The Hoa Sua school in Hanoi has been supported for 10 years via Martien de Graaf by the Martinus College at Grootebroek, the Netherlands. The Hoa Sua school calls itself "school for disadvantaged youth", meaning school for poor and disabled children. They prepare children for a job in restaurant, hotel, bakery and textile, by a one year study including practicing on the job. The practical part is executed in one of their own businesses : 3 restaurants, a hotel, a bakery, textile factory en textile shop.
During a visit in 2010 of a EDA board member the Hoa Sua school management asked for support to improve a missing part in the school curriulum. There is need for a English language curriculum for the students. This is more and more needed as the number of foreign tourists in Hanoi is increasing rapidly.
Via contacts with the TIO Organization (5 locations in the Netherlands),a student has been asked to work on this curriculum. TIO is a school which educates students for "hospitality and tourism" management. This student will combine the request of Hoa Sua with a final year thesis. She will travel in February to Hanoi after a preparation period in the Netherlands. The EDA Foundation will be the intermediate partner in the project. EDA is still searching sponsors to be able to cover expenses. Please check the Hoa Sua website for more information on the school, see LINKS.
The goal was to open in Can Tho a self supporting school. This school charges a fee to normal students, but offers free courses for poor and less advantaged children. For the first years the focus is teaching the English language. As a result of all the planning the ATLAS school has been opened in May 2011.
IN JULY 2011 THE 100th STUDENT SIGNED IN ! (see picture below)
The focus groups are adults from the higher social classes, their children and college students. We go for a Western, European image. High quality and functional use of the advantages of computers. The teaching hours take place mainly in the evenings and in the weekends. The curiculum is based on Western sources. There are different levels of knowledge. Every student will do a test to determine his entry level in the curriculum. The highest level can be defined as "allowed to study at a foreign university" or in official terms the IETLS or TOEFL level. Middele levels provides the knowledge level of the official Vietnamese ABC exams.
The Vietnamese partner Phuong is managing the institute and brings in funds. The second basic funding origins from Western funds. A long term loans at fixed interest has been organized by EDA Foundation. The main investment is the renting contract for the building.
Because the school building is not used during daytime the idea came up to organise a charity class for poor children. Children from the lowest social class from ill or handicaped parents have to earn money for the family. Therefor they do not attend basic school. It is not a large group, selection will be key. The Atlas school will provide a number of hours lessons in basic reading, writing and mathematics. A local teacher will be hired to teach in Vietnamese. A full class of 15 to 20 will need approx 150 euro per month sponsoring.
SUPPORT THE EDA-FOUNDATION BY :
- Supporting the poor and less advantaged children with a charity scholarship amounting to only 85 € for 20 weeks courses.
- Supprt the charity class in fundings. Every euro is welcome.
De Gouw 21e
1602 DN Enkhuizen
the Netherlands
info@eda-foundation.org
bank.nr.: 43.66.92.074
KvK: 37163034