New Life Page for "Invisible" Children - Vietnam

REPORT ON THE NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT INITIATIVE FOR DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS AT AI LINH CHARITY SCHOOL

Overview:  Ai Linh Charity School serves the children of low-income migrant families who have moved to Ho Chi Minh City from neighboring provinces in search of a livelihood. These families rely on unstable, manual jobs, such as selling lottery tickets, construction work, street vending, scrap collecting, or house cleaning. Due to the nature of their work, many parents leave home early and return late, making it difficult for them to care for their children properly. As a result, many students are left alone in rented rooms after school without adult supervision for meals or study.

A common issue is that many students do not receive adequate lunch. During the midday hours, without supervision, they often wander around, watch inappropriate media, get influenced by older peers, and neglect homework. These circumstances negatively impact their physical and mental health, as well as their motivation and academic performance. Many students perform at an average or below-average level, and some exhibit behavioral problems due to a lack of proper care in terms of nutrition, education, and emotional support at home.

The project “A New Chapter – A Meal for Every Child” is a joint effort between MSD United Way Vietnam and Ai Linh Charity School. It aims to provide nutritious lunches for 40 disadvantaged students during the 2024–2025 school year. The goal is to improve their physical health, provide emotional support, and reduce negative environmental influences. These meals are expected to contribute to better physical development, improve learning opportunities, ease the burden on families, and reduce the school’s financial strain.

Project/Model Results: For seven months, the project successfully delivered 5,600 lunch meals to 40 students. In January and May, meals were converted into 80 essential supply packages for students and their families to use during Tet and summer

10-Year Appreciation Event of the "A New Life Page" Project

On January 11, 2025, MSD United Way Vietnam, with support from MoMo, the University of Economics in Ho Chi Minh City, and other partners, successfully organized the 10th Anniversary Appreciation Event for the “A New Life Page” Project under the theme "Going to School is No Longer a Wish". This appreciation event was made even warmer and more meaningful by the participation of the core group who have been with the project since its early days, 100 children supported by the project, donors, experts, and ambassadors who have joined the cause.

The event included a series of standout activities such as an exhibition showcasing 10 years of the project’s activities: interactive games like the drawing contest “Going to School is No Longer a Wish”, hopscotch, learning about the information and results of the “A New Life Page” project, and exciting performances by children involved in the project as well as guest singers. This diverse series of artistic activities attracted the attention and enjoyment of many children.

At the opening of the event, Mrs. Nguyen Phuong Linh – Director of the Management and Sustainable Development Institute MSD, Founder of MSD United Way Vietnam, and the initiator of the project, along with key members of the "A New Life Page" project, shared the 10-year journey of the project. Everyone reflected on the memories of those who have been "living for the good of others," always committed to ensuring that every child has a birth certificate, official recognition, and the right to access basic child rights, no matter the circumstances. "If there is no road, let’s make one" – this was the story of the “A New Life Page” project over the past decade, striving to create precedents and solutions to provide birth certificates for children in difficult situations, and continue to support them with education, healthcare, and other essential needs.

As a highlight of the “A New Life Page 2024” campaign – themed "Education is No Longer A Wish," the roundtable discussion titled "Access to Equitable Education So No One is Left Behind" featured experts with extensive knowledge and experience, delving into various aspects of vulnerable children and solutions for equitable education. The event concluded with a gift presentation to 100 children benefiting from the project and its partners, officially closing a decade of heartfelt work, and paving the way for many more decades of bright futures for children in Vietnam.