A loving class of over hundred migrant children at Tan Phu, HCMC: A significant life-long learning

A Loving class of over 100 migrant illiterate children situated in Tan Phu was established in early 2010 by Tam and his wife, the hearts of gold, who have been dedicated to hundreds of migrant uneducated children in need. Like many other migrants, seven years ago Tam and his wife together with their two sons moved to Ho Chi Minh City from Vung Tau to earn their living by opening a vegetarian restaurant in the neighbourhood where many poor migrants were settling down. Many of these people brought their children, but did not send them to school due to their no permanent residence or registered residence and/or very low income and/or unawareness of necessity of education owing to their low education. Meanwhile, state primary schools were crowded enough for the city child dwellers. Instead of attending formal schools, some children wandered here and there without any purpose, some were forced to work as lottery ticket sellers, or to assist their parents in the business. Some were not cared for at all because of their parents’ unhappiness or divorce. Some children left their families to make money by street vending, begging and so forth. To witness their situations, Tam and his family members couldn’t help taking prompt actions for the poor souls. At first, they tutored and gave food to tens of those who were orphaned and abandoned and hungry although they were not much wealthier than other poor families. Little by little, more illiterate migrant children nearby came over to be tutored about how to read and write Vietnamese words. They couldn’t say ‘no’ to any child no matter what would happen. Thereby, the self establishment of a loving school was made without any expectation. Tutoring over twenty children was originally undertaken kind of smoothly in a small living room. This is to say that everything was in their control. However, time after time, more and more children continued to join their free loving school, putting them into a dilemma owing to the excess of their low income. Tam, his wife, and their two sons were altogether striving for a feasible solution to this problem. Finally, they all came to an important decision to sell some land, for a large fortune in Vung Tau to which they were heir from their Great ancestors to get money for renting a bigger single room house for the happiness of the disadvantaged children. These poor children are always welcome at any time to their loving class where they played cheerfully one another and were served free nutritious meals every day before starting lessons taught by Tam himself, his wife, their sons and other voluntary university students. However, the house rent was so high (550 AUDs per month) that they could not stand it. Therefore, since the mid 2012, Từ Hòa-CICG have sponsored 3600 – 4400 AUDs (depending on the exchange rates) to this loving class through which the founder and his staff have been able to maintain the significant lifelong learning for the illiterate children. Our appeal is deeply delivered for your on-going support on this life-long learning model for a great number of migrant disadvantaged children roughing it in Saigon.