Tilmelding Vietnam
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The country
Vietnam is a country of stunning landscapes, mountain regions with lush vegetation, valleys marked by slowly flowing rivers, picturesque lakes and more than 3,400 km of wonderful white, sandy beaches and numerous islands.

The friendliness of the people is captivating and traditional lifestyle and values are still part of their daily lives. There is almost no other country in the region celebrating so many traditional holidays and festivals.

Geography
Vietnam is the easternmost country on the Indochina Pen-insula. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest and Cambodia to the southwest.
The shape of Vietnam like the letter “S” is determined by natural borders: the China Sea in the east and south and densely forested high mountain ranges in the north and west shield the country from its neighbours.
With an area of approx. 330,000 square kilometres Vietnam is slightly larger than Norway. It stretches around 1,650 km from north to south and up to 600 km from east to west, while the narrowest point in central Vietnam is only 50 km wide.

The country is divided into the highlands and the Red River delta in the north, the central mountains, the coastal lowlands and the Mekong River Delta in the south.

The delta of the Red River is a flat, three-cornered lowland of 3,000 square kilometres, cut by a labyrinth of creeks, canals and levees. It is smaller but more intensely developed and more densely populated than the Mekong River Delta. It is considered the birthplace of the Vietnamese culture.
The Mekong River Delta in the south covers about 40,000 square kilometres and is also criss-crossed by a maze of canals and rivers. These 2 areas are the “rice bowl” of Vietnam. Due to the geographical position of both fertile lowlands the shape of Vietnam is often referred to as a “bamboo rail with two rice bowls“. For more information click.

Population
A recent census estimates the population of Vietnam at more than 84 million. Vietnamese people, also called "Viet" or "Kinh", account for 88 % of the population. There are more than 53 ethnic minorities throughout the country, but the Kinh culture is dominant. Most ethnic minorities live in the highlands covering two-thirds of the territory. They are the indigenous people of continental Southeast Asia and are all known as “Montagnards”. The largest ethnic minority groups include the Hmong, Dao, Tay, Thai and Nung. The Vietnamese society is very young. Around 44 % of the population is under 15 years of age. The average age is 25 years.

Religion
Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism have strongly influ-enced the religious and cultural life of the people. About 86 % of Vietnamese are Buddhists, even though they do not practice regularly. Even so, religion influences social life. Sons hold fathers and even their teachers in high es-teem, and young people show respect for old people!

Past, present and future
Vietnam has suffered from wars and foreign rulers more than almost any other country throughout its 4000-year history. It is no surprise that Vietnam is still known for war, mainly in the 20th century: the first Indochina War (1946 to 1954) and the second, also known as the Vietnam War, from 1968 to 1975.

But the small country held out against its stronger oppo-nents and recovered quickly from 30 years of civil war. To-day the young Vietnamese society is willing to leave the latest war and its consequences behind. The scars left on both people and nature are nevertheless visible every-where.
Millions of Vietnamese people suffer from the after-effects of “Agent Orange”: the nickname given to a defoliation agent used by the US Army in its Herbicidal Warfare pro-gram during the Vietnam War.

Agent Orange is responsible for genetic defects on human beings and continues to cause physical and mental dis-abilities. We must admire the attitude of many Vietnamese towards this dark chapter of their recent history. “What is over is over”, they say!

The Programme
EXIS cooperates with one of the few officially recognized voluntary service organisations in Vietnam. Currently, we offer volunteer service placements in and around Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam in the north and in Ho-Chi-Minh-City, former Saigon, in the south.

The programme is divided into two phases.

Phase 1: Orientation
Your stay in Vietnam starts with a language and cultural orientation in Hanoi or in Ho-Chi-Minh-City, depending on your choice of work.
The orientation includes language classes, lectures on culture, religion, politics and practical guidance. A guided tour through Hanoi or Ho-Chi-Minh-City is part of the orientation. Here you will get in touch with the local people and practice your new language skills.

