📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
GREENLION VIETNAM
💼 What the programme involves
In Ho Chi Minh, we work with three different orphanages where children rescued from the streets reside now. At this project, you will be taking care of the children and giving them the attention they need. You will also be able to teach them English and other useful life skills.
Caretaking
At our primary orphanage, all the orphans are below the age of 5 years old and in need of a lot of care and attention. You will feed, bathe, dress and play games with the children. At the other orphanages, you will also find orphans from higher age groups up to 18 years of age who you will assist with homework, social skills and life skills.
Teaching English
The level of English possessed by the children is relatively low. Therefore, another of our focuses is teaching them this language. You should focus on more basic aspects, such as simple vocabulary, basic conversation and simple writing. Classes are constructed into two levels of higher and lower levers.
All the children at the projects are genuine orphans of which some have previously been living on the streets. Therefore, the objective here is to instill confidence into the children and offer them a safe place to shelter, give them warmth and attention, educate them and provide them with food and clothing.
The orphanages are places which nourish the children and allow them to blossom. It is a self-funded orphanage.
🏠 Accommodation on site
The accommodation is located on a campus in a college dorm. We have our own rooms inside this dorm which are reserved for our participants only. Single-gender rooms are shared between 8-16 people, with cold/hot showers and western-style toilets.
WiFi is available inside the accommodation, but please note that the quality of the Internet access depends on weather conditions. Since we are in Southeast Asia, we might have poor internet accessibility at times due to heavy raining.
There are several common areas, including a terrace that overlooks the city. Moreover, there is a café located on our floor where you can buy fruit smoothies and sodas. Inside the café, there are desks and tables to hang out in. There is also a pool table and a 'creative corner', where you can find paint and other tools in case you are feeling crafty. There is also a piano and a guitar there, for those who miss making music! There are also books which you can borrow if you enjoy reading.
We also have a room reserved as an 'office', where you can come to if you want some peace and quiet. We have books and magazines available here for you to borrow.
Moreover, there is a pool and a gym located inside the campus.
The arrival day is on a Sunday and departure/ check-out is on the Saturday before 12:00 pm during the last week of your program. Extra nights at the accommodation can be booked for 25 Euro per person per night (including three meals).
Three meals a day are served in the restaurant on the campus. Meals are typically Vietnamese, but also include some Western dishes such as sandwiches, spaghetti and bread.
📍 About the location
Ho Chi Minh City, commonly known as Saigon, is located in the southeastern region of Vietnam and is the country's largest city. During your stay, you will be living in a campus in a college dorm right in the center of the city.
There are many taxis around our campus. You can easily catch a taxi from the main road to reach your destination of choice in Ho Chi Minh.
There are many ATM machines in the area where we stay. The nearest one is opposite our campus and is only 2 minutes away by foot.
All necessary amenities can be found in the city, remember we are located in the country's capital after all!
As a large city, Ho Chi Minh has a lot to offer from shops to Vietnamese water puppet shows. Here are a few suggestions:
AEON Mall - For those who fancy some retail therapy
Dam Sen Water Park - No explanation really needed here!
Ho Chi Minh City Museum - Educate yourself on Vietnam's war-torn history. The Museum has many informative exhibitions, and explains the country's bloody past through photographs, artefacts and memorabilia.
Jade Emperor Pagoda - Built in the 1900s by Taoists and Buddhists, this is one of the most impressive and atmospheric temples that Ho Chi Minh has to offer
Dong Khoi - This is a lively and characterful stretch of shops and bars.
Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve - Located 40km from Ho Chi Minh City, is a listed biosphere reserve by UNESCO and is an important wildlife sanctuary in Vietnam.
During the weekends, you might want to explore further afield. Here are some suggestions of places that our participants often like to visit:
- Mui Ne/ Vung Tao beaches
- Hue - As an ancient capital of Vietnam it is now considered to be the country's cultural capital.
- Ba Den Mountain - Popular for its beautiful temples and theme park, this mountain is found in the Tay Ninh province of Vietnam.
- Sapa - Here you will find the iconic rice terraces set amidst rolling hills.
- Hanoi - As the capital of Vietnam, although smaller than Ho Chi Minh, it has a lot of cultural history.
ℹ️ Additional information
Open all year, starting on Mondays, every week, participation fee 175€ per week. Culture week mandatory: 280€ to start the programme