2021 Annual Report
Who would’ve thought we would still be immersed in COVID lockdown and restrictions for another year. Although carrying through our projects was a little more complicated with Covid, we managed to help, with the necessary precautions, where we can, when we can.
One of the highlights this year was helping hundreds of children and their families in Mang But and Dak Plo communes during massive flooding in central Vietnam in late November/December 2020. Under the guidance of chi Dong, Linh, and Huynh Anh, the community here came together quickly and raised nearly $40,000 over a few short weeks. We were able to provide emergency warm jackets, blankets, school supplies, and other necessities for the flood relief. Our spirits were lifted seeing the smiles on the children’s faces.
This past year, we were also able to help rebuild the sleeping quarters for the children in the Dong Thap orphanage. In Dong Thap, we also established a mushroom farm building for the Buu Ngheim orphanage to help the youths and children there be more self-sufficient. In the mountainous region of Quang Tri province, we built new bathrooms for Sa Tram school.
We remain dedicated to helping provide basic necessities to orphaned and abandoned children living in orphanages throughout Vietnam, with the majority of funding for the orphanages donated by Mr. Chalke of Sunrise Family Services. Due to covid, we were not able to visit many of the children directly, but we still made efforts to ensure the orphanages get adequate basic necessities to continue caring for the children.
With the extended restrictions in central/southern Vietnam, we provided emergency food supplies and other needs to impoverished families and students affected by the Covid lockdown. As well, we revisited the abandoned seniors living in the Tay Ninh care centre to let them know they’re not forgotten through all this.
We continue to collaborate with Blue Dragon foundation to help with career preparations for disadvantaged youths. Under Shanni’s directions, we continue to support impoverished youths who are living as young monks in a temple in India.
The Van Tran CVBF Memorial Bursary awarded to first recipient Cuong Tran. Our foundation continues to fund ($12,500) projects providing school children with new shoes, coats, beds, uniforms, school supplies, bicycles, and scholarships. We awarded $8400 in scholarships.
Because of the quickly spreading delta variant this past Fall, our annual dinner fundraising event was again deferred. Despite that, many of the local businesses still generously supported our 9th annual fundraising efforts, which this year was another Virtual Silent Auction event. We were able to raise $3615 from that effort alone, and $12,000 in additional donations from our kind, supportive donors. The wonderful Ms Justine from Mai Morgan Designs created special CVBF mugs to help us fundraise this year. We are especially grateful for the generous support of passionate students from the Vietnamese Canadian League, Western University Vietnamese Students Association, and Terry Fox Secondary School Heart-To-Heart club.
For the 2021 fiscal year (Sept 1/20-August 31/21), we expended over $110,000 fulfilling our mission to help disadvantaged children and their communities through love, education, and the provision of basic needs.
Despite the ongoing challenges of this past year, we have done so much together. We remain so grateful to you for walking alongside us through these difficult times. We look forward to being able to give you real hugs again.