The Gift that Keeps on Giving-Laundromat Operation by the Blind

Projects that aim at being self sufficient are the long term goals of Rose Vietnam. In the province of Hue, we support four Blind Centers through our Laundromat Income Generation Programme. We donated washers, plastic package sealers and towels to these centers to wash and package wet towelettes for the local restaurants.

Wet towelettes are usually provided on long haul air routes to Asia in a small, sealed plastic bag. Many restaurants and hotels in Viet Nam also have these wet towelettes as an additional service to guests for coping with the humidity. It makes more practical sense than a paper tissue which tend to stick to the skin.

Our pilot location is in Phong Dien Village, many thanks to Mr. Phuoc, our Board member, who works on site to ensure that our first site is in full operation mode and Mrs. Tina Nguyen, an online donor from U.S.A. We provided full line of equipments, training and helped them find customers.



Rose Vietnam hopes to expand the Laundromat Programme to the other three sites. All sites are now equipped with washers but we are looking for financial donors in order to purchase the plastic package sealers and more towels. The total start up cost is no more than $600 for each site, including the washer, but such an amount can go a long way. Rose Vietnam is actively seeking funds for this programme.

A Much Needy Orphanage

Our Rose members recently made a visit to Dieu Phap Temple Orphanage, just outside of Bien Hoa, Dong Nai. Introduced by the Sunshine Group who has been a regular contributor to this orphanage, Rose Vietnam had pledged to be a permanent partner on this project.

This is a much needy orphanage. There are roughly 120 to 150 orphans ranging from newborns to high school seniors. Though Dieu Phap Temple seems to be getting supports from various charitable groups and private individuals, we think that the children's health and social well being are overlooked.

We see people bringing foods and other confectioneries to the temple but we also discovered that the volunteer doctor is no longer able to make visits and some of the children clearly required medical attention. One child had died in the previous week before our visit. It is a very, very difficult situation at this site.

Dr. Thuy, a Rose Vietnam volunteer, and her colleague are so kind in contributing their own time and dedication to improve the children' health. They will work with the Sunshine Group and begin profiling each child's medical status in order to address specific, individual needs.

Rose Vietnam had donated school supplies, bath towels, toys and foods with our Tran-Nguyen-Hoang Fund for Children and small donations from a few residents of Burlington, WA. Rose Vietnam will be looking for further fundings in the remaining months of 2008 and 2009.

We hope to be gaining wider support for this project and certainly welcome any financial contribution from you.

Thank you, HMCS Regina!

On June 4th HMCS Regina came to Vietnam to celebrate the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Canada. During their four day visit to Ho Chi Minh city seven members of the ship's crew spent an afternoon visiting the children at Ben Tho orphanage in Dong Nai, which is about 40 minutes outside the city. They brought with them toys and food (including Girl Guide cookies which were a clear favourite among the children) and donated $1500 to Rose Charities Vietnam, to be directed to the orphanage, which is home to approximate 132 children. Sister Vinh, director of Be Tho, said the money will be used to replace the roof.

The money had been raised by the crew of HMCS Regina on its voyage across Pacific Ocean. An additional $2,800 was raised for Rose Vietnam at a corporate dinner held on board.

Rose Vietnam hopes to implement more sponsored programs for children and extend our reach to different regions with increasing support from organizations and individuals in Vietnam and abroad.

Rose Vietnam's strength is flexibility

Flexibilty is a key success factor in our operation. Rose Vietnam allows donations to be earmarked for a particular cause that a donor wishes to support.

Such a cause or project can be one of many that Rose Vietnam is currently involved with or a donor may suggest an entirely new project, as long as it meets our mission and objectives.

As an example, we had accepted donation to Yen Bui from a donor in Toronto through Rose Vietnam mobile cataract clinic ($1,000). The money will be directed toward cataract surgeries via Rose Vietnam partnership program.

It is fair and logical to customize and allow maximal control of the fund distribution to our donors. We want to address the problem that many people experience after making contribution to large, international charitable organizations and not being able to take an active role in the process, even in the financial sense.

Rose Vietnam works directly with you, your projects and our projects...

Fund Raising at Canada Rocks Concert in HCM City

A KISS FROM A ROSE
By Libby Zinman Schwartz

This time the kiss was from Rose Charities, a Canadian group of non-governmental organizations with a common goal: to rehabilitate people to function more productively in their lives.

One of the many needs Rose Charities fulfills is eye surgery for sight restoration. On the evening of February 16, at the residence of the Canadian Consul General, Bill Johnston, Rose Charities and the Canadian Consulate fulfilled the dream of many sightless Vietnamese and Dr. Tran Cong Toai, Orthopedic Surgeon and Vice Chairman of the Biomaterial Research Laboratory, Ho Chi Minh City, by raising thousands of dollars for an eye bank.

Braille training for the blind...

Dr. Will Grut visited our project site in Quang Dien, Hue. He took these moving pictures with his digital camera. Rose Vietnam sponsored the entire project which included 20 blind students and provided Braille training equipment, furniture and a Braille instructor from Hue Province.