Purpose - Upcoming trip to Viet Nam in July 2011

2011-04-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

LAST CHANCE to sign up for the 14th HumaniTour Viet Nam, July 7 - 16, 2011. For more information, contact info@kidswithnoborders.org

Helping Kids in Japan

2011-03-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

For all who have been supporting and donating to the 'Friends of MeySen Academy' project, THANK YOU on behalf of the staff and volunteers of MeySen. Please continue to follow their relief work at www.friendsofmeysen.wordpress.com .

Helping Kids in Japan: A Trauma Guide for Caregivers and Volunteers Working With Children Compassionate response for friends in Japan from all over the world has brought much attention to the needs of children affected by the earthquake in Japan and subsequent tsunami. Years of work in other areas hit by natural disasters has led my mental health colleagues and me to develop a simple guide to support those already in the field or planning to visit Japan soon. It is my intention in this article to provide an overview and helpful guidelines for use during the important second phase of this disaster, the Recovery Phase, as the Emergency Phase will hopefully begin to wind down and badly needed psychological support can begin. There is an enormous need to help children in the second Recovery Phase of this disaster before rushing too quickly to rebuild the external world. Governments and agencies too often rush to enter the third or Reconstruction Phase that follows a disaster of this magnitude without understanding the consequences of ignoring the deeply held emotional traumas of the local population. It is not a given that children will suffer adverse consequences following the tsunami; therefore, it is our intention to provide support to caregivers who wish to address the specific needs of children during the three- to six-month period following the earthquake and tsunami so the number of people who actually develop PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) can be substantially minimized. Much more can be said, and certainly much more has been written about trauma and children than is mentioned here. Many resources are available to families and professionals, but few take into consideration the underlying cultural needs of an area like Japan that was devastated. After much discussion with community leaders, local teachers, parents and caregivers, as well as considering the traditions that must be honored and respected, this guide has been assembled to support the Japanese communities affected in the months ahead. What is important is that body-centered therapies and approaches are every bit as important as any other efforts, and such interventions could conceivably be even more valuable than we can measure. It is my sincere hope that this guide will be of value to every child and caregiver now and in future generations.

Understanding Trauma
Trauma is a wound to the energy of the body, either in physical or psychological terms. It is used to define an event that has caused harm or injury to the psyche, as in a "traumatic" event, disaster, disease or accident. Most traumatic events are totally uncontrollable; their results shatter people's personal sense of safety and security. Present in every episode that might be labeled traumatic are two components: • Extreme fear and helplessness • A possibility or threat of serious harm or death Basic human nature makes it possible for most people to recover from a traumatic event with little or no counseling or support. Every individual knows instinctively how to protect his or her life and acts accordingly; moreover, the sensing and feeling nature inside each child has a remarkable capacity to reorient life after tragic events if given loving support. A very small percentage of children will need more intensive interventions as a result of many factors -- the nature of personal loss, the history of family and social interaction, the degree of personal bodily harm, etc. These special cases, too, can most often be returned to a happy childhood over time. Normal coping mechanisms are available to children as well as to adults. While there is a reasonable concern for each child's well being, most of them will recover from this event and go on to lead happy, productive lives.

Helping All Children
Five key points to keep in mind when working with children:
1. Reaffirm safety, protection and your own concern for the child's overall well being
2. Monitor your own real emotions and feelings as they relate to the event, and take care of yourself so you can take care of others who need you.
3. Return to and maintain a steady routine of activities upon which a child can come to depend.
4. Watch for small problems that might develop which an early intervention (a gentle, caring chat or hug) can resolve; validate children's emotions and do not shut them down.
5. Allow more time that usual for simple activities, keeping in mind a slowed pace is easier to facilitate recovery.

Resilience
Hope and meaning are the two essential components of resilience, the quality needed to recover a sense of purpose in our lives and move forward. No one can speak the absolute truth and give meaning to these events, but surely all of us share a sincere and genuine hope for the future of this nation and its most precious asset -- the children. Add to that a profound faith, abundant humor, remarkable sensitivity, perseverance in the presence of hardship, amazing adaptability and enormous caring and support from others, and this revered culture will undoubtedly recover its exquisite beauty and charm. Its people and children will return to a new life with our support.

Age-Specific Guidelines
• Infants and toddlers (up to 5 years old) may react with crying and clinging behavior, aware of the distress in their caregivers. Episodes of bedwetting, rocking, regressive thumb sucking or new fears are normal. Continual reassurances, physical contact and nurturing love are usually all that is needed for children of this age group in order to overcome the symptoms of trauma.
• Those in middle childhood (up to 12 years old) often act out more symptoms, exhibiting aggressive behaviors or anger, avoidances, and some challenges in returning to everyday routines such as school. Slowing down the processes and taking more frequent fun breaks than would otherwise be scheduled helps children of this age to work through their stresses. Physical movement -- like playing sports, martial arts or simple running games -- are excellent releases of stagnant energies.
• Adolescents' responses vary greatly and can more quickly accelerate into serious avoidant behaviors, like substance abuse. Some extreme risk-taking can also be observed, as children of this age group may harbor deep feelings of abandonment and thus carry a distorted value of life. Soliciting help from these children to create their future is a perfect response to this groups needs. Building projects that directly contribute to their future -- creating new curtains, painting, developing carpentry skills and other things which allow them to be an accepted part of the adult community -- dramatically reduces symptoms. Extreme Cases The most common diagnosis of those who suffer ongoing problems of trauma is known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. This diagnosis is often misapplied to those experiencing normal coping symptoms, and as a result exaggerated expectations will frequently exceed actual psychosocial need. In effect, PTSD will not usually occur unless during the period of 90 to 120 days following the event nothing is done to help victims release repressed emotions.
In the fourth month, three symptoms may appear leading to a diagnosis of PTSD:
• Reliving the experience of the event through haunting pictures, memories, flashbacks, nightmares or a sense that the event is not over; reliving the stress caused by the event when placed near settings where the event took place (e.g. near an area where serious damage occurred, close to the shoreline or power plants)
• Avoiding behaviors in an attempt not to be reminded or exposed to the associated stress. These include disinterest in things that are normally fun, introversion or shyness beyond normal cultural mannerism, no interest in planning the future and feelings of abandonment or isolation.
• Physical hyper-arousal leading to loss of sleep, outbursts, startling, hyper-vigilance or "jumpy" over alertness.
Often, these three symptoms are also accompanied by:
• Obsessive behaviors that recreate the context of the trauma. • Dissociation and feelings of "disconnect" from others.
• A burden of guilt for surviving the event itself. The second group of three symptoms may or may not be present in a diagnosed PTSD, whereas the former three are thought to be necessary to confirm a diagnosis.

Helping Children Deal With Loss
Certain very simple skills are needed to help children deal with loss:
• Patience. Don't rush expressions of mourning or grief. Children may vacillate between outbursts of crying and ecstatic laughter. This is a normal coping mechanism and caregivers need to follow the lead of the child.
• Listen. Let children know you care by engaging them in simple conversations, and then be prepared to truly listen. Sharing your own feelings briefly might open up a dialogue with a child.
• Remember. Support children in recalling their deceased parents or siblings. Talk about what they loved, what they miss, and what they might not miss. It is unnecessary to react in any other way than your presence.
• Remove all blame. Some children take responsibility for the death of a parent or sibling, thinking they could have acted in a different way to warn or protect, or done something more to help. This guilt requires your sensitivity. Do everything you can to reassure the child that he or she did the best they could.
• Include. Many children can benefit from hearing other children express their feelings. Work in small groups of three, four or five children that create safe spaces to open up. Sometimes, the silent child will gain a great deal through this mechanism.
• Play. Remember, we are helping children, and children love to play games. Too much talking does little to help them deal with loss. Dance, play games, draw, sing -- do anything to express feelings or process energy in the body helps in a nonverbal way as well as any talking.

A Reality Check For all children, it is important to keep in mind that their world is now completely different than before. Their sense of personal safety, both physical and emotional, has been forever altered. Each caregiver must convey a new growing safety in his or her mannerisms, behaviors, language and unconditional presence. Children are also dealing with feelings of abandonment. Having lost one or both parents, many friends and siblings, together with their neighborhoods, possessions and communities having been swept away causes enormous stress. Keep your word and rebuild trust. If you say, "I'll be back tomorrow," you must come back. If you say, "I'll call you Friday," call. Children need to reconstruct their world by renewed trust in caregivers' actions. Make no promises you cannot keep. Religious beliefs have been forever challenged. Whether discussions of the laws of karma or the will of God are offered as an explanation, children have great difficulty placing their experiences into a reliable context. Help children to regain meaning in life by talking openly about what has happened -- not why it happened. Trust that they can develop their own sense of why at an appropriate time later in their lives. Give them hope, and talk about the future. Set a Good Example It is easy for caregivers to forget their own needs, but essential for them to take care of themselves. The degree to which you can truly be of value helping children is directly proportional to your own mental health. Take time out when necessary. Don't push. Relax, and trust the process of life to slow repair the damage of trauma. Talk with your own family and friends to process your own feelings. You are having a real experience yourself; don't disconnect from your emotions. Find safe spaces to release and process your emotions. Eat well and try to maintain your health. Exercise and keep moving; don't be too sedentary. Do something to relax and "escape"; read a book, listen to music or meditate to recompose your energy. Let go of judgments and resentments. Ultimately, everyone is doing the best they can. Appreciate each individual and his or her own offer of support. Trust the process. Life goes on; every day can improve. Breathe. Breathe again. Keep mindful of your breath. Over the next two months, our foundation will assemble an experienced team of mental health care professional who have an expertise in the area of trauma. We intend to travel to Japan to train caregivers there in a series of five carefully designed, very specific play exercises that anyone can use in Japan. If you know someone in or near the affected areas or are in touch with groups who plan to go there, please share the resources here and feel free to put them in touch with us. All methodologies that support children to release trauma held in their body can be among the most valuable of all.
by William Spear

***

Support MeySen Academy in Sendei, Japan

2011-03-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

About MeySen Academy:

Over its 40 year history, MeySen has become one of Japan’s premier educational institutions specializing in Early Childhood Development and English as a Foreign Language. Over the last thirty years, many of the MeySen students (7th grade students) have visited the U.S through the Homestay Program.

