Blue Dragon Children's Foundation
Blue Dragon Children's Foundation (Blue Dragon) is a charitably funded non-governmental organization based in Hanoi, Vietnam. Its mission is to help children escape from the poverty cycle by offering them chances at education and improved living conditions. It also helps children escape from slave labour, provides access to drug rehabilitation programs and has raised money for storm damaged areas as the scope of its work has widened.
History
The foundation was begun by an Australian school teacher, Michael Brosowski. He came to Vietnam in 2002 to teach English at Hanoi University. While there he met many street children, and began to teach free classes with one of his students, Pham Sy Chung, in maths, English, yoga, and art.[1] They also formed a football team to promote a sense of sportsmanship and teamwork, while also getting to know new children living on the street. Initially 3 teenage boys turned up for these games, but soon over 40 came each weekend.
By early 2003, Michael had quit his university job to concentrate full-time on the needs of the street children. Word spread and more kept arriving to seek help, coming with medical problems, educational needs, and often needing a place to sleep. As the number grew, it became clear that many of the children coming for help would need long-term support. In March 2004 Blue Dragon Children's Foundation was registered as an Incorporated Association in Australia. In September 2004, it was registered as an Independent Non-Government Organisation in Vietnam.
On June 2, 2003, The Big Room was opened, a residence for 6 former street kids. It was funded for its first year by a $5000 donation from two expatriate women. That same year program was launched to try to help keep poor rural children in school and the group continued to reach out to other children in the Hanoi area. In early 2005 Chung left Vietnam to study in the US, and Michael hired two full-time staff to replace him. With these two staff, a combined office and drop-in centre was opened in March of that year. This office was used until August 2007 when the foundation moved to larger premises to cope with its continued growth.
In late 2005, Michael and a Vietnamese law student - Ta Ngoc Van - rescued a child from central Vietnam who had been trafficked by slave labourers in Ho Chi Minh City. This was the start of another program dedicated to recovering many more children in the same situation. To do this, Michael hired Van and his wife full-time as Vietnam's only Child Care Advocates. In 2007, Blue Dragon rescued 3 girls who were kidnapped and sold as sex slaves in China. Since then, over 210 children have been returned to their families from garment factories and 21 girls have been rescued from brothels.
In 2007, Blue Dragon's work expanded to central Vietnam when it began assisting in the running of a government run children's home in Hoi An. Blue Dragon has since partnered with another NGO, Children's Hope in Action, in the management of the home.
In 2011, Michael Brosowski was named one of that year's "CNN Heroes", and in 2012 was made a member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his work defending the rights of Vietnamese children.
Activities
Blue Dragon's main aim is to get children into school and keep them there with the view to improving their employment prospects and long-term goals. To achieve this, many other tasks are undertaken. Accommodation is provided, or repair/refurbishment of their existing home if living conditions simply aren't suitable. Out-of-school tuition is provided to help children study. Books and stationary are given to those who can't afford them.
Medical care is paid for in some extreme cases where it can save the life or lifestyle of a child. To date, two instances of cosmetic surgery (one facial tumour and one hare lip) have been funded or part-funded by Blue Dragon. These two operations have allowed the afflicted children to return to an education that they were previously excluded from because of their medical conditions. Another boy, seriously injured by a gang armed with knives and machetes, was nursed back to health with the help of Blue Dragon and returned to an almost normal life afterwards.[2]
Child trafficking is a major issue in SE Asia, and Blue Dragon now tackles this as a permanent part of its workload. Two staff members work full-time on locating and rescuing child labourers who have been bought, traded or kidnapped by traffickers. The parents of many of these children believe they are sending them to a better life with an opportunity for education and a proper job. However, this is not the case and the children find themselves working 15 or more hours per day with no pay, and living in cramped, unsanitary conditions.
Blue Dragon works with a local NGO (CHIA) to run the Hoi-An Children's Home. Approximately 30 children live and are taught here.
All children who attend the drop-in centre can receive help with homework and/or basic non-school tuition. Healthy meals are provided, as is a place to sleep.
Blue Dragon works alongside many other charities in Vietnam. One of these, KOTO, has accepted several children from Blue Dragon onto its training program.
See also
References
- ↑ http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/conversations/stories/s1882662.htm?queensland
- ↑ "Côn đồ học đường". CAND (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 2008-06-04.