Traveling With A Purpose

The 18^th HumaniTour Viet Nam: September 12-24, 2013.

Carol Pucci – Seattle Times: They'll do the usual sightseeing, but they'll also take time out to visit schools, orphanages and hospitals, delivering clothes, medical supplies and toys they spent the past few months collecting. It's called traveling with a purpose, a chance to not only explore another part of the world, but to make a difference in people's lives.

Penny LeGate – KIRO television: Participants get a whirlwind swing through north, south and central Vietnam, dropping in on some of the country's most famous sites. Sprinkled throughout are visits to orphanages and schools and other important places. Traveling with Pham, the inaccessible is accessible. He is our educator, our translator, our facilitator, and the connector to packs of needy kids.

For more information, visit: www.humanitours.blogspot.com or email: info@kidswithnoborders.org .

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Kids Without Borders HumaniTour Viet Nam

Kids Without Borders founder Son Michael Pham led another successful mission to Viet Nam in November 2012. You can view stories and photos from the 17th HumaniTour Viet Nam via KWB Facebook Page

An extraordinary friendship: The Essex grandmother and the Vietnamese orphan they call Fish Boy

By parentdish.co.uk, Jun 19, 2012

Brenda Smith has devoted the last 15 years to helping a boy, Min Anh, who lives on the other side of the world in Vietnam. Min Anh suffers from a skin condition which causes him to have painful fish-like scales all over his body.

Brenda first fell in love with Vietnam in 1995 while taking part in a charity bike ride with her husband Baz. Sadly Baz suffered a heart attack in the same year. He was just 55.

He had been taking part in a charity swim to raise money for the Vietnemese children they had seen; children with severe disabilities and birth defects caused by Agent Orange, a dangerous chemical left in the soil and water supply after the Vietnam War.

Heartbroken Brenda planned one more visit to Vietnam in her husband's memory. But while volunteering at an orphanage, she fell in love with brave Min Anh, who was dumped as a baby because of his scaly skin and nicknamed Ka - or Fish Boy - by other orphans.

It is likely that Min Anh's painful skin condition is the result of Agent Orange infection.

"All he wanted to do was sit in my lap," recalls Brenda of their first meeting. "I sat there for a couple of hours and didn't want to move. I just fell in love with him and it's been like that ever since."

For the last 15 years Brenda, now 78, from Benfleet, Essex, has returned to see the brave little boy. The pair found a way of communicating, even though Min Anh, now 18, doesn't speak English, and Brenda knows little Vietnamese.

The determined widow, who has three grown-up daughters and five grandchildren, took on hospital authorities who left Min Anh tied to his bed for hours because they didn't know how to treat him.

"When I first went to see him at Tu Du Hospital, he was tied up from morning to night, so he wouldn't scratch himself," she says.

"The staff didn't know how to help him. I hated to see him like that, without any toys or amusement."

But Brenda's persistence paid off, and staff allowed the kindly English lady to untie Min Anh and take him out for day trips around Ho Chi Min City.

Brenda stayed for three months every year and she was the only person allowed to take Min Anh out.

Year after year, over 15 years, their extraordinary friendship grew stronger as together they went to shops, restaurants and on motorbike rides around Ho Chi Min City.

She says: "Just walking around the supermarket is like a treat to Min Anh because the cold air soothes his skin.

When we got back to the ward, he'd walk back to his bed and tie himself up again because he was used to it.

Brenda, a former secretary who has no medical knowledge, spent years trying to find a doctor to diagnose Min Anh's skin condition but had no idea where to start.

The documentary, The Boy They Call Fish, follows Brenda's most recent visit to Vietnam in early 2012, as an expert dermatologist is called in to try to diagnose and treat Min Anh. Min Anh has turned 18 and she wants to be sure the boy she thinks of as her son has a happier future.

Brenda told her local paper: "I'm so pleased this documentary has been made as hopefully millions of people will see it.

"If it means someone out there can help Min Anh then it's wonderful.

“He is so special to me. Every time I go out there his face lights up.”

"If I take him to the supermarket you'd think I was taking him to Disneyland.

