As a member of the Board of Trustees for The D.O.V.E. Fund we are presented with many requests for funding. Many of the board members have visited Vietnam and have first hand knowledge of the projects which come to us...but I am new to the organization and had not yet had this first hand knowledge.
A month or so ago I was asked to make a recommendation on funding for an organization in Binh Dinh province called Nguyen Nga Center. A quick google search on this organization yields the following mission statement:
The Nguyen Nga Center is a charitable association for children with special needs, offering education, free job training, and job placement assistance. Many of the students are provided room and board. They are given rare opportunities for self-expression and enjoyment through creative writing, drawing, painting, music, song and dance.
The NNC was founded in July 1993 with the initial aim of “Contributing to the improvement of the quality of life for the children with special needs.” Since then, the center has trained over 800 students with 28 staff and teachers. The center continues to help children with disabilities to overcome their feelings of social inferiority and helps them toward financial independence.
After over 15 years in service, the operating mission statement now reads: "To improve the quality of life of young people with special needs in the Binh Dinh Province while developing social and vocational skills that will foster independence.”
Mrs Nga’s efforts have been incredibly fruitful, only because her students have the determination to be self-reliant and to integrate themselves into the broader community. The products that they make are shown and sold at many exhibitions and retail outlets throughout Vietnam. The sale of the handicraft items provides some income to them, as well as helping to cover some of the operating expenses of the NNC itself.
This organization has large needs and came to us with a number of requests, which we had to prioritize due to limited funding. In the end we approved among other items, the purchase of ten specially designed tricycle/wheelchairs, six bicycles, books and a camera.
I did not realize the impact of that vote until, on this balmy night in April, we attended a celebration event where these items were to be presented.
These tricycle/wheelchairs are very special as they are crafted to allow the disabled young people to push on the steering wheel and propel themselves forward in a manner which is otherwise impossible for them. They are produced locally in Vietnam, thereby benefiting the local economy as well.
I was situated at the back of the room and had the opportunity of seeing the "magical transformation" as each of the disabled recipients were helped onto their new vehicles.
This young man (green shirt) has no use of his legs whatsoever. He literally drug his torso across the floor to get to this new vehicle.
What a transformation this new power of mobility made for him. All for the price of our small but meaningful donation of $120!
This young man's legs and feet were so badly atrophied that he tucked them under his body in the chair...again a life changing difference for him to be able to move about and be more self sufficient in his day to day life.
The tears rolled down my cheeks as I captured each frame wanting to share with you and others the power of just a few dollars in the lives of these unfortunate but proud people.
To me, as a board member, this experience has reinforced our commitment to properly allocate every dollar donated to The D.O.V.E. Fund and, especially in these difficult economic times, to make sure each and every dollar makes a real difference to these people.
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