By Sara Nerone | Founder
Hello Friends!
So much has changed globally, and we have all had to adjust our lives immensely. We hope that you are managing OK during the pandemic.
Like in the U.S., the schools were closed in Vietnam during the spring, and we had to adjust our Bikes for Girls program. Instead of giving 20 bikes out at a time, we were able to continue to hold smaller bike givings with only 10 girls, abiding by the Vietnamese government’s Covid-19 guidelines. So far this year, we have identified t230 girls who have needed transportation to get to school. Thanks to your support, all 230 girls have received their new bicycles and helmets.
Nhi, shown in the photos with her mom, was one of our bike recipients last month. Typical of many of the girls we support, she is 11 years old and in grade 6 this year. Nhi was born into a large family of four kids- two brothers, 16 and 14 years old, and one sister who is 3 years old. Nhi’s father does odd jobs like many local men and hasn’t had a stable job or income. The family gets by, but frequently, when additional money is needed for school supplies or medicine, the family can’t afford them. Nhi’s mom stays at home to take care of the house and Nhi’s siblings, especially the young baby. As an income, her mom is raising two cows at their home.
“Nhi has always been a good student, and is very sociable,” her teachers say. Nhi told us that she loves taking physical education in school and hopes to become a teacher one day!
This summer Rock-Paper-Scissors Children’s Fund received a small grant to establish a summer tutoring program for girls as part of our Bikes for Girls program. All Vietnamese students must past grade-level entrance exams each year that are very difficult. Those students who can afford additional tutoring are often the most successful, leaving those behind who cannot afford the extra support. We have always felt that providing tutoring to girls during the summer months will help give the girls a great advantage in entering the next grade. We piloted the program over the summer, holding tutoring classes four days a week for six weeks with 27 girls. We hope to expand on this program over the next few years to add more girls.
Thank you all for reading this update and, as always, providing us with the financial support to make all of this happen!
Take care everyone,
Sara
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