"He doesn't get much attention or love. As I had to leave on this last trip I said to him in Vietnamese 'I love you Min Anh and I'll be back soon to see you'.

"He replied, 'I love you too. I understand'.

"He is the light of my life. He has endured so much and with so little love in his life.

"Hopefully this will change once the world learns of his plight."

Note: The Boy They Call Fish airs on Channel 5 (UK) at 9pm on June 21, 2012

KWB visited Ca in the Tu Du Peace Village

Note from Kids Without Borders: Ca (nick name of this boy) is under the care of the Tu Du Peace Village, a care and rehabilitation center for children with disabilities linked to Agent Orange. His condition is known as Lamellar Ichthyosis and as far as we know there is no cure for this medical condition. There are several other similar cases in Viet Nam. If you know of any similar case or if you are interested in helping children victimized by Agent Orange, please contact us:

info@kidswithnoborders.org .

Miracle Baby Pays It Forward

AMERICAN PHILANTHROPISTS ORGANIZE RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY

FOR CHILDREN IN VIET NAM

Hanoi (Vietnam) and Bellevue, Washington (USA) - June 15, 2012

Greig Craft, president of the ‘Asia Injury Prevention Foundation’ in Viet Nam, and Son Michael Pham, founder and director of the charity organization ‘Kids Without Borders’ in Seattle, Washington, have organized a pilot project in Viet Nam. This project will offer groundbreaking (xxxxxxx) reconstructive surgery for young boys and girls victim to either traumatic injury or birth malformation; and in some cases related to the harmful health effects associated with Agent Orange.

With the participation of internationally renowned surgeons, the operation will begin next week at the National Hospital of Pediatrics in Hanoi, Viet Nam. “Aside from the transformational life-changing nature of these surgeries, we also intend to transfer the technology and train Vietnamese surgeons, who can then expand the program—that so many children now have the chance for the semblance of a normal childhood is truly miraculous.”, says Craft.


Craft’s original motivation to pilot this project stems back to an event in 2006, relating to his involvement in the rescue of an infant abandoned at birth in the central highlands of Viet Nam. Animals devoured the ...  read more ...

(Uncle) Son Michael Pham and Miracle Baby

Thien Nhan (Hanoi, May 2012)

International Children's Day

June 1, 2012 is International Children's Day. It is celebrated in many countries around the world. Enjoy images of the children we support in Viet Nam.

Kids Without Borders Night in Viet Nam

You are invited to a fun event organized on behalf of Kids Without Borders this coming Sunday at 8pm in Saigon. The wonderful performers/musicians/singers donate their talent and time at this musical cencert and all proceed will go to support building a small bridge for the children in Bong Lai (Quang Binh). The event is a joint effort between Kids Without Borders (U.S) and Viet Horizon Club (VN). Ticket costs 200,000 VND and all proceed will be donated to the ‘Loving Bridge Project).

For more information, please contact us at info@kidswithnoborders.org

Make Agent Orange History

March 14, 2012
Holy Names Academy - Seattle, Washington
Peace and Justice Day

Presenter: Son Michael Pham, founder of Kids Without Borders
Topic: Make Agent Orange History

Thanks for your clear presentation of the effects of Agent Orange on children, as well as on the environment.  Forty years seems like a long time ago, but in the lives of those affected, the time is very short.

Kids Without Borders does represent ways in which others can offer support to those miles away from us.

“Love alone gives worth to all”—Teresa of Avila

Sister Mary Annette Dworshak, SNJM

Holy Names Academy

For more information: Make Agent Orange History

Viet Nam Miracle Baby

ROCK OUT FOR A GREAT CAUSE in Saigon


This Saturday March 3rd, from 3-6pm, the HCM City Hard Rock Café is hosting a fundraiser to support Thien Nhan (Viet Nam Miracle Baby) and Friends.


Advance tickets (sold at Hard Rock and at various international schools) cost VND100,000. On March 3rd, tickets will be sold at the door for VND150,000. Please help sharing this announcement and join us.

