SOS Children in Vietnam
Vietnam, a former French colony, achieved independence in 1954 and was split into North (communist) and South (US-backed) Vietnam. From 1964 to 1976 Vietnam experienced the longest and bloodiest war since World War II which left one million dead and two million injured, as well as six million refugees and over a million orphans. The outcome was that in 1976 Vietnam was reunified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
There is increasing foreign investment. USA is now its main trading partner. While new opportunities and economic benefits for many Vietnamese people have improved, there are ever-increasing gaps between the rich and the poor, and between rural and urban populations. Average daily income is less than £1 (£46.60 in the UK). Gender discrimination also continues to undermine the well-being of women and their children.
SOS Children's Villages work in Vietnam began in 1967 when the first village was established near Ho-Chi-Minh City (formerly Saigon). Fifty pre-fabricated houses, made in Austria, provided a home for over 500 orphans and war damaged children.
A second village was opened at Da Lat in 1974, but both were taken over by the new government in 1976. Then in 1990, after many years of negotiation with the government, they were returned to SOS Children's Villages. Today there are 12 SOS Children's Villages and 31 related projects.
SOS Children's Village Ben Tre is about 50 miles south of Ho Chi Minh City. The SOS Children's Village has twelve family houses, a nursery school and a school for 1000 primary and secondary level pupils
SOS Children's Village Ca Mau (Minh Hai) is on the Mekong delta in the province of Minh Hai in south Vietnam. The SOS Children's Village is in the centre of the town and has fourteen family houses and a youth house, as well as a nursery school and school.
SOS Children's Village Da Nang is the capital of Quang Nam province in central Vietnam. The sixteen family houses are built in the traditional local style. In addition there is a nursery school and a primary and secondary school.
SOS Children's Village Da Lat is a residential area near to Ho Chi Minh City. The village has fourteen family houses, a youth house, nursery school and school (primary and secondary) and an SOS Medical Centre.
SOS Children's Village Dong Hoi is the capital of the central province, Quang Binh, near the border with Laos. The village, which opened in 2005, has twelve family houses and a nursery school for about 200 children.
SOS Children's Village Hai Phong, on the Gulf of Tonkin, is about 80 miles east of Hanoi. It has fourteen family houses and a youth house, a nursery school and a primary/secondary school for 1000 pupils.
SOS Children's Village Mai Dich (Hanoi), on the outskirts of the capital Hanoi has sixteen family houses and a youth house, as well as a nursery school and school for 700 primary and secondary level pupils.
SOS Childrens Village Go Vap (Ho Chi Minh City), in a suburb of Ho Chin Minh City (formerly Saigon) has twenty family houses. The village also has a day care centre, a nursery school and a school for 1100 primary and secondary pupils.
SOS Children's Village Nha Trang is on the south coast and has fourteen family houses, a nursery school and a school for primary and secondary pupils.
SOS Children's Village Thanh Hoa is the provincial capital of Vietnam's second largest province and borders onto Laos. The village, which opened in 2005, has 15 family homes and a kindergarten for about 200 children.
SOS Children's Village Viet Tri is in the capital of Vinh Phu province about 45 miles north west of Hanoi. The fifteen family houses and youth house are home to over 160 children and young people, and there is a nursery school and school for 1000 primary and secondary pupils.
SOS Children's Village Vinh is in the north of Vietnam. The village, which is in the centre of the city close to a hospital and various schools, has fifteen family houses, a nursery school , youth house and a primary/secondary school for 1200 pupils.
Local contacts
SOS Children Vietnam
Mai Dich /Cau Giay
Hanoi / Vietnam
Tel +84/4/7644 019
Fax +84/4/7644 020
e-mail: sos_vietnam@hn.vnn.vn
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