Our partner organization works hard to make sure the international volunteers experience Vietnamese daily life. Their best helpers are a group of young Vietnamese from the “Vietnamese Volunteer Club”. They will answer all your questions, show you the city’s night life or even invite you to their homes where you can experience Vietnamese hospitality.

The duration and content of the orientation depend on the length of your volunteer work stay. If you volunteer for less than 4 weeks you get 1 or 2 days of orientation. Volunteers with 4 to 12 weeks get 3 to 4 days of language, culture and history lectures. Volunteers for more than 12 weeks receive a full week (5 days) of orientation.

Phase 2: Volunteer work
After orientation you start your volunteer work.
Volunteer work is for people interested in learning about sustainable solutions to poverty. You will work in partnership with local people on community based projects.

To volunteer you must be in good physical condition and willing to lend a hand wherever needed. The work demands flexibility, initiative, maturity and a sense of drive.

The local staff will give help and support, but you should be prepared to plan and organise your own work.

If no one on your project speaks English, one of the Vietnamese volunteers from the Volunteer Club will accompany you to your workplace and function as an interpreter and communication link between you and the local staff.
Description of volunteer work places below.

Volunteer work places:

1. Morning Star Centre
The Morning Star Centre is a non-profit day care centre, providing early diagnosis, care and clinical intervention, special education and vocational training for children in Hanoi and surrounding areas. The centre also teaches parents to better understand, care for and educate their disabled children and raises social awareness about disability.

The centre was founded by the Association of Handi-capped Children of Vietnam. The staff of caretakers, teachers, cooks and doctors is a very caring group of peo-ple who work long hours for little pay.

Volunteer tasks include:

• Assist local staff with rehabilitation exercises and therapy
• Play with children and entertain/educate them with games, music, art and other exercises.
• Help with fund raising
• Collect useful information and documents from differ-ent sources
• Teach English to local staff.

Typical working hours are from 8.00 to 16.00.
Lunch and a nap between 11.00 and 14.00.

Volunteers with a medical background or experience working with the handicapped are preferred. Other volunteers are welcome because there is plenty to do and the children love to meet foreigners.

2. Thanh Xuan Peace Village
The Peace Village was established in 1991 and provides a home and education for over 100 children and young people (ages 2 to 22) who suffer from the effects of Agent Orange. It serves as part hospital, part orphanage, part nursery and elementary school. The aim of the village is to care for these children and help them integrate into society. They are educated in 4 special classes where they receive primary lessons and vocational training, guided by the staff of 38. The children form friendships as healthy children do, and can usually respond to teachers and family members. The Village relies on charitable donations. Thanh Xuan Peace Village is located on the outskirts of Hanoi.

"Agent Orange" is the American code name for an herbicide called dioxin which was sprayed from American planes to clear enemy forests in the Vietnam War. The effects of dioxin on human beings is both physical and men-tal, but worst of all, transgenerational. Once in the human bloodstream and environmental air supply of an affected region, dioxin can affect children born generations from now. Victims of Agent Orange suffer from a tremendous range of defects; it is common to be born without eyes, limbs, organs. Other victims suffer from nervous/spinal disorders or mental disorders comparable to severe retardation or autism. Due to the damaged genetic structure, such defects cannot be reversed or avoided, only cared for and nurtured. There are about 8 million victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam.

Volunteer tasks include:

• Organise games and other activities with the children.
• Join daily activities including helping with rehabilitation exercise.
• Teach English.
• Help staff with general housework.
• Help with fund raising.

Typical working hours are from 8.00 to 16.00. Lunch and a nap is between 11.00 and 14.00.

Volunteers with a medical background or experience working with the handicapped are preferred. Other volunteers are welcome because also here there is plenty to do and the children love to meet foreigners.

3. Vietnam Friendship Village
This project in Ha Tay province, 15 km from Hanoi, started in 1993 to treat children and veterans suffering from the effects of Agent Orange. Children and veterans are nourished and are provided with free medical care. The chil-dren, who may stay for several years, receive their basic education as well as some form of job training.

In 2004 an organic gardening project was started. The farm now provides about 60% of the vegetables for the Village. The goal is to cover all local needs and to sell some products to get money for the children.

