Jan Genkens riding with his foster son to greet the villagers

A Happy Meeting

 

Created with a good purpose by a young Belgian man, Donxa, an NGO, is developing well and attracting more sponsors from Belgium, Germany and other European countries.

Thanks to the sponsorship Donxa has received, many Vietnamese children from poor family are given chances to attend school and receive medical treatments. Financial Aid for Poor Children, one of many projects, was more successful than expected.

Nguyễn Thùy Linh (left) is sitting next to her foster mum Liesbeth Van Bael.

October 26 was a special day. It was the ninth time Donxa awarded grants to unfortunante children in Co Loa, a poor district in Dong Anh, Hanoi since 2002. Also it was the first time the Belgian foster parents visited their foster children. Before then, the parents only knew the children through photographs and emails translated into English. They had prepared for this trip for a long time, learning about Vietnamese traditions and culture, the children’s hobbies, and their foster children’s family so they could bring good presents. When they met their foster children, they held them tight as though they were acquaintances that had not seen each other for a long time.

Anny Steurs, age 53, is a director of a real estate agency. She said, “I was seriously ill some years ago and after that incident, I felt sympathetic to those in need, especially poor children. I met Roby, the president of Donxa, and after a talk about Donxa’s humanitarian project, I decided to pay tuition for Dong Dao Lam, a child in need. On this trip, I not only visited my foster kid, but also fostered another in Trung Chau, Dan Phuong commune, Hanoi.” Jan Steurs, Anny’s father (77 years old), has also sponsored Thieu Thi Men (Hamlet 11, Trung Chau district, Dan Phuong commune, Ha Tay) since the first day of the project. Besides paying tuition fee, Jan and Anny also sponsored to Wooden Door, Sind Cow projects and paid money for tables and bicycles. In her letter to her foster father, Thieu Thi Men wrote that she would like to have vocal lessons to become a music teacher as she sings quite well. Nguyen Ngoc Tu (Hamlet 2, Trung Chau) stayed up all night to draw a picture for his foster parents and he hopes to become an artist. The sponsors also talked to their foster children’s parents about the children’s dream and encouraged the children to learn what they like.

Jan Geukens (47 years old), a teacher of communication and connection counseling, visited his foster child, Nguyen Phu Vinh (Noi hamlet, Duc Thuong district, Hoai Duc commune, Ha Tay). He was very moved to be welcomed by all the villagers. He rode Vinh on his bike to greet all Vinh’s neighbours.

 After some first moments, the children and the sponsors quickly got close. Vietnamese families gave the sponsors local specialties like tea, green peas sticky rice, boiled corns, and fruits. Those children are opened up to a bright future thanks to their family, community and the kind-hearted sponsors.

Nguyễn Linh

Translated from the source: http://www.hanoimoi.com.vn/newsdetail/giao_duc/107365/cu7897c-g7863p-g7905-h7841nh-phuc.htm