Where Your Donations Land – Vietnam orphanage
We landed in Vietnam again! So here’s an update of what we’ve been up to and how your donations have helped so far.
First off, we appreciate you and your generosity!!
Thank you so much for your kind donations! It really does go a long way. It’s made a big impact on the children’s lives here at the orphanage in Vietnam.
Below is a screenshot of the initial amount that was raised ($600NZD).
Here’s a run down of where it has been allocated so far!
Da Nang Orphanage
In mid-January, we met up with our local friend Thanh and went to the orphanage. This is the same orphanage we visited last November 2018. There were 11 babies in at the orphanage when we visited before, and now there are 12… One of them was just a few days old.
Several of the we had met babies were now walking and getting super mischievous! It’s very adorable, but the ladies working there definitely find it a handful!
There are 4 women who work at the orphanage. They are amazing and selfless, especially as they work full day shifts (2 at a time)… and can expect to spend 20 hours a day awake! We also learned they only earn $200/month for their work.
When we visited this most recent time, they let us know they were in need of baby formula.
So we went and purchased 3,000,000 VND worth of formula. That equates to $191.39NZD.
Local Village in Tra Bong
Over the weekend we were there, we connected with a local volunteer group who were heading to Tra Bong, Quang Ngai.
There were two objectives for the weekend:
- Deliver blankets, food, and supplies to a very remote village at the top of a mountain (which was quite a hike).
- To another village in the foot hills of the mountains, bring blankets, jackets, food, and healthcare.
So late Friday night we trekked 3 hours from Da Nang to Quang Ngai where we stayed 1 night.
On Saturday morning we loaded a truck with all the supplies, then drove another 70kms to the Village of Tra Bong. From here, each of us carried supplies like food, blankets, toys, and clothes up the mountain. All in all the last hike took over 2 hours.
The village at the top was unlike anything we had seen before! They speak their own language, grow their own food, and have the most beautiful genuine smiles you’ll ever see! I mean look at how cute these kids are!
That evening, we trekked down and set up camp in the local school of Tra Bong. We slept on the floor in one of the classrooms – and learned that the Vietnamese really can sleep anywhere haha!
Early the next morning we set up the school courtyard with all the supplies we were giving out to the people of Tra Bong. Then, the locals started arriving.
The setup included medical stations with 5 doctors providing services from blood tests to administering medication. There were blankets, food, and new rain jackets made especially for all the children of the village.
Thanks to your donations you have helped keep these kiddos warm and dry! We provided 1,000,000VND ($67.72NZD) towards the final payment of the jackets (as all funds were raised prior to us knowing about this trip).
As a summary:
Raised $600
Formula: – $191.39
Jackets: -$67.72
Bank fees: -$12.45
*New donations in Paypal: = $307.04
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Remaining: = $635.48
*At the time of writing this, there is also an additional $307NZD in the Paypal account from new donations that have since come through! (Thank you for continuing to donate!)
Plans for the future spend:
We’re expecting in February 2019 to provide formula, nappies and other supplies needed by the orphanage. We will keep you updated on our next visits!
Thank you again for your contributions!
If you have any questions, just add them in the comments below:)
Chat soon,
Hannah & Nate
P.s: All travel costs and expenses associated with our giving back efforts are paid for from our own accounts. The only ‘admin fees’ are the bank fees. Unfortunately the bank fees are unavoidable due to the transactions occurring overseas and from a different country than the bank location.
More Reading & Resources:
- Additional info on Giving Back
- How To Start A Blog For The Price Of A Coffee
- How I Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time
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