Friday, March 11th, 2011:

Sendai was hit with the largest earthquake in Japan’s history which triggered a tsunami that devastated the surrounding area. Thankfully, school buildings are still standing. Teachers bicycled to work in the following days and were able to contact each family. Most of the children have been accounted for, yet through these phone calls the school was informed of how the scope and reality of the disaster has affected each family. In addition, MeySen spared no expense to evacuate its foreign staff and to become a base for aid organizations who are distributing basic necessities to the immediate community.

MeySen Schools in Sendai, Japan have been extremely blessed amid this disaster. However, there is a huge task at hand starting with providing the basic needs in the community, supporting teachers, students and families who have been affected, and ensuring the safety of the school. Friends of MeySen (friendsofmeysen.wordpress.com) was launched to coordinate the efforts of worldwide Friends of MeySen and to provide the avenue which people can donate directly to this effort.

The Friends of MeySen project is sponsored by Kids Without Borders. 100% of contributions will go to support this project. To make your online contribution, visit: http://kidswithnoborders.org/Donations.asp

For more information, please visit: http://friendsofmeysen.wordpress.com

Make Agent Orange History

2011-03-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

MAKE AGENT ORANGE CHAMPIONS

There are people around the world who have devoted their time and energy to understanding the legacy of Agent Orange and coming up with solutions to address this problem. These champions come from all different backgrounds and levels of expertise, but all are true humanitarians that are helping make Agent Orange history.

Read about one of these Champions: http://makeagentorangehistory.org/champion/son-michael-pham-founder-kids-without-borders/

Teach Me To Fish

2011-03-23T19:23:00.000-07:00

March 2011
Images of the orphans of Kids Without Borders Teach Me To Fish (TM2F) Program in Viet Nam

Go Vap Orphanage

2011-03-23T19:21:00.000-07:00

March 2011
Images from the Go Vap Orphanage (Saigon, Viet Nam)

Hoa Phuong Orphanage

2011-03-23T19:20:00.000-07:00

March 2011
Images from the Hoa Phuong Orphanage (Hai Phong, Viet Nam)

Viet Nam Miracle Baby

2011-01-23T06:39:00.000-08:00

January 15, 2011 - Sammamish, WA

Singapore Sunday Times comic artist Lee Chee Chew continues to raise funds for medical treatment for Thien Nhan, Viet Nam Miracle Baby. Lee made a donation of US$14,000 today to Kids Without Borders. The entire amount of this donation (less bank fees) will be send to the hospital in Bologna, Italy to cover a portion of the costs for Thien Nhan's surgeries. Thien Nhan will leave Hanoi on January 25, 2011 for Italy to begin his medical treatment.

On behalf of Thien Nhan's family, THANK YOU Lee and so many generous Singaporeans.

To learn more about the Miracle Baby, visit: http://help-thien-nhan.blogspot.com/

To view Lee Chee Chew's work, visit: http://www.chewonitcomics.blogspot.com/

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Saving Lives

2011-01-22T11:36:00.000-08:00

January 5, 2011
Happy New Year ... today 200 cribs were delivered to Kids Without Borders warehouse in Sammamish. KWB, through Kids In Distressed Situations (KIDS), has been supporting the Seattle Children's Hospital as in-kind partner of the Bedtime Basics for Babies campaign. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the goal of this program is to influence infant sleeping pratices and save infant lives. To learn more:
http://www.firstcandle.org/new-expectant-parents/bedtime-basics-for-babies/funding-from-bill-and-melinda-gates-foundation/

Agent Orange - A Humanitarian Concern We Can Do Something About

2011-01-20T07:31:00.000-08:00

January 5, 2011
FACT: Dioxin (the toxic contaminant in Agent Orange) is found in Da Nang at up to 365,000 parts per million. This is more than 300 times what the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry considers to require immediate remediation.
In a more-than-welcome announcement for thousands of Vietnamese families, the United States and Viet Nam has signed an agreement to clean up the toxic 'hot spot' in Da Nang. The United States appropriated $16.9 million toward the $34 million project in 2010 and work will commence in July 2011. There are still lots of work to be done, Da Nang is only one of the hundreds of 'hot spots' still left throughout Viet Nam and millions of disabled Vietnamese (many are children) affected by Agent Orange.
To learn more and to join our effort, visit www.makeagentorangehistory.org .
Below: photos from our recent tour (October 2010) of the 'hot spot' located in the Da Nang Airport (former U.S Airbase during the war).

Serving children in our community

2011-01-19T07:49:00.000-08:00

December 22, 2010
Our final service act of the year: we delivered new gloves, socks, warm hats, and scarves to one of our most favorite place - the Ronald McDonald House in Seattle.

Serving our community

2011-01-19T07:37:00.000-08:00

December 8, 2010
This morning at the North Bend Food Bank, KWB founder Son Michael and board member David joined members of the St. Clare's Episcopal Church and the Rotary Club of Snoqualmie serving free breakfast to clients of the food bank.
We handed out surprise Christmas gifts to a few families with newborn infants.

KWB board member David Dean (right)

Miracle Baby

2011-01-18T10:27:00.001-08:00

December 2010
Latest news on our Viet Nam Miracle Baby: Thien Nhan is scheduled to travel to Italy for his medical treatment in late January 2011. Our best wishes to Thien Nhan and his family for a successful trip. You will be in our thoughts and prayers.
You can make contributions online (www.kidswithnoborders.org) to help with medical expenses for Thien Nhan.
Read more: www.help-thien-nhan.blogspot.com

Thien Nhan is in the middle in this school photo (Christmas 2010, Hanoi).

Be the change, become a volunteer

2011-01-18T10:10:00.001-08:00

December 4, 2010

Kids Without Borders Clothing Bank Work Party (Tukwila, Washington)

Make Agent Orange History

2011-01-18T09:57:00.000-08:00

America is at its best when it responds to humanitarian concerns and works to promote hope among people in need. We have an opportunity to do this in Viet Nam today, closing wounds from the past.
Thirty five years after the war, harmful effects of Agent Orange/dioxin are still being felt by millions in Viet Nam, including children. But this is a humanitarian concern we can do something about. MAKE AGENT ORANGE HISTORY seeks to raise awareness about this problem, highlight the solutions and connect people with ways to get involved.
Please join Kids Without Borders supporting MAKE AGENT ORANGE HISTORY. Learn more:
www.makeagentorangehistory.org

Traveling with a purpose - KWB HumaniTour Fall 2010

2010-12-03T07:59:00.000-08:00

Kids Without Borders HumaniTour Viet Nam
Fall 2010
- 14 days
- 31 travelers
- More than 2,000 pounds of gifts including medical supplies
- Orphanages, children service centers, school, ...
- Distributing 280 new wheelchairs and 14 new therapeutic wheelchairs
- Teach Me To Fish program
- Make Agent Orange History (www.makeagentorangehistory.org)

Follow our work on Kids Without Borders Facebook. For more information on the HumaniTour, contact us or visit http://humanitours.blogspot.com

Images from the HumaniTour Viet Nam Fall 2010 ... the children ...

2010-12-03T07:33:00.001-08:00

Images from the KWB HumaniTour Viet Nam Fall 2010 ... the team ...

2010-12-02T19:21:00.000-08:00

Images from the KWB HumaniTour Viet Nam Fall 2010 ... the people

2010-12-02T08:54:00.001-08:00

Images from the KWB HumaniTour Viet Nam Fall 2010 ... the country

2010-12-02T08:41:00.001-08:00

Travel With Purpose - The 12th HumaniTour Viet Nam

2010-10-17T21:56:00.001-07:00

October 17, 2010

The HumaniTour team is packed and ready to travel. The team will depart at 2am on October 18, 2010, destination Viet Nam. You can follow them ...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/KIDS-WITHOUT-BORDERS/272855577559

http://humanitours.blogspot.com

Hand Me Up Work Party

2010-10-17T21:42:00.003-07:00

October 16, 2010

THANK YOU to volunteers who came to sort clothes and organized the Clothing Bank in Tukwila, getting ready for CARE Night on October 21, 2010.

CARE (Clothes Are Really Expensive) Night on October 21 will be at Cascade View Elementary School in Tukwila. We expect to serve hundreds of students and their families.

If you wish to donate new or in good condition clothes, or volunteer at our Clothing Bank, please contact us. You can make donations online via our website to support our program.

Katrina Dohn, Program Director (volunteer) of the Tukwila Clothing Bank

p.s: THANK YOU to members of the Rotary Club of Tukwila for their ongoing support.

PEACE FLAG

2010-10-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

Children and youth from Seattle, Sammamish, Tukwila, ...

THANK YOU for your participation.

Kids Without Borders Peace Flag was presented to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

BACK FROM INDIA

2010-10-11T12:35:00.000-07:00

Our KWB volunteers (and board members), Beth and John Daynes, joined by Leslie Walker and Shannon Goodwin, are back from Ladakh, India, where they were able to distribute supplies donated by our generous KWB supporters to victims of the devastating flash floods. The downpour that occured on the morning of August 6, 2010 was the worst ever recorded in 1,200 years of Ladakh history. They focused their efforts on families in two of the hardest hit villages, Saboo and Choglamsar. Your cash contributions are being used to help restore normalcy to this devastated area.

Later in the trip, Beth and John had the opportunity to present the KWB peace flag banner - created by Seattle area children - to representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala. Everyone in Dharamsala who saw the banner was deeply touched by the sweet sentiments of the children.

THANK YOU for your generous donations to the KWB Ladakh Flood Relief Project. We also greatly appreciate your participation in the Peace Flag project.

International Day of Peace

2010-09-22T07:25:00.001-07:00

September 21, 2010 is International Day of Peace, or World Peace Day.
This day is dedicated to ceasefire and non-violence.

Messsages of Peace from our children of the world ...

http://http://www.facebook.com/pages/KIDS-WITHOUT-BORDERS/272855577559

Peace Flag leaving for India

2010-08-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who participated project. Based on traditional Tibetan flags, local children have designed flags with dreams and wishes for other children in the world. In August, Beth and John Daynes, KWB board members, will be traveling to Dharamsala, India to present the flag project to the Dalai Lama as a gift of peace and goodwill.

Update: tragedy has struck one fo the areas that Beth and John are going to visit. A couple weeks ago, a flash flood struck in Leah and killed and injured many people, with many more missing. Beth and John, volunteering for KWB, have just gotten permission to work in the relief camps in the area. Their focus is on supporting the children in the camps. They will be bringing supplies donated by KWB and local groups across the Puget Sound. We thank you for your support in money donations for the Leah relief project- special thanks to Physio-Control and Microsoft employees (local ASHA for Education group) and the local friends who contributed. Thanks to you, we are going with needed supplies to a critically distressed and isolated area. Beth and John will not be in an area where communication is readily available, so look for an update from them when they return in mid-September.

