Present GSVA Projects

Greater Seattle Viet Nam Association

Present Projects

See our 2002-2003 Annual Report here.

Kids Without Borders - Through volunteers in our community, by the end of this year ‘Kids Without Borders’ will distribute over $500,000 of new children’s clothes and products to children’s service agencies and low-income families in the Puget Sound area and to developing countries around the world. The primary mission of our project is to involve youths helping other youths. Read more about this project here.

Go Vap Orphanage - GSVA sponsors teaching English to the older children at this orphanage - (see pictures here)

Excerpt of an email by Son Michael Pham, president of GSVA's board, while he was visiting Vietnam in May 2001:
"Back in Saigon, I went to the Go Vap orphanage to visit the kids and GSVA teaching English project there. On Sunday, the teachers and I took the kids from the English class to an entertainment park and watch them having a day as any other normal growing up kids instead of behind the four walls of the orphanage. The second day, we went back and spent time with the less fortunate orphans ... from HIV babies to any other kind of illnesses that you can imagine. The three babies that Betty took care of last month with the clef lip surgeries are doing great and recovered completely. I watched as one visitors after another left the place wiping the tears from their eyes, and I was no exception. I wish I have some extra room with my baggage to take back with me the three charming girls that would not let go my fingers. As I was leaving the place, they all sat around quietly as they know that they belong to the orphanage and I go back to the world that they could only imagine and dream of."

HumaniTours - Pictures

Bac Lieu Schoolhouse - GSVA will be contributing to a multipurpose school building in the Bac Lieu Province - (see pictures here)

Excerpt of an email from Son Michael Pham, president of GSVA's board, while he was visiting Vietnam in May 2001:
"Earlier in the trip, I went to Bac Lieu village which is almost at the southern tip of the country. It is ONLY a 8 hours car trip, then a one hour trip on a small sampan. There I stayed in a Catholic village with a priest that I met before. I brought along a grant for scholarship from GSVA as well as a large supplies of new children clothes and school supplies. Life in the village is very simple, no electricity and lots of big hungry mosquitoes. As everywhere, the children in the village are full of curiousity and playful. One of the many highlights of my time there was the morning sampan ride with the kids to their school at 5:30am. When I left the next day, I brought along with a plea for help from the pastor Father Peter Chanh for funds to help him rebuilding the multi-purpose school house on the church ground. This building is falling down piece by piece from its age (1907), wind storms, and termites. I watched the kids played inside of the building as pieces of the ceiling ready to fall on them."

Water Project in Bru Village - click here to see pictures.

School scholarships: GSVA provided funds for 40 students to go to school in Hai Phong and in Nan Ren. We supported students with school supplies such as backpacks, rulers, pencils, and even some clothing.

Past Projects and Events

Hai Phong Orphanage Playground - pictures from the dedication in 1999.

Teach Me to Fish - Benefit Dinner by the Greater Seattle Viet Nam Association to Support Children in Viet Nam Orphanages. In the fall of 2003, GSVA hosted a Benefit Dinner series to raise funds for the “Teaching English Program” of the Greater Seattle Viet Nam Association. Participants joined Chef André Nguyen for a four-course dinner featuring food unique to different regions of Viet Nam. Chef André discussed the special traditions and foods of the featured region.

Sponsored By:

“If you give me a fish, I will eat it today; If you teach me to fish, I will eat my whole life long”. Asian Proverb

About the ‘Teaching English Program’: Currently, GSVA is supporting an English class for the orphans at the Go Vap Orphanage located in Saigon. In a developing country such as Viet Nam where the local economy depends heavily on tourism, children and young people need to speak French or English to compete for the very few decent paying jobs in over crowded cities. As orphans, these children are usually behind in their education and have no possibility of learning English. Our program helps them to better compete for themselves when they leave the orphanage at the age of 17 or 18 years old. GSVA plans to expand the current program at the Go Vap Orphanage in Saigon, as well as start new programs at the Hoa Phuong Orphanage in Hai Phong. Future programs will be considered for orphanages in Hue, Danang, Dalat, and Bac Lieu.

Greater Seattle Viet Nam Association
P.O.Box 23282; Seattle, WA 98102 USA
206-322-1178 * Fax 206-374-2944 * Email info@seattlevietnam.org