About Thien Nhan, Viet Nam Miracle Baby:
After being abandoned at birth in Central Vietnam, a baby boy was mauled by a wild animal. Miraculously, he survived and some local monks named him Thien Nhan, which means "Good Person". read more ...

Too young to make a difference? Meet Chloe, one of our volunteer.

Volunteering in Vietnam

by Chloe Kilguss

This is the story of the time I went to Vietnam and volunteered at the Go Vap Orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City. My name is Chloe and my sister, my mom and I went to Vietnam for 2 months. My sister was born in Vietnam and I was born in China.


Our first day at the orphanage was with Mr. Pham and some other volunteers that were involved with Kids Without Borders. I was mostly excited about seeing the babies and when I heard we would be able to feed them, I was even more excited! First we were given a tour of the orphanage. It was pretty big and had 3 floors and many rooms and hallways and courtyards. The little kids seemed happy to see us and we passed out candy. When we saw the babies they were on a mat playing with the nannies. I sat down and was able to pick up a baby. I was happy that she did not cry.


This is the doorway to the babies’ room. Every day we were at the orphanage, we went in here to feed the babies. Sometimes just my mom fed the babies because it was kind of hard to do. Before we would go into the room, we always washed our hands. It is important to keep the babies free from germs. First we would play with the babies on the mats for about 10 minutes then we would help move all the babies back to their cribs. After that, the nannies would pour milk into the bottles and put the bracelet with the name of the baby whose bottle it was on the bottle. After the baby was fed, the bracelets into a pile like this.


All of the children were so sweet and friendly and I loved them all! One of the babies was blind and had a heart problem. I don’t remember her real name, but we called her Rose because my mom thought her name in Vietnamese meant Rose in English. She was gone for 3 days while were there and she had a heart operation. All of us were so happy to see her back happy and healthy!


There were lots of other kids at the orphanage too like the hydrocephalus kids. Hydrocephalus is when fluid can’t drain from your head, which makes the skull grow larger than usual. In the room with hydrocephalus kids, there were other kids who had different disabilities as well. For example, there was a sweet girl named Hien that we called Dancing Girl because she liked to dance. Her feet turn inward and she walks on the sides of her feet, but she always had a smile on her face.


On our last day, there was a little boy who blew kisses to me and said “bye bye.” I don’t know if he knew it was our last day, but it was cute. Co Loan, the director, invited us to a lunch of noodles, spicy and non-spicy nuoc cham, also some tofu and a green stuffed vegetable soup and some really good orange juice. Also she gave Lilly and I a pretty pencil pouch. Lilly’s is grey and mine is red with a pretty flower design.


Overall the orphanage was an amazing experience and I will always remember it. I hope to revisit sometime in the summer. I am thankful to Mr. Pham for giving me this opportunity.

Doorway to the babies' room

Hien, our Dancing Girl

 

One of the many hydrocephalus babies



Kids Helping Kids

Volunteering at the Go Vap Orphanage

By Lilly Kilguss

Hi! My name is Lilly Kilguss and I was adopted from Viet Nam when I was a baby. I have a brother and sister from China and I am the oldest in my family. I recently went to my home country, Viet Nam, for two months and yes, the trip was amazing! My sister came along too and of course my mom. While we were there, a big part of what we did was volunteer at the Go Vap Orphanage.

Son Michael Pham is the man who introduced us into the orphanage. His foundation is called Kids Without Borders. The first time we met Son Michael Pham, our meeting was at the Caravelle Hotel. He said to call him Chu Son. We also met a few people with what is called a HumaniTour. The whole group took two or three taxis to the orphanage.

When we arrived at Go Vap, we were all invited inside for tea by the director, Co Loan, who was so nice! Chu Son gave us a talk about what to expect inside the orphanage. Everyone brought something for the kids: Paper, notebooks, pens, pencils, scissors, candy, etc. Then, we took a tour of Go Vap. First, we went to a little room with about 10 to 15 kids about the ages of seven to ten. We brought gummy bears and Swedish fish that we passed out to the kids. The kids seemed really happy to get candy and were smiling and jumping around!