Thank You Sammamish

2010-08-12T08:14:00.001-07:00

August 4, 2010

Connecting with kids in our home community - at the Sammamish Farmers Market.

August 4, 2010 at the Market ...

2010-07-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

Visit us at the Sammamish Farmers Market on August 4, 2010.

http://www.sammamishfarmersmarket.org/

gifts4grenada

2010-07-29T07:27:00.000-07:00

July 2010

About gifts4grenada: is a service project sponsored by Rotary International, Kids Without Borders, YWCA, and many others to help collect supplies and donations and distribute them directly to the people of Grenada.

A project of a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar: my name is Amanda Lynn Marshall and I am a 2010-2011 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar hailing from District 5030 from the Rotary Club of the University District (Seattle, Washington). I will be traveling to Grenada this August to complete a Master in Public Health at St. George's University.

Follow my journey ... http://gifts4grenada.blogspot.com and support my project.

Teaching English Program

2010-07-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

July 2010
The Teaching English program in the Go Vap Orphanage was launched in 2001 by the Greater Seattle Viet Nam Association (GSVA). Today the program is a partnership between GSVA and Kids Without Borders.

Teach Me To Fish Reunion

2010-07-29T07:11:00.001-07:00

July 2010
Reunion dinners for the orphans in the Teach Me To Fish program
Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Saigon

Summer time in the Hoa Phuong Orphanage in Hai Phong

2010-07-13T03:59:00.000-07:00

July 2010
Hoa Phuong Orphanage
Hai Phong, Viet Nam

Dare to Dream

2010-07-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

July 9, 2010

More than 550,000 students throughout Viet Nam took university entrance exams this weekend. Some would travel from small hamlets and villages to nearby big cities where the exam centers are located. In big cities, volunteer forces formed by college students welcome arriving students at train and bus stations. Many homes would open their doors to house and feed poor students for free.

Among the students taking the university exams this year are 7 orphans supported by the Kids Without Borders 'Teach Me To Fish' program. All 'dare to dream' they would have a better life after the orphanage with a college degree.

Best of luck to all.

Meet some of our Teach Me To Fish university candidates:

Our Miracle Baby

2010-07-08T17:42:00.000-07:00

Visiting Thien Nhan, our Miracle Baby, in Hanoi. The learn more about his latest medical condition, visit:

http://help-thien-nhan.blogspot.com/

Teach Me To Fish Program

2010-07-07T19:28:00.000-07:00

Meet Duong. Duong has lived in the Hoa Phuong Orphanage in Hai Phong since she was four years old. Duong finished high school in June, earning very high grades. For the last several years, Kids Without Borders provided funding for Duong to take extra studies which better prepared her to continue her education beyond high school.

Earlier this week, we brought Duong to Saigon (first time on the airplane for her, and first time in this BIG city). This Friday and Saturday, Duong will take her university entrance exam. Duong plans to attend the University of Social Science and Humanities in Saigon.

Duong in Saigon, ready for her new life outside of the orphanage

The cost to be a sponsor of a Teach Me To Fish scholarship is US$350 per year for a commitment of two years. Since we launched this program ten years ago, our success rate is +90 percent; orphans from our program currently live above the poverty level, and are good contributing members to their community/society.

Go Vap Orphanage

2010-07-07T19:01:00.000-07:00

July 6, 2010

Chu (Uncle) Son is back in Viet Nam visiting programs and projects of Kids Without Borders.

A newborn just arrived at the orphanage, one of the twin set.

The other baby of the twin set.

Baby Duc

Baby Victory, born without ears nor earholes

Hey from some of the kids in the Go Vap Orphanage

Helmets For Kids

2010-07-07T18:51:00.001-07:00

Latest update from our partner organization, Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIPF):

April and May were incredibly busy for the AIP Foundation staff. From Cambodia to the Philippines and back to Vietnam, these past two months have seen over 3,000 helmets distributed, 10,000 educational flyers shared with the public, one new program launched in Cambodia, and the addition of one new member to the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative.

Kids Without Borders (partnering with Rotary) has supported the Helmets for Kids (HFK) program since 2001.

To learn more about the program, visit: http://www.asiainjury.org/main/helmets-for-kids.html

Hand Me Up Program

2010-07-05T16:35:00.000-07:00

June 8, 2010, our Clothing Bank (South Operation Center in Tukwila) opened its door to children in the Tukwila School District.

World Refugee Day - June 20, 2010

2010-07-05T16:31:00.000-07:00

This year's World Refugee Day on June 20th has as its theme, "Home", in recognition of the plight of more than 40 million uprooted people around the world, many are innocent children. Learn more:

http://www.unrefugees.org/site/c.lfIQKSOwFqG/b.6071165/k.1568/World_Refugee_Day_2010.htm

International Children's Day - June 1, 2010

2010-07-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, June 1, 2010, many countries around the world celebrate International Children's Day. Below are some facts on children and a short video clip of oprhans in Viet Nam. Help us MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, be a volunteer or donate.

http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaiU2OJDnCM

ORPHANS

UNICEF and global partners define an orphan as a child who has lost one or both parents. By this definition there were over 132 million orphans in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean in 2005. This large figure represents not only children who have lost both parents, but also those who lost a father but have a surviving mother or have lost thir mother but have a surviving father.

Of the more than 132 million children classified as orphans, only 13 million have lost both parents. Evidence clearly shows that the vast majority of orphans are living with a surviving parent, grandparent, or other family member. 95 persent of all orphans are over the age of five. This definition contrasts with concepts of orphan in many industrialized countries, where a child must have lost both parents to qualify as an orphan. UNICED and numerous international organizations adopted the broader definition of orphan in the mid-1990s as the AIDS pandemic began leading to the death of million parents worldwide, leaving an increase number of children growing up without one or more parents. So the terminology of a 'single orphan' - the loss of one parent - and a 'double orphan' - the loss of both parents - was born to convey this growing crisis. Howevr, this difference in terminology can have concrete implications for policies and programming for children. For example, UNICEF's 'orphan' statistic might be interpreted to mean that globally there are 132 million children in need of a new family, shelter, or care. This misunderstanding may then lead to responses that focus on providing care for individual children rather than supporting the families and communities that care for orphans and are in need of support.

Gifts For Grenada

2010-07-05T15:28:00.001-07:00

Amanda Lynn Marshall, a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar (sponsored by District 5030, Washington State USA), has launched Gifts4Grenada, a project of Kids Without Borders. Gifts4Grenada is sep uop to support poor young women and children in Grenada. Amanda will depart for Grenada in August 2010 to continue her study (for her Master of Public Health) at St. George's University. Her one year study in Grenada is funded by the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship program. You can learn more about Amanda's mission and donate to her cause, visit http://gifts4grenada.blogspot.com/ .

Rotary Day Of Service - April 24, 2010

2010-07-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

April 24, 2010

Members of Rotary International from clubs and districts around the world participated in service projects on Rotary Day Of Service on April 24, 2010 http://www.rotariansatwork.org/. Volunteers and members of Rotary Clubs in the greater Seattle area donated time, materials, and skills at the Kids Without Borders South Operation Center located in Tukwila (near Seattle, Washington). The center opened August 2009 and has served hundreds of children, students, and families in the Tukwila and Seatac areas. Joining Rotarians at the work party were students from Foster High School and Tyee High School, and volunteers from the Fellowship Bible Church and employees of the City of Tukwila.

National Volunteer Week

2010-07-04T19:11:00.000-07:00

April 21, 2010

KIDS WITHOUT BORDERS Celebrating National Volunteer Week in the U.S.

Thank you to all of our VOLUNTEERS, serving children around the world. You're helping to make our world a better place.

Bedtime Basics for Babies Campaign

2010-07-04T19:05:00.000-07:00

Delivered 20 baby cribs to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, as part of our involvement in the Bedtime Basics for Babies Campaign.

VA-NGO Network

2010-07-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

April 5 & 6, 2010

Saigon, Viet Nam

Capacity Building Workshop (CBW) held at the Go Vap Orphanage, the workshop isorganized by the Vietnamese American Nongovernmental Organizations Network (VA-NGO). The them: "Seeds of Change: In the Best Interest of the Child". Kids Without Borders is one of the 2010 CBW's sponsored organizations.

Operation Babylift & Operation Reunite

2010-06-05T12:08:00.000-07:00

April 6, 2010

Operation Reunite and Operation Babylift media event in Saigon organized by Tuoi Tre Newspaper. Tuoi Tre News organized an online (internet) event and a public event to share and collect information related to the search of any relatives of the adoptees who left Viet Nam during the final days of the war in 1975.

A full room of families searching for missing children came to the public event to meet some of the adoptees and to file information searching for their own children. Some of the families came from faraway place armed with old documents and photos, hoping that they would see a familiar face.

April 4, 2010 - Unexpected Separation

2010-06-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Some of the Operation Reunite and Operation Babylift adoptees appeared on a live television program this evening "Nhu Chu He Co Cuoc Chia Ly" (Unexpected Separation). This popular reality television show helps to locate and unite families. During the live show, more than 240 calls came in inquiring or offering information related to the adoptees who left Viet Nam in April 1975.

To view the show online (show number 29):
http://www.haylentieng.vn/vp/tintuc/chitiet.10.1820.html

Reporting from Saigon by Son Michael Pham

April 4, 1975 - April 4, 2010

2010-04-09T01:07:00.000-07:00

April 4, 1975: as the war escalated in south Viet Nam, U.S President Gerald Ford authorized Operation Babylift bringing thousands of orphans from Viet Nam to the U.S. A C5A cargo aircraft (largest plane in the world) arrived at Tan Son Nhut Airport (Saigon) with military supplies. After the cargo was unloaded, the plane was filled with U.S government personnel, their families, and orphans. It became the first flight of Operation Babylift. Fifteen minutes after take off, an explosion forced the plane to return to Saigon. Tragically the crew had to crash-land on a rice field a few miles from the airport. 180 were killed but 78 of the children survived.

April 4, 2010: I arranged for two buses to collect Operation Reunite team members at different pick-up points. we started the day very early to avoid the intense mid-day heat. Our convoy of three buses headed to the crash site for the Memorial Service organized by Sister Susan Carol McDonald, who was involved with Operation Babylift back in 1975. We traveled to an area outside of Saigon City and turned on to a small road, then a smaller road until we reached a small bridge. It was too small for the buses. Everyone then got off the buses and marched down a small dirt road. This led to an area in the middle of a rice field near the site where the plane crash-landed.

