The children at Minh Hac Community, Phu Tho Province, North Vietnam who have excelled at school this year.

Russell Cooper and Rowan McClean visited MInh Hac in June 2011, met the children and continued progress on economic development and infrastructure projects. We expect to start a pig-raising operation in 2012 and to trial the use of large rainwater tanks for drinking and cooking.  Another visit from Australia will be made in the second half of the year.

To demonstrate how a little goes a long way (especially with no overheads), a sponsor paid for a refrigerated cabinet for the Health Clinic in Minh Hac where all the medicines previously were kept in a cupboard.  Apart from deterioration from heat, there were restrictions on what could be kept in stock before this purchase.  Now World Health Organisation vaccines can be kept refrigerated and taken to remote villages in styrofoam packs on motor cycles and babies immunised with one injection against six diseases! The total cost was less than $400.

OVERVIEW

See our video at <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StbLxmxzRgY>


NO COSTS, NO WASTAGE OF FUNDS

We are a unique Charitable Trust in that we have no costs.  Our one recurrent cost, bank transfer fees, is covered by a specific sponsor.

DONATIONS TO BOTH OF OUR KEY PROJECTS, IN THE MINH HAC COMMUNITY IN VIETNAM AND IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN BALI, ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE

We have planned carefully and established trustworthy volunteer groups in Australia and in VIETNAM and INDONESIA to ensure that our activities do not attract overheads in any form, and to ensure that funds are not vulnerable to "commissions, local charges or unorthodox practices".  We work co-operately with governments but outside their formal structures. 

Sponsorships and donations have been granted tax deductibility from through the Rotary Australia World Community Service program.


VIETNAM

OKF was set up in September, 2008 to assist extremely poor children of Minh Hac (Vietnam) with the following objectives:

1. Fund education for the poorest children

2. Examine options for further education and employment after their schooling

3. Identify community infrastructure and improvement opportunities

4. Help establish Rotary International in Vietnam through demonstrable benefits from unofficial assistance.


A summary of OKF achievements follows:

SCHOOLING

Currently, the 25 neediest children are being supported with schooling and their lives by Australian sponsors. 

Further education to tertiary level and through vocational streams are being investigated as options for some of the children.  Our first two graduates from secondary school, Hoa and Trang,  have made us very proud  by winning places at University.

Economic development opportunities also exist that could produce local employment.

INFRASTRUCTURE SUMMARY

The People's Committee was supplied with a computer.

The Health Centre has been provided with a computer and printer, its first refrigerated cabinet and funds to buy supplementary medicines and to meet operating costs. The refrigerator has enabled the use of vaccines and an outreach inoculation program is underway using styrofoam packs on motor cycles.

The Primary School, which had no computers until last year, now has an operating computer room with 20 machines. 

The Rotary Club of North Balwyn and its Interact Club at Balwyn High School have helped fund the construction of the first Community Resource Centre.  

Improving drinking water quality is predicted to have beneficial health outcomes for the community.


INDONESIA

In 2010 the Foundation has commenced operations in Indonesia.

The activities to date have been:

1. The support of 11 needy children in Sebali Primary School

2. Planning for a major project for books and computer hubs to be installed in Primary Schools

3. English Language Teaching by Australian volunteers 


The level of support by sponsors for Bali children has been extraordinary.  We are expanding support to other Primary Schools in 2012 in co-operation with the Rotary Club of North Balwyn and the Rotary Club of Bali Ubud Sunset.  The proposal is to help develop and expand school libraries in up to 33 schools in Payangan District.


KIds at Sebali Primary School, Ubud, Indonesia

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