As soon as we were finished with meeting the little kids, we met with the hydrocephalus babies and some other sick kids on the second floor. We just walked around the first day but we would visit these sweet kids every day we were there. There were little designs such as characters from the Jetsons and Aliens on the ceiling because these kids are always in bed. Lastly, we headed to the newborn babies room where played with and fed the babies. All the babies in that room were so incredibly adorable. There was this one baby that I found so incredibly cute and adorable combined! His name is Kien! Kien has the cutest smile and laugh I’ve ever heard a baby laugh!

Well afterward, we said our goodbyes to the rest of the volunteers and we headed back to the hotel. After that, we pretty much had a daily routine of teaching there: First, we would sing songs to the little kids; after that, we would visit the hydrocephalus babies and comfort them; and lastly, we would feed the babies and then leave.

In the baby room, there was also a little boy who was 5 years old but very small. I think his name was Phuoc. This is his picture (see below). He liked to play with my glasses and he had a cleft lip that was repaired. My brother also had a cleft lip when he was born. Also there was a little girl named Nguyet who was the cutest thing ever and also had a cleft lip that was repaired. A lot of children get surgeries at the orphanage. For example, we met the Victory Baby that Chu Son helped to receive a surgery. He liked to ride his bike and also slide down the slide. He is very quiet because he cannot hear and he does not talk but it is fun to make him smile.

In fact, seeing all these kids every day and their awesome smiles just made me happy too. This group of boys was so much fun to see and were always happy to see us. They especially liked to sing along with the guitar that we brought with us. Working at the Go Vap Orphanage is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had because it was giving something to others. I know the kids may not have a lot because they are in the orphanage, but they just seemed like regular kids and I did not feel they were very different from me. A lot of the kids had some sort of a difference like their fingers stuck together or could not walk and had special chairs. After the first few days there, I just got used to it and it seemed like normal.

Son Michael Pham is doing an awesome job helping these kids in every possible way he can. I hope I can change the futures of some kids like him like maybe helping the babies with hydrocephalus because they are in their bed all the time.

On our last day at the orphanage, Co Loan had a special lunch for us and another volunteer from Sweden. I felt very sad to leave the orphanage and to leave Viet Nam, which is such a beautiful country. I really miss the kids now that we are at home and I hope to return to the Go Vap Orphanage again soon.

Make Agent Orange History

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/

Serving children in our community

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.

In Viet Nam with Operation Reunite

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.

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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.

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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.

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

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

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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.

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Son Michael Pham reporting from Saigon.

Vietnamese American Nongovernmental Organization (VA-NGO) Network

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)

Reporting from Viet Nam - Summer 2009

Kids Without Borders Founder Son Michael Pham makes his usual summer trip to Viet Nam, June 28 - July 7, 2009.

Follow Chu (Uncle) Son's reports on programs and projects of KWB.

THANK YOU, Rotary

This presentation was put together for the Benefit Dinner of the Rotary Club of the University District of Seattle on April 26, 2009.

It was my involvement with Rotary that inspired me to start Kids Without Borders back in January 2001. Since then Rotary has been one of our biggest supporters. Rotarians from around the U.S and the world have offered their hands and hearts supporting many of our projects and programs. From building new schools, helping orphans, saving sick children, providing clean water, ... Kids Without Borders would not be able to make so many differences in the lives of so many people and children worldwide without the support of Rotary, the most respected service organization in the world.

To all of the Rotary Clubs and Rotarians: THANK YOU.

Son Michael Pham, Founder

KIDS WITHOUT BORDERS

Rotary Centennial Club President

Rotary Club of the University District of Seattle, Washington USA

** Come and visit our club. We meet on Fridays at noon at the Seattle Yacht Club - http://www.urotary.org/ **

Miracle Baby

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

YET AGAIN, VIET NAM’S “MIRACLE BABY” DEFIES THE ODDS

Sammamish, Washington - Dubbed the “Miracle Baby”, Vietnamese toddler Phung Thien Nhan, who was abandoned at birth and brutally mauled by wild animals, has once again lived up to his moniker. While it was believed that Thien Nhan’s testicles had been severed in the attack along with all of his penis and his right leg, recent tests performed by Thai specialists at Bangkok’s Preecha Aesthetic Institute revealed that the toddler, who is almost 3, has retained two undescended testicles.

