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Ono Hiromi
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Japa Vietnam started 8 years ago programs of cooperation with an institution sheltering 25 children of ethnic communities and sending them to public schools. At present, the numbers have increased to 97 children. The Catholic Sisters caring for them cannot accept more, in spite of the pressing needs, and deeply concerned about the financial situation acquired 2 ha of land to cultivate rubber trees. We assisted them to buy young trees as thick as pencils, seven years ago. The place now is transformed into a real rubber plantation that started to produce rubber. The plantation is 6 km far from the children's residence and can practically only be reached by motorbike. Heavy rains make the road impossible to cross as if it were a river and Japa Vietnam provided funds to build 3 km of the road 5 years ago. This year we visited again the plantation riding on the back of motorbikes. The ride was quite comfortable till the end of the road built 5 years ago, but the last tram still remains without repair.
The first time I went to the children's institution 8 years ago I met a second year middle school girl. This year I was looking for her but she had already left for her village. Although she is still 17 years old her parents wanted her to marry. The Sisters at the institution were surprised. She accustomed to take care of the young kids and whenever we visited the place she made the welcome speech. She had told me that she wanted to be a teacher and I was ready to provide a scholarship for her to attend high school. I've been visiting the children for the past 8 years and I realize that their dreams might not be realized.
After riding several hours by car, south of HCM City, we reached the Xuan
Hoa Catholic Church. Japa Vietnam helped to build there a small clinic
and provided some medical equipment. The day of our visit about 30 women
had brought their babies to the clinic to receive medicines. People curiously
waited to measure their blood pressure with the help of a nurse. They looked
somehow anxious at the numbers appearing in the small screen but then seem
very relaxed when they were told there was nothing to worry.
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Others were in line waiting to receive massage sitting in a new massage chair. The villagers watched joyfully the modern medical equipment.
During our stay we could see everywhere ads announcing the coming of the
SEA Games (2003). We realized that the results for homeless people and
street children were quite serious. The police evicted them forcibly out
of HCM City. Street children were forced to go to an institution out in
the country and many disappeared from public view. Once interned, they
had to stay there 5 years and receive compulsory education. I met some
little girls at Tao Dan. They needed education and training and they lacked
real affection. What will happen to them upon leaving the institutions
and going out into a society that changes so fast? Could they find persons
that care for them?
The road from Hanoi to Cao Bang has always been one of the worst of our journey in Vietnam. This year a big road-construction program was going on, especially between Tai Nguyen and Cao Bang. Powerful construction machines were widening the road and breaking through the mountain walls. Red soil fell down the rocked cliff in the valleys where a river was flowing. Finally Vietnam has entered such type of development stage!
Down south in the Mekong delta, just next to Xuan Hoa Church a new middle school had been, also, built and a narrow road for motorbikes. During our visit to rural areas we could often see new brand schools. The development pattern from above was the same everywhere and the widening of the road to Cao Bang was like its symbol. In the mean time, Japa Vietnam's assistance concentrates on those left out of public development programs, like village people and slum dwellers. Since now the problems are more complicated a variety of answers is much needed.
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