Construction of the Plei Jo Drap shelter in Vietnam

Struggles of the Rengao people

The village of Plei Jo Drap is located about 18km west of the city of Kon Tum in the heart of the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Here, most of the inhabitants belong to the Rengao ethnic group, which has its own language, culture, and traditions.

The families, often large, make their living from agriculture (growing rubber, rice, coffee, and pepper) and livestock farming. However, the poorest do not own any land. Many parents are “day laborers,” a job characterized by low pay (an average of €200 per month) and very irregular work, depending on demand and the agricultural seasons.

In addition, the early marriage of young people, sometimes around the age of 15 or 16, leads to a lifestyle that is no longer suited to an increasingly modern society, trapping some in endemic poverty.

Vietnam Map

How are children being helped

In order to support their families, a large number of children leave school early to work in the fields or factories of southern Vietnam.

Dropping out of school is a real problem here. To combat this, the Miraculous Medal community, to which Sister Y Trang, who comes from the Rengao ethnic minority, belongs, opened a shelter in 2016 to help the poorest families send their children to school. However, the building available to the sisters is not large enough to accommodate the 27 young people and meet the growing demand for admission to the home.

Vietnam

What will be done to help the children?

The sisters wish to build a 160m² annexe that will house a kitchen, a dining room, a study room, a bathroom and a reading room. Children of the Mekong wishes to support them.

The 27 young people taken in are from the Rengao ethnic minority and their families are among the poorest. Being at the home means being well fed, receiving help with homework, participating in fun activities and services that contribute to the smooth running of community life. The residents attend local state schools, and the home is a safe place for them when they are not at school. The young people return home regularly, some every week, others only for the summer holidays and the Lunar New Year.

Donate here to support the construction

Project Highlights

Providing a safe and stable place for children.

Providing a separate space for study and activities, as well as a suitable space for sleeping.

Creating conditions for children to develop better physically, intellectually and as human beings.

Who will benefit?

Vietnam “My name is A Bin. I am in Year 6. There are six members in my family, and I am the second child. My family is poor, and I do not have a father. At the age of five, I had no choice but to follow my mother to work in the fields. If I did not follow her, I would have to look after the cows with my second brother. My mother couldn’t afford to send us to school like the other children. When I was herding cows, a nun asked me, “Would you like to come and live with me?” I said yes. My mother agreed. The nun takes care of me and raises me like a mother. I have been living with her for six years now. I cannot tell you how much she has helped me. I feel much luckier than my brothers and sisters at home and my other friends. When I was sick at night, the nun stayed up all night to take care of me, feed me and comfort me so that I would not feel alone. In addition to my studies at school, the sister also gave me private lessons in mathematics, literature, computer science, etc. Thanks to her teaching, I can now read English and do maths exercises. I must strive to study hard so that I can thank the sister.

“My name is Y Lien. There are five children in my family. I am the youngest. This year, I Vietnam am in Year 6. My family is poor. My father has liver cancer and cannot work; only my mother works. My brothers and sisters have all dropped out of school and are farmers. I know that my family cannot afford to send me to school. I have been living in the home for five years. Here, I feel loved. The sisters are caring and provide school supplies, clothes, shoes and everything else. I am very grateful to them. We receive private lessons in mathematics, English and other subjects. In addition to teaching us, the sisters also teach us human values, such as being clean, obedient and polite to everyone. They also teach us to share and help each other in all circumstances.”

Vietnam “My name is A Ni Ka Thinh. I am also in Year 6. There are nine children in my family. I am the third child in the family and have been living in the home for two years. My family is very poor and there are many of us. My mother is disabled, so my father is the breadwinner of the family; he takes care of all the household chores and farm work on his own. My mother only does light tasks, such as looking after my younger brothers and sisters and cooking. Since I have been living here, the sisters take care of everything for me. As the start of the school year approaches, they always prepare and buy school supplies for me, as well as all my clothes, shoes, etc., so that we can study better. I feel luckier than the other children in the village. If I had stayed at home, my parents would not have been able to afford to send me to school and give me good food. I am very grateful to the sister for loving us, taking care of us and giving us her full attention. She was always afraid that we would lack education and not have enough to eat and wear. I promise to study hard, be obedient and polite. That is my way of thanking the sister and her benefactors!

“My name is Y Minh Khuyet. I am in my final year of secondary school. I have been living Vietnam in the children’s home for a very long time. My family has only two children. After giving birth to my little sister, my mother fell ill and was no longer able to work. My father is the main breadwinner for the family. My family is very poor. Here we are luckier than our friends in the village because the sister takes care of us like a loving mother. I am very grateful to the sisters who loved us, cherished us and cared for us with all their hearts. The sisters always thought of us and worried that we would not have enough to eat or wear!”