View a short video of the Memorial Service, April 4, 2010, site of C5A crash near Saigon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0di-xljvwMA

Reporting from Saigon by Son Michael Pham

April 3, 2010 - Saigon

2010-04-09T00:50:00.000-07:00

I attended a dinner organized by Project Return II: Out of the Ashes, a gathering of Operation Reunite and other returning adoptee groups.

Over Facebook and emails, Project Return II made and sold special t-shirts (above photo) and donated the proceed to Kids Without Borders to support our work with orphans in Viet Nam. This is one of the many 'giving back' projects by the adoptees on this 35th anniversary reunion.

THANK YOU Le Thanh and WELCOME HOME to all.

Chu Son

Reporting from Saigon

In Viet Nam with Operation Reunite

2010-04-08T23:47:00.000-07:00

Kids Without Borders Founder Son Michael Pham is in Viet Nam on his annual Spring mission. Every mission to his home country is special to Son Michael, however he expects many memorable and emotional moments on this trip.

April 2, 2010 - reporting from Saigon:

Landed in Saigon almost 24 hours since I left my home. I left 40 degree rainy weather(in Sammamish, Washington) and arrived in 98 degree heat and sunny skies. Tonight I attended a gathering of Operation Reunite, a reunion of worldwide adoptees who left Viet Nam during the final days of the war in April 1975. It has been 35 years since many of these adoptees left and settled in different places around the world. Many are coming 'home' to Viet Nam for the very first time, and some are back with some special purposes. Many have never met each other face to face except on Facebook. I have been working with this group within the last year, supporting them with advise and helping prepare for this special return.

Tonight, lots of hugs and laughter, and some tears. They are ready to begin another journey 35 years after their lives changed and after the tragic crash near Saigon of the very first flight of Operation Babylift.

Mobility = Dignity

2010-03-30T06:14:00.000-07:00

On Friday, March 24, 2010 at the Rotary Club of the University District of Seattle, Mike and Alex Shimizu (Kids Without Borders Global Ambassadors) were presented with the Paul Harris Fellow Awards from The Rotary Foundation for their significant contributions to better our world. Before KWB Founder Son Michael Pham (Past President of the Club) presented Mike and Alex with the awards, he announced to the audience that Mike and Alex have contributed almost half of a million dollars since 2003. Through their tireless efforts, 4,510 new wheelchairs have been distributed, providing the gift of 'mobility' to people in many developing countries and giving them back their 'dignity'.

We invite you to join us on the wheelchair distribution trip this coming fall. For more information, visit http://humanitours.blogspot.com or contact us at info@kidswithnoborders.org .

CONGRATULATIONS, Mike and Alex.
THANK YOU for helping us MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

International Women's Day - March 8, 2010

2010-03-08T06:14:00.000-08:00

International Women's Day is celebrated in many countries aournd the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regards to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic, or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.

For more information on activities around the world to celebrate this 2010 International Women's Day, visit United Nation Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) at:

http://www.unifem.org/

Kids Without Borders on ABC Television Good Morning America

2010-03-08T06:05:00.000-08:00

ABC Television

Good Morning America Weekend, February 27, 2010

Your Three Words

Our Three Words:

KIDS HELPING KIDS

Kids Without Borders

Starring:

Students of Alcott Elementary School (Redmond, Washington)

Watch video (segment of video to the music of Bad Vein's song 'Gold and Warm'): http://abcnews.go.com/gma/your3words#

Hand Me Up Program - Day of Volunteer by the Alcott Elementary Student Council

2010-02-22T07:08:00.000-08:00

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Students from Alcott Elementary Student Council joined by parents and teachers gave up a beautiful sunny Saturday morning to serve others. They sorted and packed approximately 1,500 pounds of new children clothing to be distributed to children and families served by the Ronald McDonald House in Seattle, underserved children in the Seatac and Tukwila areas, and orphanages in Viet Nam.

Read news article from the Sammamish Review:

http://sammamishreview.com/2010/02/23/alcott-youth-parents-sort-clothes-for-the-needy

THANK YOU for helping us MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

View the short video of Kids Helping Kids:

Kids Without Borders Make A Difference Week, February 14-21, 2010

2010-02-19T07:15:00.000-08:00

MAKE A DIFFERENCE WEEK:

- We delivered 20 baby cribs to the Seattle Indian Health Board, doing our part for the Bedtime Basics for Babies Campaign. Read more:

http://kidswithnoborders.blogspot.com/2010/01/bedtime-basics-for-babies-campaign.html

- Hand Me Up day of volunteer in Redmond: sorting and packing day by members of the Alcott Elementary Student Council. Saturday, February 20, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Alcott Elementary. Sorted and packed new children clothings will be distributed to children and families served by the Ronald McDonald House in Seattle, and to orphanages in China and Viet Nam.

- Hand Me Up day of volunteer in Seatac-Tukwila: light construction work, and sorting donated clothes and products at the Kids Without Borders South Operation Center (opened August 2009). The Fellowship Bible Church in Seatac donates free space for our new South Operation Center serving students of the Tukwila School District.

- Project CARO (Chinese Adoptees Reaching Orphanages): CARO is a project of Kids Without Borders and will be officially launched Sunday, February 21, 2010. Tian and Lanfen, founders of Project CARO will fundraise at the Chinese New Year Celebration organized by the Families with Children From China (www.fcc-nw.com). To learn more about Project CARO and how you can support orphans in China, please visit http://projectCARO.blogspot.com .

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS.

A Day With Our Two Super Volunteers in the Go Vap Orphanage

2010-02-02T19:59:00.000-08:00

January 21, 2010

Xin Chao Son Michael!
-

Thank you for the run down of who's who at Go Vap! I know exactly who each person you mention is and they have all been lovely to us! I'm so sorry I haven't been in touch sooner but we've been having SUCH an amazing time here, I've not been online that much!

Today marked the end of our third week at Go Vap (we're visiting the Mekong Delta with a Vietnamese friend tomorrow for the weekend), and I am already sad that next week is our final week there.

We went to Leanne's English class last Sunday, which was brilliant! I started teaching the children a song, and I'm hoping that I get back from the Delta early enough on Sunday so that I can go to another class. Mrs. Truc is so lovely! Actually, everyone at Go Vap has warmed to us, even some of the 'harder' nurses and the grumpy security guard! Show how far a big smile and a 'Xin Chao' can go ;)

Pauly gave haircuts today! It took so long to organize it because we asked last week and they said no because apparently they pay someone to come in to cut hair and they didn't want to take money away from that person. But today, Pauly saw them shaving a toddler's head in the hallway, and he stepped in and properly cutr about half a dozen toddler's hair. The nurses were so grateful! On Monday, he's going to cut hair for the older kids in the disabled ward (that't where we spend most of our time - Pauly helping the two nuns, I believe Sister Lucienne & Ms. Chi, and I flock to the most disadvantaged kids in this ward and help with feeding and 'physical therapy').

After spending the morning helping out in the disabled ward, Pauly helps to feed the toddlers then helps Ms. Chi & Sister Lucienne with the 4 years olds after their nap. I head to the hydrocephalus/sick wards for the afternoon. The most wonderful feeling in the world is making these sick children laugh - thank God I'm an actress because I've been busting out show tunes left and right, juggling rubber duckies, dancing around like a clown. They love it! I'm sure the nurses think I'm nuts, but it makes the kids laugh so much, I'd walk on my head if I had to! It warms my heart. The nurses take the more mobile children onto the play mats after their afternoon feed, so I go around to the kids that are crib-bound and hold their hand, sign them a song, shower them with kisses and just talk to them with an arm across their chest or their belly. The responses from these kids is beyond anything I ever thought possible. During this time, I also keep my eyes peeled because so many of these babies throw up and end up lying in it or with vomit all over their faces, so I run to them and clean it up, change their sheets, change their diapers and always carry a wet cloth for runny noses!

This is the most challenging and fufilling thing I've ever done in my life - and I'm not here to change the world, but the simple pleasure of making the kids comfortable, showing them love and making them giggle is just about the best reward I could ask for.

...

Tam Biet!

Angela (& Pauly)

Angela and Pauly are from New York. They spent four weeks of their vacation time volunteering at the Go Vap Orphanage in Saigon. You can read stories of their time in Viet Nam at http://angelarauscher.blogspot.com .

(Thank you, Kim Browne, for sending Angela and Pauly to us)

2009 Year End Review

2010-02-01T15:57:00.000-08:00

YEAR IN REVIEW

Dear Volunteers, Supporter, Donors, and Friends of Kids Without Borders,

Happy 2010 (and the Year of the Tiger, from the Lunar calendar). This is my ninth year-end message since the birth of Kids Without Borders in Janaury 2001. In spite of all the difficulties we all face at home, in our community, and around the world, it was another rewarding year for our organization due to the differences we made.

I found the words of an inspiring song (see below) which seems to represent the purpose of why all of us are involved with this organization. So these words are my year-end message to everyone.

You will find a summary of our 2009 activities below. I look forward to your guidance, encouragement, and support as we head into our 10th year. On behalf of the children and all the people we have served, THANK YOU for believing in us.

Yes, I believe.

Son Michael Pham

Founder and Volunteer

~ ~ ~

One day I'll hear

The laugh of children

In a world where war has been banned

-
One day I'll see

Men of all colours

Sharing words of love and devotion

Stand up and feel

The Holy Spirit

Find the power of your faith

Open your heart

To those who need you

In the name of love and devotion

Yes, I believe

I believe in the people

Of all nations

To join and to care

For love

I believe in a world

Where light will guide us

And giving our love

We'll make heave on earth

Yes, I believe

...

Andrea Bocelli - I Believe, with Katherine Jenkins

~ ~ ~

A recap of 2009

Please note: stories, photos, and videos related to the listed programs and projects are posted within this blog site.

Miracle Baby:

Thien Nhan, the Miracle Baby from Viet Nam, returned to the U.S. in September for tests by doctors in Houston. The results of complicated tests on Thien Nhan's hormone levels were not good. Thien Nhan will require lifelong hormone replacement therapy and be unable to father biological children. While we were disappointed, we remain convinced that Thien Nhan has a bright future ahead of him. He is a very courageous, smart, and determined little boy. Our next step is to find a pediatric endocrinologist, urologist, pshychiatrist, and plastic surgeon. Kids Without Borders will continue to raise funds to support future medical treatment for our 'Miracle Baby'. Donation to help Thien Nhan's medical treatment can be made online to Kids Without Borders.

