Social & Civil Society

While many nations are suffering the effects of a slow economy, Vietnam is wrestling with challenging issues that go back over 100 years. Many rural families live on less than $7 a week—and where there is poverty, it’s the children who typically suffer the most.

Many orphanages and orphan schools are only able to provide the very basic needs for the children in their care. With the help of our partners – individuals, churches, and charitable organizations - GVI is able to work in partnership with the Vietnamese orphanage officials to improve the quality of life for impoverished, at-risk, and special-needs children in orphanages. Examples of partnerships include:

The Birla Village
The Birla Village, an orphanage supported by GVI, is now supporting approximately 150 orphans and foster children in Hanoi. While they receive some government support for education, the children lack emotional support and interpersonal relationships with positive role models. The children of Birla hunger for love from others. GVI sponsors a summer camp for the orphans where volunteers take them to the beach for a three day vacation every summer. GVI volunteers spend time playing and building relationships with the children. These relationships help to build self esteem, confidence and more fluency in English.

The Social Sponsored Center 3 (SS3)
SS3 is an orphanage in Hanoi that supports orphans ranging in age from newborns to the elderly. The facility has a poor infrastructure and limited resources from the government. With the help of our partners, GVI is able to meet the nutritional needs of the youngest resident children, provide healthcare to the elderly, provide children with school supplies, and make improvements to the facilities. Throughout the year GVI volunteers visit the orphanage helping to care for the orphans, install play ground equipment, make improvements to the facility, and take the children and elderly on fun outings. This relational interaction as well as the activities are meaningful and have a significant impact on those at the center.

Child Abuse Prevention and Social Services Support
GVI has partnered with the National Pediatric Hospital (NPH) and Hanoi National University of Education in Vietnam to establish a Child Abuse Intervention Program in Hanoi. Volunteers including those who have experience in social work, pediatrics, law enforcement, mental health therapy/counseling, parent coaching, and child advocacy have launched and continue to develop this initiative to protect children from abuse in Vietnam. GVI facilitates conferences for university teachers and students to educate attendees on following curriculum: the purpose and mission of a child abuse intervention program; the interviewing, investigation and assessment of child abuse; and Love and Logic.