Volunteers will be expected to help with the following:

• Assist farming work
• Organise games and other activities for children
• Help with the cooking
• Teach English
• Join vocational training classes
• Assist with fundraising and other official communication
• Assist with rehabilitation

Normally volunteers will work about 20 hours a week.
Experience in agriculture or child therapy is preferred but not a requirement.

4. Hanoi Children’s Palace
The Children’s Palace in central Hanoi was established to help children develop socially and academically, using a wide range of sports, art and academic classes.

The Children’s English Development Programme has run for over 2 years in cooperation with the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations. Volunteer support makes it possible for more children in the city to participate.

Volunteer tasks include:

• Teach English, especially improving pronunciation.
• Organise games and other activities in classrooms.
• Assist local teachers in managing the classes.
  Improve listening and speaking skills for children.

Normally you will teach about 20 hours a week. There are normal daytime hours in summer, but during the school year (September to May) teaching hours will be in the evening (17 to 21) and on weekends. Volunteers will always work with a local teacher.

The ideal volunteer likes to work with children, is mature, creative and full of initiative.

5. Nghia Tan Primary School
Nghia Tan Primary School is one of many public primary schools on the outskirts of Hanoi, about 10 km from the city centre. English and French are optional subjects. Everyone recognizes the importance of language skills, but the government lacks the money to hire teachers.

There are about 1,800 children, age 6 to 11, who start English in grade 3 (9 years old). Some start French in grade 1 (6 years old). Teachers and children had few chances to meet and talk with foreigners until our partner started to send volunteers to help.

There is a great need for children to learn English and French for their future career. Volunteers are expected to help with the following:

• Improve children’s pronunciation.
• Organise games and other activities in classrooms.
• Assist local teachers in managing the classes.
• Improve listening/speaking skills for children.

Normally volunteers will teach about 20 hours a week. No placements in summer (June and July). Volunteers will always work with a local teacher.
Good English and/or French language skills required.

6. Livelihood Advancement Business School (LABS)
LABS is a livelihood-promotion training programme for youth seeking work in the new economy. LABS is designed for school dropouts, unemployed secondary school graduates, street youth, migrant youth, and resettlement community members. LABS students come from the poorest 15% of the population. LABS programme was started in Hanoi in April 2004. To date, 5 courses have been successfully completed. 80% of trainees have a stable job and income after finishing the 3-month training course. LABS Project is located in Hanoi City.

Post-war recoveries, a boom in budget travelling and less government control have allowed foreigners to gain a better understanding of today’s Vietnam. Recognizing the need for economic development, LABS serves as the perfect platform for youth empowerment.

LABS students are mentored by teachers and industry professionals who give them confidence and the conviction that they can make a difference. The teaching style is adapted to students’ learning needs and is usually inter-active.

Volunteers will need to take on a majority of the following tasks which are relevant to background or experience:

• Support LABS trainers in relevant subjects.
• Participate in improving training curriculum.
• Contact and network with companies and organiza-tions supporting LABS.
• Help with event management.
• Assist with surveys or research.
• Help edit LABS documents and materials.

Normally volunteers will work about 20 hours a week.
Volunteers should like to work with youth and combine independence with teamwork.

You must be at least 22 and speak good English. Other qualifications are a university degree and/or experience in related areas (IT, Sales & Marketing, Service sector).

7. National Economic University
The National Economic University in Hanoi is one of the biggest universities in Vietnam, training thousands of students in business and economics. Globalization means communication, so English is a top priority. The university hopes to involve more foreigners in teaching English.

Volunteer tasks include:

• Improving students’ pronunciation.
• Assisting local teachers in improving listening/speaking skills.
• Assisting the students’ English Club.

Normally volunteers will teach about 20 hours a week. No placements in summer (June and July). Volunteers work with local teachers. Minimum is age 22 and minimum stay is 3 months. A university degree is required.