Hand Me Up:

- Last summer, Kids Without Borders opened a new satellite operation center located in the Seatac/Tukwila area. Under the leadership of Katrina Dohn and her team of volunteers, KWB has distributed new clothing and new footwear to hundreds of school children in the Tukwila School District.

- We have continued our commitment to support the Ronald McDonald House in Seattle, a 'home-away-from-home' for seriously ill children and their families. Throughout the year, we distribute large quantity of new children's clothes, footwear, and products.

- We started a new partnership with the Burmese community leaders in our area and we were able to help this community including many new arriving refugees from Burma.

- Internationally in 2009, the Hand Me Up program benefited children in Cambodia, Honduras, Tanzania, and Viet Nam.

- If you wish to volunteer at our satellite operation center in Seatac/Tukwila, please contact us. You can donate new or slightly use clothes, household products, toys, children products, and school supplies, bu contacting us via email: info@kidswithnoborders.org .

Power Of One:

Saluting some of our volunteers (listed in random order)

Pam Amado-Demagajes

Ken Lin

Marian Liu

Anne McSmith

Jessica Eastman

Phuong Nguyen

Jelly Duong

Susan Vo

Leanne Tran

Amy Wong

Giang Le

...

Without any paid staff, 100% of our work is made possible by our volunteers.

Teach Me To Fish (TM2F):

We organized four reunion meetings in 2009 (4 in Saigon, and 3 in Hai Phong/Hanoi). In spite of the difficult ecenomic condition in Viet Nam for the last 3 years, our TM2F children managed to survive and avoid becoming victims of life outside of the orphanage. We had several weddings, now two of the orphans have had their own families. We were able to reconnect with one of the young girl who dropped out of the program two years ago. We will have four orpans turn 18 years old in 2010, and we have been preparing them for their new life outside of the orphanage starting this July. We are gracious for the continue support from the sponsors, Rotary clubs and Rotarians. It (still) costs us less than $1.00 per day to support one orphan in the TM2F program ($350 will cover one annual TM2F scholarship for an orphan). Current funding can take care of less than 10% of our kids. We need your support and you can make your donation online to KWB.

Making A Difference: listed in random order

Mary's Place

Against The Grain (ATG)

Forgotten Children's Fund

Hopelink

Agros International

Center for Human Services

Wheelchair Foundation

VNHelp

Tukwila Schools

Burmese American Refugees

Harvest Festival (by the ARAS Foundation)

Ronald McDonald House of Western Washington

Operation Nightwatch

THANK YOU: listed in random order

Kids In Distressed Situations (KIDS)

Rotary International

School To End Poverty (STEP)

Toys R Us

Pro Sports Club

Bellevue Women's Club

Miller Buckfire & Company

Medtronic Foundation

Vizapak, LLC

Executive Development Institute (EDI)

Union Bay Sportswear

Microsoft Giving Campaign

Microsoft Matching Gifts Program

Mike and Alex Shimizu

Tom and Lisa Gaughran

Lee Chee Chew

KWB Board of Directors and Global Ambassadors (all volunteers)

HELP HAITI

2010-01-15T07:11:00.000-08:00

Donate to these trusted organizations to support relief efforts in Haiti.

www.redcross.org & www.ifrc.org

www.kidsdonations.org

BEDTIME BASICS for BABIES CAMPAIGN

2010-01-14T07:46:00.000-08:00

Facts: each year in the United States, more than 4,500 families are devastated by the sudden, unexpected death of an otherwise healthy baby. Experts estimate that at least 50 percent of these deaths may have been prevented had the baby been placed to sleep in a safe environment. In some areas, that number is closer to 75 percent or higher.

Thanks to an $11 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, First Candle (a national nonprofit health organization) has launched the National Crib Campaign. This ground-breaking campaign was developed to provide cribs to in-need and at-risk families, as well as lifesaving safe sleep education to parents, professionals and the general public. The campaign will initially target Indiana, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

Kids Without Borders is proud to be one of the coordinating partner organizations (supporting Kids In Distressed Situations and Seattle Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center).

For more information on the National Crib Campaign, the Bedtime Basics for Babies, and First Candle, visit http://www.firstcandle.org/ .

Teach Me To Fish Reunion in Saigon, December 26, 2009

2010-01-10T10:08:00.000-08:00

Photos from the reunion in December 2009 of the Teach Me To Fish (TM2F) youths in Saigon. Three of the TM2F youths from Hai Phong / Hanoi attended the reunion, the very first meeting between the youths from the north and south region. Bottom photo: Son Michael and Judy Pham with the children of the TM2F youths.

These TM2F youths in Saigon grew up in the Go Vap Orphanage and the Thu Duc Orphanage. For less than US$1.00 per day per youth, the TM2F program can help them break the cycle of being an orphan and of life in poverty.

You can make your donation online via http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/

Christmas Day 2009: meet the children of the Thu Duc Orphanage

2010-01-04T07:33:00.001-08:00

On Christmas Day morning, we took a 40 minute drive, by car, to the outskirt of Saigon to visit the Thu Duc Orphanage. Almost all of the youth (in Saigon) in the Teach Me To Fish lived here after they were transferred from the Go Vap Orphanage.
.

After a brief meeting with the management staff, everyone was eager for us to meet 'Baby Hoa Hau' (Beauty Queen). Baby Hoa Hau had a successful hydrocephalus operation in early 2009, using one of the donated shunt (THANK YOU JoAnn Quattrone).

Baby "Hoa Hau' (Beauty Queen), survived hydrocephalus

Currently there are 40 babies out of the 200 orphans in this orphanage. We were able to identify some immediate needs during our visit and over conversations we had with many of the staff members:

- We watched some of the caretakers outside on the front porch folding cloth diapers. The cloth diapers are made from old bed sheets, towels, and napkins. Many of these are torn or tattered. And the cloth napkins, unfortunately, are water resistant. Diapers (cloth and disposable) are desperately needed.

Caretakers folding diapers (made from old bed sheets,

towels, and napkins)

- Two years ago, we purchased two washers for the baby ward (funded by the Kiwanis Club of Issaquah). This has allowed the staff to spend more time caring for the babies instead of handwashing the diapers, sheets, and clothes. Well, that solved half of the problem. Drying the wet clothes by hanging them under the sun only works when the sun is out, a problem during the rainy season (up to 6 months a year). We promised the staff that we will look into getting them at least one dryer (two would be great).

- The babies spend part of the day outside of their cribs and on the tile floors. Hard tile floors and baby heads are not good combination. What is needed is rubber floor mats (easy to clean and store type).

Sample of the needed floor rubber mats

Please share information on these needs with others and or support us with your contributions to provide better care and quality of life for the children of the Thu Duc Orphanage. For more information, contact us or make your donation online at http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/ . You can also join us on one of the two HumaniTours in 2010, and participate in our programs and projects in Viet Nam.

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View more photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39932570@N06/sets/72157623149636964/

Christmas Eve in Saigon

2010-01-03T19:20:00.000-08:00

Scene in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon on Christmas Eve.

Who I Was Born To Be

2010-01-03T18:07:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Dr. Ngoc Ha on her marriage to Dr. Quoc Cuong. Dr. Ha provided care and support to many of the children served by Kids Without Borders in Viet Nam. She also inspired us to launch the Teach Me To Fish program ten years ago.

We are inspired by Dr. Ha's story and want to dedicate this song in her honor:
-
When I was a child
I could see the wind in the trees
And I heard the song in the breeze
It was there, singing out my name
...
But I am not a girl
I have known the taste of defeat
And I have finally grown to believe
It will all came around again
...
And though I may not
Know the answers
I can finally say I am free
And if the questions
Led me here, then
I am who I was born to be
...
And so here am I
Open arms and ready to stand
I've got the world in my hands
And it feels like my turn to fly
...
When I was a child
There were flowers that bloomed in the night
Unafraid to take in the light
Unashamed to have braved the dark
...
I am who I was born to be
I am who I was born to be
-

Who I was born to be, performed by Susan Boyle. Song written by Audra Mae, Johan Fransson, Tobias Lundgren, Tim Mikael Larsson.

It costs less than US$1.00 / day to support one youth in the Teach Me To Fish program. To learn more about the program and to make your contribution, contact us at info@kidswithnoborders.org or make your donation online at http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/ .

Go Vap Orphanage - Jingle Bells

2009-12-27T20:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas Celebration by the children of the Go Vap Orphanage (Saigon, Viet Nam), December 2009:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_vMOs8YQh0

Saigon - Wednesday December 23, 2009

2009-12-26T14:21:00.000-08:00

Ready to party?

The staff and some of the older orphans worked hard all day yesterday and today to prepare for the Christmas party.

The Santa team: Amy (Brisbane, Australia), Phuong (London, UK), Giang (California, US), Ngoc Minh (Viet Horizon Club in Saigon), Judy and Son Michael:

We left the hotel with sacks of gifts.

More good news arrived. A Santa came by the orphanage yesterday and donated meals for the party dinner. Earlier today another Santa dropped by and donated a large Christmas cake. A few more toys came in and we now have enough for every kid.

To view images of the party:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39932570@N06/sets/72157622932567335/

Go Vap Orphanage - Tuesday December 22, 2009

2009-12-25T14:40:00.000-08:00

Just the nick of time

My first prayer for today was answered, all of the luggage arrived safe (it's the 250 pounds of gifts for the orphanage we were worried about).

We met our two new volunteers Amy Wong from Brisbane (Australia) and Giang Le who is on holiday break from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles). We headed to the Go Vap orphanage, empty handed, to introduce our volunteers to the orphanage management and give Amy and Giang an orientation and tour. We also wanted to learn more from the management about the Christmas party for kids planned for the next day.

When we told Mrs. Loan, vice director of the orphanage, that we brought plenty of toys and candies her eyes and face lit up. She told us that she did not anticipate toys from us, and up until two days ago all they have collected were few used toys. The ususal source of toy donation for Chirstmas did not come through this year. So another prayer was answered.

As soon as they reached the newborn baby ward, Amy and Giang loaded themselves with babies. They were so taken back in the baby ward, the one with the most difficult medical conditions. We continue to grow our volunteer network with talented and caring individuals such as Amy and Giang. Our prayers have always been answered.

