Project Summary

At the National Pediatric Hospital, children with various types of life threatening illnesses (cancer, HIV/AIDS, etc) pass the days of their youth away. Through this project, a small international team of volunteers organizes short leisurely activities for these children on a daily basis. These activities could include anything from games and little shows to, music, arts and crafts and painting. The harsh emotional conditions volunteers may encounter in the hospitals require that volunteers are psychologically prepared to be in contact with children suffering from life threatening illnesses. The project motto is, "bring a smile, soothe the pain". It is our hope you will bring lots of laughter and joy to the children.

The work of the project is important, and also offers an intercultural educational process for volunteers involved, and the local population. The collective living and working experience brings about an awareness of people of various backgrounds, contact with the local population, and a feeling of living international solidarity between young people.

At a Glance

Minimum Program Length:	2 weeks
Start Date:	Every Monday
Arrival Date:	1 day before the project start date
Dates:	June 11-23, June 18-30, July 7-14, July 29-August 12, August 12-25, August 26-September 5, September 5-17, September 17-29, October 1-13, October 15-27, October 29-November 10, November 12-24, December 6-20, December 20-January 2, 2008
Minimum Age:	18 years old
Volunteer Gender:	Male and Female
Accommodation:	Your accommodation is included in the program price. All volunteers will stay at a SJ Vietnam Youth House or a local partners' accommodation. This will include very simple and basic living conditions similar to that of most Vietnamese.
Food:	Three meals a day are included in the program price.
Pick-up Info:	A Volunteer Visions representative will be waiting for you at your arrival point and guide you to your accommodation and project location.
Project Schedule:	The working day can range from 4-8 hours per day.

Your role as a Volunteer

Your role as a volunteer is significant in the lives of the children. It is the aim of the volunteers to make the children's lives more enjoyable while staying in the hospital. The children need someone to help entertain them and make the time pass more pleasantly, which is what the volunteers are needed for. Activities include arts and crafts and music. Also, as a volunteer you are expected to bring the values of tolerance and respect for all human beings without any political or ideological cleavage. Volunteers are expected to be highly motivated and enthusiastic about their work.

Project Location

Located in the north of Vietnam, Hanoi has been the capitol of Vietnam for almost a thousand years and is therefore the political epicenter. With an estimated population of 3,145,300, Hanoi is also a major metropolitan area of Northern Vietnam and the largest educational center in Vietnam. In this metropolitan area one will experience typical Northern Vietnam weather. The summers (May-September) are hot and humid and winters (November-March) are relatively cool and dry. The summer months bring Hanoi's rainy season, averaging 1,682mm of rainfall per year. Vietnam is affected by the monsoons, which explains why the country remains slightly cooler than other countries in the area. However, temperatures can still soar to 38-40ºC (100-104ºF) in the summer months. During the winter months Hanoi can dip as low as 6-7ºC (48ºF). Hanoi is currently at the highest Human Development Index (standard of measuring well-being) for the country of Vietnam. Hanoi is experiencing great economic growth and infrastructure upgrades.

Suggested Skills and Interests

Most importantly the volunteers need to be open-minded, have tolerance, respect for others, initiative, creative, patient and enjoy working with children. Self-motivation is very important as well as being enthusiastic in their volunteer work. Volunteers should respect the culture, dress codes, and traditions very closely. They need to be flexible with local foods, accommodations and systems of living, as this is a cultural learning process for the volunteers as well.

Suggested Donations

Donations of games, paints, art supplies, books, pens, notebooks, basic medical supplies, clothes, blankets, hygienic items, etc. are all welcomed.