8. Association of Women of Charity
The Association of Women of Charity runs several shelters which house about 150 orphans and street children. The shelters are located in different parts of Ho-Chi-Minh-City (Saigon). The children go to school every day but they need extra English classes to help them catch up with “normal” children at school. The chance to improve their English gives them confidence and integrates them better into the community, the first step toward a brighter future. The nuns and the care givers also wish to learn English to help the children and to communicate with international sponsors when they visit the shelters.
Volunteers teach English to these disadvantaged children in a classroom setting with focus on communication skills. In most cases, volunteers teach children age 6 to 15 for about 14 to 20 hours a week. Teaching English to these children is a perfect opportunity to practise teaching skills and teamwork. Volunteers can also support the shelter’s administrative staff or organise extracurricular and creative activities such as games, drawing, and singing for the children. Volunteers will be required to travel between the shelters to give lessons.
There are no local teachers in the shelters to assist the volunteers. Therefore, volunteers must be proactive.

9. Dieu Giac Temple Orphanage
The Dieu Giac Temple Orphanage is also located in Ho-Chi-Minh-City, where it shelters and cares for over 120 abandoned, orphaned or street children. They range from several months to 18 years of age and are of different ethnic groups and religious backgrounds. A group of Buddhist nuns and volunteers take care of the children. All the school age children go to the local school. After school the children learn handicrafts such as knitting, embroidering and making wooden toys.
Tasks are the same as for the Association of Women of Charity (see number 8).

10. Thi Nghe Orphanage for disabled children
Thi Nghe is a large orphanage located in Binh Thanh District in Saigon. There are 400 resident children and about 200 out-patients, mainly children with disabilities.
Many of the children come to the orphanage suffering from malnutrition. Thi Nghe employs about 200 staff and nannies to care for the children, but there is a need for volunteers who can help make life more fun.
Volunteers will help to feed the children, care for and play with them. Volunteers should not be afraid to work with disabled children.

11. Historic Temple Den Hung – Conservation of nature and culture
The historic complex of Den Hung (Hung Temple), is located in the Lam Thao district, for the worship of Hung Kings who founded the first state of Vietnam.
The Hung Temple was built on Hung Mountain, near Phong Chau, a city with a 4,000 year history. The relic area has 4 temples, 1 pagoda and 1 royal tomb built in harmony with the natural surroundings. The whole area of Hung Temple was previously an old tropical forest.
Many visitors come to this place, especially during the festival season (usually April or May) every year. The area is now a park for local people and tourists.

Volunteers work with local farmers in the temple gardens, taking care of the trees and grounds and maintaining the infrastructure of the site.
Volunteers should be interested in Vietnamese culture and religion and be willing to work outdoors.

Accommodation is in one of the ranger’s houses in double/triple bedrooms shared with other volunteers.

Please note that the projects mentioned above may not be available all the time. Volunteer tasks can also differ from those described here. You should take this presentation as a sample when you decide your priorities, but the final placement will be done by our programme partner in Vietnam according to the projects’ needs and your wishes and abilities. More information about Historic Relic Complex of Den Hung Temple.

12. Local NGOs
Local NGOs are active in Vietnamese development. These new local NGOs lack finance, human resources and skills. They work closely with international organizations and donors. Involving a foreign volunteer in the office helps im-prove their communication skills. Foreign volunteers can also help local NGOs to find new partners in other countries.

Currently, there are placements in local NGOs in the fol-lowing sectors:

• Community Health/Reproductive Heath or HIV/AIDS
• Community Development and/or Nature Conservation

Volunteers will be expected to help with the following:

• Improving staff’s English and communication skills.
• Assisting in fundraising activities.
• Writing proposals and reports.
• Networking with international partners.

Normally volunteers will work about 20 hours a week.
Good English writing skills are required. Background or experience in related areas of work is preferred but not expected.

Tilmelding Vietnam
Tilmeldingsformular finder du ved at klikke HER.

Accommodation and support

During orientation volunteers stay in a guest house run by our partner organisation. You will share a room and a western style bathroom with up to 3 other international volunteers. There are a few single and double rooms available to volunteers who stay more than 6 months in Vietnam.