Early night tonight so Santa can prepare his list and check it again, ready for the big event tomorrow.

Giang

Amy

Saigon - Tuesday December 22, 2009

2009-12-24T17:09:00.001-08:00

Do people celebrate Christmas in Viet Nam, a country with approximately 10% Christians? Shown here is downtown Saigon two days before Christmas.

Christmas in Viet Nam

2009-12-24T16:26:00.000-08:00

Warmest Greetings from Saigon, Viet Nam.

My last Christmas in Saigon was in 1974, thirty five years ago. What is the occasion this year? A very special event on Christmas Eve brings us here. Our very first 'Teach Me To Fish' recipient, someone who inspired me to launch the program (and a great testament on how much a difference can be made with less than a dollar a day), will get married on Christmas Eve in Saigon. I have shared the story of Dr. Ha and many of you have met her family (traveling on the HumaniTours). We are honored to be at her wedding and bring along congratulations and good wishes from many of you.

We left North Pole (Seattle) on Sunday night (Dec. 20) with our maximum luggage allowance - some 250 pounds of gifts. Twenty four hours later we arrived in Saigon and experienced one of the most special Christmas season. Meeting us in Saigon are several 'Santa Assistants' - our newest Kids Without Borders volunteers - coming from different corners of the world.

We will start posting our trip reports on the blog with stories, photos, and videos. We invite you to follow us and share with your friends and families.

Where you are celebrating this holiday season, may you feel the special joys this season brings. On behlaf of the KIDS we serve, THANK YOU for your support, your encouragement, and your friendship.

PEACE.

Son Michael Pham (and Judy)

We Have Lift Off

2009-12-24T01:12:00.000-08:00

On the same day the very first Boeing Dreamliner took off from an airport in our home state of Washington, not too far away we had our on 'lift off' to celebrate.

Our own tireless Katrina Dohn (photo on left), who leads our operation in the Seatac/Tukwila areas received some wonderful news from the Fellowship Bible Church. The church leaders have approved an offer to Kids Without Borders to use, free of charge, part of the church facility as our future operation center serving the south Seattle/King County communities. This is most welcome news to us, since we can now save rental expenses for the current storage that the south operation is using. The future operation center will be eventually built and equipped to better serve our programs and projects.

We launched the south operation center only four months ago and it has made great impact in the surrounding communities. Under the leadership of Katrina (teacher for the Tukwila School District) we now have a strong network of school teachers, counselors, and parents, helping us reach out to children and families with needs as well as children who want to volunteer. Our Hand Me Up program has distributed thousands of brand new children's products (clothes, footwear, toys, ...)in only a few months since this operation center opened. Kids Without Borders (represented by Katrina) was invited to a city council meeting of the City of Tukwila in November to make a special presentation on the work we do.

We still have quite a way to go before we can move to the new location. We need volunteers and materials to renovate the space. We also need shelves and storage bins. If you want to donate your time and money to support our work, please contact us or make your donation online from our website.

THANK YOU Katrina and her team (Verna and Tracy), and many volunteers, donors, and supporters.

Sunday - November 8, 2009: Saigon

2009-11-29T10:57:00.000-08:00

A few more items left on my 'to do' list before my flight home on Tuesday morning. One of the 'to do' items involves searching for information for one of the thousands of adoptees who left Viet Nam prior to the end of the war.

On April 3, 1975, U.S President Gerald Ford announced that 2,000 orphans from South Viet Nam would be flown to new homes in the U.S. Known as Operation Newlife, it had two phases. Phase one involved evacuating more than 100,000 refugees to Guam, including 2,600 orphans in Operation Babylift.

On April 4, 1975, the initial Operation Babylift mission flight, a C-5A aircraft, took off from Tan Son Nhut airport (Saigon, South Viet Nam) filled with children from Saigon orphanages. Shortly after, the plane encountered mechanical failures. With great difficulty, the pilot managed to crash land the aircraft in a rice paddy south of the airport. Thanks to the aircrew's skill, 176 of the 314 onboard survived, including 150 orphans.

At least 2,000 children were eventually brought to the U.S and approximately 1,300 went to Canada, Europe, and Australia. A documentary, Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam, was released in April 2009 - http://www.thebabylift.com/. Over the course of many years doing charity work in Viet Nam, I have gotten to know some of the adoptees (Chris and Kelly Brownlee) and volunteer (Betty Tisdale) featured in this documentary.

Today I will spend part of my day tracing information for one of the adoptees, Viktoria Cowley who is currently living in London. Arming myself with old photos and 34 year- old information, I walk the new neighborhood looking for an old orphanage. The district is no longer under the same name, street names have been changed, and the orphanage has been closed down since the end of the war. You can view a brief trailer of a documentary by the BBC, Special Delivery The Babies of the Mercy Mission, featuring Viktoria at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaIdruC7CKg .

This is not the first time I have been involved with tracing and connecting one of the thousands of adoptees with their past. I am glad that I could be a very small part of their journey. In April 2010, Operation Reunite will bring many of these adoptees back to Viet Nam, some for the very first time. If you know of any adoptees from Operation Babylift or Mercy Mission, please contact us. Team Operation Reunite would like to connect with them

2010 will also mark the 35th anniversary of the end of the war. The 12th HumaniTour Viet Nam is scheduled for March 27 through April 4, 2010. Sign up now if you want to travel with us, please write to info@kidswithnoborders.org for more information.

Kim Browne (center) is one of the 1975 Viet Nam adoptees in London, and a member of team Operation Reunite and Global Ambassador of KWB. Kim left Viet Nam when she was two months old and returned to the Go Vap Orphanage for the first time in 2007. Since then, Kim is a devoted volunteer and supporter of the orphanage.

Son Michael Pham reporting from Saigon

Saturday - November 7, 2009: Saigon

2009-11-23T16:36:00.001-08:00

Breaking the cycle: with a little help from the Teach Me To Fish (TM2F) program

Tonight is the usual reunion of thirty some orphans formerly from Go Vap Orphanage. Each time I come to Saigon, a night is set aside for the reunion dinner of these grown kids supported by the Teach Me To Fish program. All of them grew up in the Go Vap Orphanage, then moved to the Picasso Orphanage. Most are out on their own, some have started their own families.

We meet at the usual restaurant. Some of the kids have to travel several hours by bus to reach the city center. We have done this so many times, they all know the routine. Each comes looking his/her best, it is the biggest event of the year since the last reunion (back in July) and until the next one (next year in April).

These children, now young adults, grew up together. They used to live under the same roof, sleep in the same big room, eat together, study together, play with each other just as other families with sibblings. Then they moved out of the orphanage and started their own lives. Some now they live in small groups, near where they work, support and care for each other. When one is ill, many will come and take turn to care for him or her. They look after each other as a big family.

I must admit there were times when I underestimated these kids. As much as we (through the TM2F program) tried to prepare them for life outside of the orphanage, they started on their own with very little. They work hard, study hard, follow good work ethics, help each other, and give back, if and when they can. Some have achieved their most important dream, breaking the cycle of being an orphan by having a family of their own. Almost all are giving all they have to escape the cycle of poverty.

It costs less than US$1 a day to support one of the many orphans in the Teach Me To Fish program. To contribute on line, go to: http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/Donations.asp .

View photos of some of the TM2F kids at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39932570@N06/sets/72157621438359450/

Friday - November 6, 2009: Saigon

2009-11-17T21:15:00.000-08:00

Today I accompanied a team of American volunteer medical doctors and nurses with Project Vietnam (http://www.pnvf.org/) on their visit to the Go Vap Orphanage. They will see first hand many of the sick and disabled babies and children and meet with the management staff and the orphanage doctor and physical therapist.

The Go Vap Orphanage:

Located in the Go Vap District approximately 20 minutes from the Saigon city center, this orphanage has been around for more than 100 years. Currently the orphanage has 227 children from newborns to 14 years old. More than 180 of these children are sick with a variety of mental or physical illnesses, many of these are life-threatening.

I have been involved with this orphanage for more than 10 years. In past years, through the support of various organizations I have been able to help improving the quality of life for the children in the orphanage. To give you some ideas of the ongoing needs, here are some of the items we have provided for the orphanage: clean water (a new water storage and distribution system), washer and dryer, new baby cribs, computers, training for staff, wages for additional staff, weekly English class, school supplies, medical supplies (including invaluable medical shunts for babies suffering from hydrocephalus), baby products, new children clothes, hygiene products, dental care products, and many volunteers coming from many different countries around the world.

To contribute to support our work or to volunteer, please visit our website at http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/ or write to us at info@KidsWithNoBorders.org .

View more photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/39932570@N06/sets/72157622620776591/

Watch short video of the orphans in the Go Vap Orphanage English class.

Son Michael Pham reporting from Saigon

Thursday - November 5, 2009: Saigon

2009-11-17T20:05:00.000-08:00

Back in Saigon, I had a chance to visit with Geroge and Joyce McHenry. Dr. George McHenry is the Head of Det Norske Veritas Academy, and Dr. Joyce McHenry is the Associate Professor of the Oslo School of Management. Both are from Norway and currently live and work in Viet Nam. Joyce and George started the Hai Phong Charity Program joining KWB in supporting the children in the Hoa Phuong Orphanage.

Over dinner, we discussed possible ways to grow the Hai Phong Charity Program and ways to involve more expatriates from Hai Phong City. We also shared ideas and discussed ways to support the Teach Me To Fish orphans with vocational training and higher education.

Since I started KWB in January 2001, our network of volunteers has grown worldwide. I have gotten to know so many extraordinary individuals who have given unconditionally of their skills, talents, experiences, time, and money to support our programs and projects. Our volunteers come from many different countries, are all different ages, and have all types of skills and talents. They have helped us make small differences around the world and, in turn, receive life-changing experiences. It's the POWER OF ONE.

THANK YOU, George and Joyce, Leanne, Mrs. Truc, Sarah, Virag, Ms. Chi, Ngoc Minh, and so many others. Looking for a life-changing experience? Join our POWER OF ONE team. To volunteer, please write to us.

