Help Us, Help Them.

Hey guys,

As some of you may know, myself and Ali have decided to volunteer for the month of July, to teach English to children in Hanoi, Vietnam. Teaching English to these young kids is vital to enhance their life chances as the availability of work in the more traditional sectors has plummeted. Commercial trade now dominates their economy and this has placed a greater demand on more skilled labour and more specifically, on the English language. The schools in Vietnam have recognised the increased need for the English language so English was introduced into their curriculum in 2010. However, the schools cannot afford to hire enough English speaking staff and class sizes can reach up to 50 students. This limits the amount of individual attention each student can receive in order maximise their development.

Myself and Ali will generally work as co-teachers alongside the local teacher and are welcomed to prepare and lead our own activities within the lessons. We will also be responsible for working with smaller groups of students, giving them the chance to speak English and helping them with their pronunciation.

In addition to helping younger children, the Vietnamese English teaching programme runs community projects. These community projects are attended by university students who wish to improve their English but cannot afford to pay private tuition. We as volunteers will extend our contribution to a number of community classes and holiday camps during our stay also.

We are so excited to be going to Vietnam this summer to make a difference. However, due to the scale of cost involved in actually getting there, we have been encouraged by our host organisation ‘Plan MY Gap Year’ to engage in fundraising initiatives. From our flights, to our visa’s and vaccines, the cost really adds up! Therefore, we decided to establish a donation page where our friends and family can donate to our initiative. We would be so beyond grateful if you guys could help us out as we had no idea just how expensive it is to volunteer abroad. By helping us out with the cost our trip, you will be helping us make a difference to so many lives.

Help us to help them.

Thank you, Ali and Mary xo