Volunteer for children with special needs

Jenny Osterlund Start Date: Mar 1, 2017 - End Date: Nov 5, 2017
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Volunteer Trip
  • Hanoi, Hà Nội, Vietnam

My Travel Story

by: Jenny Osterlund Start Date: Mar 1, 2017 - End Date: Nov 5, 2017
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Volunteer Trip
Hello everyone!
Im a 25 year old girl from Finland, now studying special care for people with disabilities, everything between autism and epilepsy. I've worked with children with special needs for the last four, almost five, years so it feels natural for me to do this education.
I've been thinking about volunteering for so long now, but never really found anything that fits me 200% until a week ago when I found VIVPS through a Swedish organisation. Its in Vietnam, they have work in both south and north but the need for volunteers is bigger in Ba Vi, a place outside Hanoi. This is the only organisation that offers volunteers to do this kind of work, its very rare and thats a shame because there are so many people with special needs that need the right kind of help. There is a center with 360 people, from children to elders, all with some kind of disabilities. Im most interested to work with the younger ones since that is my speciality byt ofcourse Im there for everyvody. The organisation (IndigoTravel) also told me that there are very few volunteers with some kind of experience within this area and that my work would be much appreciated. Knowing that there are so many in need, who has no one else in a life like just breaks everything inside me. I feel like I have so much to give and so much information to share, and I also want to bring a lot of materials with me, from painting books to different communication ideas. There is just so much to help with! And it would give me experience like nothing else. My plan is to stay for minimum three weeks and then go back for a longer period of time. I dont only want to do this once, this is something I want to make a part of my life.
The reason im trying to fundraise is because its so expensice to travel, flight tickets are around 500-600€ and the cost to the organisation is 1100€ for three weeks, (a place to stay, three meals a day and transport to and from the airport in Hanoi). Im trying to save up so I could stay longer since two weeks are way too little, but saving extra money is hard when im stydying and only working part time.

To get everything in order for this trip would mean the world to me, there is nothing I wanna do as much as this.
I will create a blog about this and future volunteer trips!

Also wondering, what would YOU want back for donating?

Love,
Jenny!
  • Hanoi, Hà Nội, Vietnam