George and Joyce, suurounded by some of the Teach Me To Fish orphans (and two children of one of the orphan)

Son Michael Pham reporting from Saigon

Wednesday - November 4, 2009: Hanoi

2009-11-12T06:29:00.000-08:00

Thien Nhan, the Miracle Baby:

I had the opportunity to visit our Miracle Baby in Hanoi. The family, Mom Mai Anh and Dad Nghinh, brothers Big and Little Minh, and Thien Nhan, came to my hotel for dinner. It has become a tradition now since I first met the family back in July 2008. Each time I am in Hanoi, we meet at the restaurant in the Melia Hotel for dinner. The hotel and restaurant staff adore Thien Nhan and let him roam freely in the restaurant and around the hotel lobby (and escalator, stairways, lobby lounge, ...). Thien Nhan has just recovered from a bad cold, following his trip to the U.S for medical care. He had several medical tests in Houston (Texas) and his adoptive parents are still waiting for the results from the tests, which will determine his future medical treatments. To learn more about the Miracle Baby, enter 'Miracle Baby' in the search box on this blog.

Teach Me To Fish (TM2F), reporting from Hanoi:

Currently we have four young women supported by the Teach Me To Fish program who live and work in Hanoi. We had our usual 'reunion dinner', a trip to the market to shop for clothes and some personal items, and some time for 'lifeskill coaching' and problem solving.

- Thao: has been serving as KWB in-country representative in Hanoi. Thao works in sales for Protec (affiliated with Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, a partner organization of KWB). Her English continues to improve, thanks to the night classes she takes. Thao looks after the other TM2F kids in Hanoi and Hai Phong. She makes monthly visits to the Hoa Phuong Orphanage (her old home), checks up on the orphans and lets us know of any needs or difficulties.

- Mo: is working at an upscale garment shop in downtown Hanoi. She received her certificate in restaurant service, worked in a restaurant briefly. Then she saw a better opportunity working in a field where she might have better opportunity to grow with her excellent skill as a seamstress. Mo asked me to send a request to her sponsor's in New York to attend evening English classes. Mo is still suffering from a medical issue and we have arranged for her to get a blood test. We will then follow up with her based on the results of the test.

- Lien: completed restaurant service training and now works at an upscale restaurant near the Hanoi Opera House. Since most of the restaurant customers are foreign tourists, she has had the opportunity to use her English regularly and to improve her language skills daily.

- Giang: completed restaurant service training and works at the same restaurant near the Hanoi Opera House.

To learn more about the Teach Me To Fish program, enter 'Teach Me To Fish' in the search box on this blog.

From left to right: Mo, Thao, and Lien.

Son Michael Pham reporting from Hanoi.

Tuesday - November 3, 2009: Hanoi

2009-11-10T03:42:00.000-08:00

Beautiful weather in Hanoi. Hoan Kiem Lake is surrounded by flowers, and bustling with people from early in the morning until late night. The city is counting down to the 1000th birthday celebration which is less than a year away.

Beautiful time of the year in Hanoi

Saving lives: I visited with two medical doctors from the U.S. They are in Viet Nam with a medical team from CardioStart International performing and teaching life saving heart surgery for children with congenital heart defects. The team is working at the Viet Duc Hospital preparing for the very first Human Tissue Valve Replacement performed in Viet Nam.

From left to right: Dr. Yen, Thao, Giang, Dr. Tien, and Mo. Thao, Giang, and Mo are Teach Me To Fish kids live and work in Hanoi

Three of the girls in the Teach Me To Fish Program spending a fun day in downtown Hanoi.

Monday - November 2, 2009: Hai Phong:

2009-11-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

Latest news on some of the orphans in the Teach Me To Fish program:

Some of the Teach Me To Fish (TM2F) orphans (and their children) at a reunion in Hai Phong, the usual gathering spot whenever I visit them.

- Duong (female): she continues to do excellent in school. Duong also takes English night classes and her English is better every day. She is scheduled to leave the orphanage in July 2010.

- Dien (female): she is currently working in a factory in Hai Phong. Dien completed her training in hotel service (housekeeping and room attendant) in Hanoi last year. She got very good reviews working as a trainee/intern at a five star hotel in Hanoi. Unfortunately due to the slow down in tourism, Dien was not able to land a hotel job after she completed her internship. Dien moved back to Hai Phong and found a job in a textile factory. She had some health problems and we were able to get her the needed treatment. Dien has one physical obstacle which prevents her from landing a decent job: her height. Even though she is pleasant, hard working, and willing to learn, employers consider her too short.

- Tung (male): he studies hard but is only doing average in his last year of high school. Currently, Tung studies soldering after school. He hopes to land a job in Hai Phong working in a steel factory or ship building when he leaves the orphanage in July 2010.

- Duong (male): in 11th grade. Duong lost both of his parents due to illnesses and he has lived in the orphanage since he was 10 years old. Since the music program started, Duong is seldom seen without his guitar. He just loves playing the guitar and loves the music classes. He used to be shy and quiet, now he is always beaming with a big smile and showing the self confidence and self esteem he has gained from playing music.

Want to view the photos of these few kids in the TM2F program, visit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39932570@N06/sets/72157621438359450/

Please help us to continue to support these orphans through the Teach Me To Fish program with your contributions. For less than $1 a day, we are able to walk with them today, so they can run on their own tomorrow. To make a donation, go to:

http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/Donations.asp

Sunday - November 1, 2009: Hai Phong

2009-11-07T14:50:00.000-08:00

Hoa Phuong Orphanage in Hai Phong:

This Sunday is a community wide clean-up day in Hai Phong. Students in school uniforms filled the streets sweeping and picking up trash. At the Hoa Phuong orphanage, every Sunday is designated for cleaning. Kids are out sweeping the ground, gathering leaves and branches, or tending the garden. Inside each of the eight homes, everyone is busy with laundry, sweeping and mopping the floors, or cooking.

There are eight homes on the ground of the Hoa Phuong Orphanage, six 'families', one 'home for boys' (over 14 years old), one 'home for disabled kids', and one for 'street children'. A 'mother' and up to ten orphans make up a family. The house for street children is used as a temporary shelter until the kids are reunited with their parents or relatives. Orphans have to leave when they turn eighteen to make room for younger orphans. Four are scheduled to leave the orphanage in July 2010. Through the Teach Me To Fish (TM2F) Program, Kids Without Borders will walk with them until they can run on their own. It takes a little help to make it on your own.

I joined one of the families for lunch. The kids spent all morning preparing a delicious meal. We all sat in a circle on the floor on straw mats enjoying lunch. After cleaning up and doing the dishes, the kids skipped the usual 'siesta' and instead they gathered around me in the courtyard under the shades for conversation and small games. It was a beautiful day in Hai Phong with temperature in the low 80s, sunny blue skies, and a constant breeze.

Later in the afternoon, from the courtyeard we could hear the sound of violins playing. Recently some expatriates living in Hai Phong formed a charity group to support underserved children in the area, working as partners of KWB. It was an idea by Dr. Joyce McHenry from Norway who is currently living and working in Hai Phong and it was launched after I had a brief meeting with Joyce and Mr. Jack Reilly, General Manager of the Harbour View Hotel back in April, and followed by many emails. The luxurious Harbour View Hotel in Hai Phong has conducted several fundraising events to purchase musical instruments and launch music classes (teaching violin and guitar) at the orphanage.

You can make online donations to KWB to support our work with the children in this orphanage.

Meet Sarah (left) and Virag, two of the volunteers supporting the Hoa Phuong Orphanage program.

Sarah, from Norway:
I live in Hai Phong because I'm working at the Harbor View Hotel as a trainee.I am originally from Norway where I got my Hotel Management degree. I got involved in this charity project through the hotel and I think it is a nice way to do something for the children in the orphanage. What I especially like about the Music Project is that it involves music and its aim to give the children more than their "basic needs" like food and shelter. This Music Project wants to give the children self confidence and skils that can provide a positive effect on their self image. I like it :)

Virag, from Hungary:

I garduated as a biologist when I came to Viet Nam - beacuse of my fiancee's job - I could not continue my work that I had in Hungary. I had been in a few developing countries and I always had to face the fact of how big the difference is between the living standards of the West and the developing countries. I believe it is good opportunity to help children who live in poor conditions. In Hungary I could work with needy children when I participated in a dog-therapy volunteer program with my dog. The smiles of those children made me really happy during that period and I hope those smiles meant a little change in their life. the orphans's needs might be different but I hope we can make a change in their life and make them smile even more.

Smiling children, always love to pose for photos

Look who wants to join us at lunch

Duong, talented in many things, and a quick learner in violin

View more photos:

http://http//www.flickr.com/photos/39932570@N06/sets/72157622621011567/

Saturday - October 31, 2009: Saigon

2009-11-02T14:35:00.001-08:00

Go Vap Orphanage in Saigon:

Met a new baby arrived at the orphanage just one week ago. His name is Phan Chien Thang. Chien Thang can be translated as Victory. Unfortunately Victory ended up in the Go Vap Orphanage barely two months old with some major challenges. Victory was born with no ears, not even ear holes on either side of his head. It also appears that he is blind.

Victory is one of the almost 300 kids in Go Vap, most are either with life threatening illnesses or disabled. Next Friday, I will accompany a team of medical doctors from the U.S on a medical mission in Viet Nam by Project Viet Nam. They will have a busy day meeting with the orphanage doctors, nurses, and staff and reviewing the most urgent cases.

Victory sleeping peacefully in his crib

Nhat, survived hydrocephalus

Always happy, orphans with developmental and/or physical disabilities

Son Michael Pham reporting from Saigon.

Chu (Uncle) Son is back in Viet Nam - Fall 2009

2009-11-01T16:41:00.000-08:00

Kids Without Borders Founder Son Michael Pham is currently on his annual fall trip to Viet Nam. Son Michael is known as 'Chu Son' (Uncle) to the children throoughout Viet Nam. You can follow Chu Son on this blog. Here is his first report.

Saturday - October 31, 2009

It's 8am and the crowd starts to grow enjoying the weekend morning public concert on the step of the Opera House. It's a a warm and sunny morning in Saigon. However on the horizon is another typhoon heading toward Viet Nam. It is expected to land in the central area within the next 72 hours, where people are still picking up from the devastating Ketsana typhoon.

Watch morning musical concert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4bvqJTjzko

I will spend part of the day at the Go Vap Orphanage, and then a brief reunion with nongovernmental colleagues and friends (all of us are members of the Vietnamese American NGO Network (http://www.va-ngo.org/) and we will discuss our work and collaboration on this trip.

