Sunflower Mission, Vietnam
Changing a Country by Building Schools
Vietnam is emerging from decades of colonialism, war, and an impoverishing command economy. Today it is attempting to change to a market economy and has established trading with the U.S. The future is promising but there are grave problems. To become part of the global economy and take advantage of the information revolution, Vietnam will require a highly educated workforce. But getting an education is not easy. Because of extreme poverty, children often must work before and after school to help support their family by selling lottery tickets, shining shoes, working in factories, and offering other goods and (often unmentionable) services.
Children who actually do attend often walk miles on dirt roads to a structure in desperate need of repair. These structures—some of which have collapsed causing fatalities—often have no foundations, windows, electricity, or ventilation.
Another disincentive is that the school system is not free and, even at the cost of just a few cents a day, is out of reach for some students. But even if students do graduate, there are not enough seats in the universities to accept them. There are 1.4 million applicants for 168,000 places at local universities.
Sunflower Mission is constructing new school buildings in targeted remote areas. We are also building and maintaining relationships with the respective school administrations, tracking the number of students in our new buildings, and targeting high performance students for possible scholarships in higher education.
We are changing conditions in Vietnam through support of education!
Our Fifth Year – Core Values and Goals
This year marks a major milestone in life of Sunflower Mission, its fifth birthday on October 29, 2007! When we began we initiated the 10 year goal to include certain metrics for success and certain core values that are not compromised. Our success goals include a financial goal of $1,000,000, building 100 classrooms, providing 10,000 scholarships, and guaranteeing that 97% of funds go directly to the projects. Our core values include noninvolvement with politics and religion, maintaining 100% of our focus on education, and building an infrastructure for the next generation. Through these core values, our infrastructure will enable the next generation to contribute and participate to teach them the values of civic leadership, connect to their motherland to remember where they come from, and to make a difference.
As we ended our fourth year operation at end of 2006, we had raised more than $500,000 and completed 50 classrooms. We have given out 2200 scholarships with 3 students graduating from college last year, and provided 98% of funds directly to our schools for 4 years! Many college students and younger children have participated in our activities here in America as well as those who have gone back to Viet Nam to make a difference. One of the co-founders, Duy-Loan Le, shares, “As I see the look on their faces, the excitement in their voices, the connection they make with their motherland, and, as they realize who they are, I become even more committed to these core values.”
Sunflower Mission plans to complete 20 new classrooms in the coming year, and will once again focus the building effort to the provinces located in the south and west of Saigon (the Mekong Delta area). These areas have the lowest economic and education level in Viet Nam. Please refer to the Sunflower Mission website “Schools Completed” page for more details. Sunflower Mission will also increase the funding for the scholarship program to award scholarships for up to 1000 students in grades 1-12 and college.
Needs
To build a school, two classrooms and a toilet facility must be built. This is classified as an elementary school in Viet Nam. This will allow 200 children to attend school every day with two shifts a day and 50 students per shift.
- $10,000 for 1 school
How You Can Help
Please contact us or send your tax-deductible contributions to:
Mona Foundation
218 Main Street, Suite 404
Kirkland, WA 98033
(425) 743-4550
Email: monafoundation@monafoundation.org
Online: Contribute Online with your Credit Card Here
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