This condition, in which the testicles are tucked up inside the body, exists in only about 3-4 percent of male babies at birth. Had Thien Nhan’s testicles descended normally, they would likely have been lost during the mauling.

Found 72 hours after his teenage mom had left him in a fallow field, his ravaged body covered with blood and ants, the infant was carried for two hours by motorbike over rough mountain roads to the closest hospital in Quang Nam, Vietnam. Somehow he survived, but in a cruel twist of fate was later released to the care of relatives who were unable to care for him.

When Vietnamese journalist Tran Mai Anh, 35, first met the boy, then aged 16 months, he was severely malnourished and suffering from chronic urinary tract, gut and skin infections. “After all that he had been through I could not bear to see him suffering like that,” says Ms. Tran. “I could not sleep at night thinking of him living in those conditions.”

Undaunted by challenges in a country where local adoptions are rare, Ms. Tran and her journalist husband Phung Quang Nghinh managed to legally adopt Thien Nhan when he was 20 months old. The child now lives in Hanoi along with the family’s two biological sons, aged 4 and 8. “At first Nhan was like a wild animal,” recalls Ms. Tran. “All he knew how to eat was cold rice and bananas. But he soon began to gain weight and his terrible rashes cleared up. He is now very bright, active and talkative.”

In August 2008, the Seattle-based charity Kids Without Borders and American philanthropist and longtime Hanoi resident Greig Craft helped to arrange urethral surgery for Thien Nhan at Dartmouth University Hospital in the United States. Thanks to this operation, for the first time in his young life Thien Nhan could urinate free of pain.

“Thien Nhan has overcome a great deal but many more challenges remain,” says Greig Craft. “Along with prosthetic care he will need multiple surgeries over the next 10 to 15 years to rebuild his genitals.”

To determine the next step in the toddler’s genital reconstruction, Mr. Craft organized the boy’s recent examination by internationally renowned Thai surgeon Dr. Preecha Tiwetranon, M.D. in Bangkok. Thien Nhan was also examined by experts in prosthetics, psychology, endocrinology and pediatrics.

“When we found out that he still had his testicles we could hardly believe it. We all cried a lot,” says Thien Nhan’s mom. “It was like God knew ahead of time that he would be bitten by wild animals and hid them inside his body.”

Despite the good news, various doctors have advised the family to consider gender reassignment. While plastic surgeons can create a penis that looks natural, they warn that the reconstructed organ will have 90 percent less sensation than normal. “We do not agree to turn him into a girl,” says Ms. Tran. “Thien Nhan’s character and way of thinking and behaving are very obviously male. If we changed him into a female and then found that in 20 years he couldn’t accept it, we would all feel terrible.”

Approximately one third of the boy’s penis remains intact and the family hopes that by the time he reaches adolescence, technology will have advanced enough to allow the reconstruction of a functioning, sensate penis. They are currently investigating advances in transplants and stem cell research.

Next month, the tot will return to Bangkok for more tests in preparation for surgery to create a scrotum and bring down his testicles. “We hope that if we can raise enough money and gain the support of pioneering doctors, Thien Nhan will one day become a fully functioning man,” says his mom. “Medical techniques keep improving with new research in tissue regeneration and organ transplants. He has defied the odds so far so why not continue to hope for the best?”

A special fund to cover medical treatment for Thien Nhan has been created. Ongoing fundraising efforts are led by Kids Without Borders (www.KidsWithNoBorders.org), a U.S based non-governmental organization; and the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (www.asiainjury.org), founded and managed by Mr. Craft.

Film star Michelle Yeoh lends encouragement to Thien Nhan and his adoptive parents:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eWkoeyuFa4&feature=related

Other video about Thien Nhan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIEedKJCUYI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RZaQLGkjQg&feature=related

Reporting from Viet Nam

March 27 - April 5, 2009
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