Son Michael Pham reporting from Saigon.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2009-10-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

- HAND ME UP Clothing and Children Product Drive: invite all school students to organize clothing and children product drive in your schools and neighborhoods. Contact us for more information. To learn more on community organizations we support, visit: http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/FAQ.asp

- Sponsor a TEACH ME TO FISH (TM2F) Scholarship: annula scholarship of $350 will support one orphan in Viet Nam with education, or vocation, business, language training. Meet some of the TM2F orphans: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39932570@N06/sets/72157621438359450/

- Sign up for one of the two HumaniTours to Viet Nam. Learn more: http://kidswithnoborders.blogspot.com/search?q=humanitours

- Donate to Kids Without Borders: we need to keep our two storage locations (in Sammamish and Tukwila) to run our programs and projects. We are an all volunteer nonprofit organization and 100% of contributions go directly to support our programs and projects. Any amount counts, please support us with your online donation: http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/Donations.asp

CARE NIGHT - Cascade Elementary School

2009-10-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

The second CARE NIGHT of 2009 was on Oct. 22, 2009 at Cascade View Elementary in Tukwila (Washington). Hundreds of students with their families came to receive clothing and visit the service fair.

This is the second of three CARE NIGHT events KWB has contributed to this year. The next CARE NIGHT will be on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009 at Thorndyke Elementary School in Tukwila.

CARE stands for Clothing Are Really Expensive, started seven years ago by a small team of teachers and parents in the Tukwila School District. Recently, the Tukwila School District was named as the most 'ethnically diverse' school district in the U.S. (read more http://www.seattlemet.com/issues/archives/articles/refugees-0709/4/).

Katrina Dohn is KWB Program Director of the South King County area. Katrina started CARE NIGHT program, and has been a tireless community volunteer. She is a teacher at Cascade View Elementary.

Katrina Dohn (center), KWB Program Director (volunteer)

Plenty of smiling faces

Vietnamese American Nongovernmental Organization (VA-NGO) Network

2009-10-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

On October 17, 2009 KWB Founder Son Michael Pham attended and spoke at the Capacity Building Workshop organized by the Vietnamese American Nongovernmental Organization (VA-NGO) Network in Santa Ana (California).

One of the several topics discussed at the workshop was the issue of human/children trafficking and the work of many VA-NGO Network members related to preventing and supporting victims of trafficking of children in Viet Nam.

Joining Son Michael as presenter was Penny LeGate, from KIRO (CBS) Television in Seattle.

Representatives from 18 Nongovernmental Organizations at the Capacity Building Workshop

from left to right: Michelle Patterson (founder of Project Healthy Smile), Son Michael Pham (KWB), and Penny LeGate (KIRO CBS Television, Seattle)

Community Service Fair - Skyline High School

2009-10-24T06:12:00.000-07:00

October 17, 2009

SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL

Sammamish, Washington

HumaniTours Viet Nam 2010

2009-10-01T07:51:00.000-07:00

- Spring 2010: March 27 - April 4, 2010

- Fall 2010: Oct 27, 2010 (tentative departure date) for 12 - 14 days including Cambodia (Rotary wheelchair distribution in Viet Nam and Cambodia)

More information, visit HumaniTours.blogspot.com or write to us info@kidswithnoborders.org

Haiphong (Hai Phong City, Viet Nam)

2009-09-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

Kids Without Borders (KWB) is pleased to introduce our latest partner, the Haiphong Charity organization.

You can view information of the Haiphong Charity via their blog: http://haiphongcharity.blogspot.com/

To support/contribute to projects and programs in Hai Phong, please go to:

http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/Donations.asp

To volunteer, contact us at: info@KidsWithNoBorders.org

Local Surgeon Offers to Help Multilated Boy from Vietnam

2009-09-28T21:31:00.000-07:00

KIAH-Television Houston
Watch news video:
http://www.39online.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=d7f04725-7bdd-4ca0-bff0-9a6316f87fa6&src=front

Miracle Baby gets help in Houston

2009-09-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

Houston - Vietnamese toddler Thien Nhan is all smiles, ...
Watch news video:
http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/090927_miracle_baby_help

Miracle Baby comes to Houston

2009-09-28T21:21:00.000-07:00

Sept. 27, 2009 - Channel 2 Houston (Texas):
A little boy known as a miracle baby is in Houston. The 3-year-old was abandoned in the middle Viet Nam at birth and mauled by a wild animal.
Watch news video:
http://www.click2houston.com/video/21133681/index.html

Miracle Baby arrives in Houston - Saturday, September 26, 2009

2009-09-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

Thien Nhan had arrived in Houston after several long flights from Hanoi - via Narita (Japan), Dallas, and then Houston. Traveling with Thien Nhan: Mai Anh (mother), Kim Anh (grandmother), and Na Huong (god aunt). Greig Craft (from Hanoi, in the U.S for business meetings) met the group at the airport, and I arrived from Seattle one hour later. After we settled in our hotels, we had a brief meeting over dinner with Dr. Tue Dinh, who will provide medical care for Thien Nhan.

Tomorrow, we will have a media and community event. Watch news video of Thien Nhan's arrival:

http://www.39online.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=6aa25046-bc7d-4488-94cd-032622c3855c&src=front

Reporting from Houston by Son Michael Pham

Microsoft Employee Giving Campaign Kick Off Party

2009-09-26T05:53:00.000-07:00

Friday, September 25, 2009

Thank you, Microsoft, for a wonderful party (theme: the 60s).

The Kids Without Borders team

Vietnamese Miracle Baby is back in the U.S for medical treatment

2009-09-24T11:20:00.000-07:00

VIETNAMESE MIRACLE BABY MAULED BY WILD ANIMALS TO UNDERGO TREATMENT IN THE U.S.

Abandoned at birth in a remote rural area of Central Viet Nam, Phung Thien Nhan not only survived against all the odds, he continues his fight to lead a normal life. Dubbed the Miracle Baby, the three years old Vietnamese toddler will travel from Hanoi (Viet Nam) to Houston, Texas for crucial reconstructive surgeries.

Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Tue Dinh has agreed to perform the complex surgery free of charge, although peripheral cost such as anesthesia, operating theater fees and dedication are expected to cost up to $100,000. The trip is coordinated by Greig Craft, President of the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, and Kids Without Borders.

Last year, Thien Nhan was treated by a medical team at the Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, and the Northwestern University Medical Center in Chicago.

Thien Nhan and his family will arrive in Houston on Saturday, September 26, 2009. On Sunday, September 27, 2009 from 2 to 6 p.m. community members are invited to an informal reception to welcome the family.

For stories related to Thien Nhan or how to contribute, please visit:
http://kidswithnoborders.blogspot.com/search?q=Miracle+Baby
http://help-thien-nhan.blogspot.com/

Adoption advocate Ann Vermeire: "Give them some parents, that's what they need first"

2009-08-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

Aug 23, 2009 12:01AM
By Stephanie Benhart, sbenhart@qconline.com
Full article and photos can be viewed at:
http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=454495&query=vermeire

Some people support causes they believe in. Ann Vermeire of Moline lives and breathes her cause every day.

She and her husband, Joe, are the parents of two birth children, Marc and Jon, and three adopted children, Kim from Vietnam, AMee from Korea and Travis from the U.S.

After adopting Kim in 1975, Mrs. Vermeire became active in adoption advocacy. Today, she stays involved by sponsoring Vietnamese orphanage children in their schooling. She also provides supplies to orphanages overseas and plans to return to Vietnam.

"It was the best thing I ever did," Mrs. Vermeire said of her involvement with adoption.

In August 1989, Mrs. Vermeire, Kim, Marc and Josh Lang -- Kim's future husband who also was adopted from Vietnam -- traveled in one of the first groups of American tourists allowed into Vietnam after the war. She said there were six adoptees in the group.

This April, the four journeyed back, almost 20 years later. But this time Kim traveled in spirit, as her ashes were transported to the country of her birth.

"When it came time to put her in a place, Ithought, what a perfect place," Mrs. Vermeire said.

Kim died in March 2008, after battling melanoma for years.

Mrs. Vermeire, Marc and Mr. Lang held a ceremony on a Vietnam beach. Mr. Lang took a portion of his wife's ashes in a small urn to Sacred Heart, the orphanage they visited on their first trip to Vietnam in 1989.

"She went back for a 20-year reunion and stayed," Mrs. Vermeire said.

While in Vietnam, they met with Son Michael Pham of Kids Without Borders at the Go Vap orphanage he sponsors. After meeting Mr. Pham, they were so moved by the children, Mrs. Vermeire said they went back the next day, going from bed to bed just to hold the kids.

"It brought me back to when Kim came home," Mrs. Vermeire said, fighting back tears. "You look at that little baby's face and see so much promise in their eyes."

They then traveled to DaNang, where they taught English to children at Sacred Heart and left Kim's ashes.

Through her years of advocacy work, Mrs. Vermeire has been able to travel and give talks advocating adoption and trying to change policies.

"A family is what a child needs, way ahead of any set of rules," Mrs. Vermeire said.

The "rules" she refers to are ones which require adoptive parents to be the same race, origin or culture as the child.

"Give them some parents, that's what they need first," she said, somebody they can sit on their lap and be loved."

However, Mrs. Vermeire said adoptive parents shouldn't deny their children their history, but be learning tools for their children. She volunteered at culture camps which teach adopted children about their birth culture.

"They had a story before you had them," she said.

She also has been involved in helping refugees and new adoptive families as well as traveling to places like Vietnam and the Dominican Republic. She helped form Ours thru ADOPTION, a nonprofit support group for families. Today, Mrs. Vermeire said, adoption agencies provide better services, offering support and streamlining the process.

"Anybody can do this," she said. "I'm not special."

She encourages others to help in any way they can, both in the U.S. and abroad.

"There are a lot of places to go, and they'd be glad to have you," she said. "There are plenty of children that are already here that need you."

KWB New Operation Center: Tukwila, Washington

2009-08-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

Tukwila (Washington): According to the 2000 census, 26 percent of Tukwila residents were born outside the United States and 32 percent spoke languages other than English at home, about twice the national averages. In 2006 the National Center for Education Statistics and the New York Times declared Tukwila's school district the nation's most "ethnically diverse". That merely means its student population is almost evenly divided among the four offical "races", white, black, Asian, and Hispanic. Other data are more telling: two-thirds of Tukwila's students speak languages other than English - a total of 65 languages - at home. Read more:

http://seattlemet.com/issues/archives/articles/refugees-0709/

Welcome to our new Kids Without Borders South King County Operation located in Tukwila/Seatac area. Our Hand Me Up program continues to grow.

View photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39932570@N06/sets/72157621977422729/