After the orientation and depending on your project, you can choose to stay in the guest house with the other international volunteers or move to a carefully selected Vietnamese host family. You will have your own room and share bathroom with the other family members. Living with a host family is the best way for you to practice your language skills and to get an idea of real daily life and culture. Host families usually come from the Vietnamese middle class. Living standards are lower than in Europe so you should not expect luxury. There is an extra charge for this private accommodation.

Most projects are located near the guest house, so you can walk to your workplace or borrow a bicycle from the organisation. Some projects are 45 to 60 minutes by bus from the guest house. In this case you will be given a bus ticket to get to your placement. If your project is far away, the volunteer programme coordinator will match you with a host family.

Host families are mostly open, outgoing and sociable and will do everything to make you feel welcome. At least one member of the family usually speaks some English. Your Vietnamese language skills will improve day by day, so you will surely overcome the language barrier soon.

In both guest house and host family you will receive three Vietnamese meals a day. Meals usually consist of rice, vegetables and/or meat.

The programme coordinator of our partner organisation will be at your service throughout your stay as a volunteer in Vietnam. Approx. every two weeks the coordinator will contact you to ensure that you are happy. About every four weeks all volunteers get together in the guest house for a weekend to exchange experiences and evaluate the programme.

You are welcome to call, email or come to the office whenever you want. Your coordinator is always there for you.

In addition to supervision and support by the programme coordinator, our partner has established the Vietnamese Volunteer Club, described under the orientation programme. These young volunteers come to the guest house regularly to spend time with the international volunteers and help them adjust to Vietnamese life.

Duration

You can join our volunteer programme for a period of two weeks up to 52 weeks (1 year). You can also apply for a short period and extend your stay once you are in Vietnam.

Dates 2008
Startdates in 2008 are: Mar. 6 & 20, Apr. 3 & 17, May 15 & 29, Jun 1, 15 & 26, Jul 10 & 24, Aug 7 & 21, Sep 4 & 18, Oct 2 & 16, Nov 6 & 20, Dec 4 & 18.

You should arrive at Hanoi or Ho-Chi-Minh-City airport on the Sunday before programme start.
Some institutions may be closed during holidays. This is noted in the project description. If you plan to stay in Viet-nam during one of the holiday seasons you can choose another project or work in another institution during this time.

*These fees apply only for accommodation in guesthouse (dormitory style with triple/quadruple bedroom). For home stay accommodation with a carefully selected host family (single room) an additional fee of 25 € per week is charged.

If you want to extend your stay after arrival, each extra week food and accommodation costs: 62.50 Euro. These costs are to be paid directly to the local coordinator in Vietnam.

Included in the fees

• Airport pick-up from Hanoi or Ho-Chi-Minh-City and transportation to the guest house
• 1 to 5 days language and cultural orientation (duration and content of the on-arrival orientation depend on the number of volunteer weeks)
• Dormitory style accommodation at the guesthouse, tri-ple/quadruple bedroom, shared bathroom
• Free use of internet at the guesthouse (limited access due to power shortage or great demand)
• Three Vietnamese meals a day for the whole pro-gramme period
• Counselling and support during your entire stay
• Free bus ticket if project site is far from guest-house/host family.
  

Not included in the fees

• Travel to and from Vietnam, visa fees, vaccinations, per-sonal expenses, pocket money, airport transfer after the programme, costs for extra activities, surcharge for host family accommodation, and insurance.
  

Tilmelding Vietnam
Tilmeldingsformular finder du ved at klikke HER.

Vaccinationer
Bemærk, at du skal begynde med vaccinationerne ca. 10 dage før din afrejse. Kontakt Rigshospitalets rejseservice, din egenlæge eller den Europæiske Rejseforsikring for flere oplysninger.

Klik på linket http://www.europaeiske.dk/Default.asp?agentid=7010051 og se under ”Spørgsmål og svar”, bogstav V (for vaccinationer) for oplysninger.
Eller se på www.vaccination.dk.

www.rejse-vaccinationer.dk.
www.rejsemedicin.dk hvis du bor i Jylland.
www.rejsedoktor.dk for andre byer.

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Klik her: www.europaeiske.dk/

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