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Exotissimo Travel: Making a Difference in Vietnam

Vietnam's beauty belies some of the tragedies of its past as years of war have taken its toll on the land and the people. We work with charities throughout the country to help improve the lives of the Vietnamese people and help pave the way for a successful future. Through visiting craft shops providing skills and jobs to disabled or underprivileged youth, supporting efforts for wildlife conservation and donating educational materials to rural schools we are making a difference and encourage our travelers to do the same while on their Vietnam tour.

EAST MEETS WEST FOUNDATION

The East Meets West Foundation (EMW), with offices in Hanoi, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City, works in the core areas of education, medical care, clean water sanitation, infrastructure development to improve opportunities for the disadvantaged children and their families. EMW works to improve the health and education levels of Vietnam's disadvantaged people by building partnerships, developing opportunities, and creating innovative and sustainable solutions for challenges faced by these vulnerable communities.

How to help:

Make a donation to East Meets West Foundation

What your money can buy:

• USD 10 provides a child with free dental care for one year through EMW's Dental Program
• USD 30 provides a person with clean water through an EMW piped water system
• USD 75 provides an impoverished child in Central Vietnam with one year of secondary school education

A visit to any EMW projects in Hanoi, Danang or Ho Chi Minh City can be included in our Join In Tour of Vietnam. Volunteering opportunities with EMW can be added as an extension to any Vietnam tour.

Learn more about how you can help East Meets West in their efforts to aid disadvantaged people in Southeast Asia by visiting East Meets West.

WILDLIFE AT RISK

Wildlife At Risk (WAR) is dedicated to protecting Vietnam's biodiversity by fighting illegal wildlife trade, raising environmental awareness and promoting the conservation of endangered species and their habitats. WAR's Cu Chi Rescue Center provides a rehabilitating facility for animals confiscated from illegal traders. Founded in September 2003, WAR is based in Ho Chi Minh City and active throughout the southern provinces of Vietnam.

How to help:

• Purchase WAR merchandise
• Make a donation to support WAR's works
• Do not support Vietnamese businesses that exploit endangered species
  

What your money can buy:

• USD 30 buys a month's supply of food and enrichment for a turtle
• USD 40 enables the printing and distribution of100 posters for WAR's campaign against the bear bile trade.
• USD 50 pays for a forest ranger to attend a one-day training workshop on endangered species recognition.
• USD 100 covers the production costs of teachers' environmental education resources for 100 schools.

A visit to WAR can be included on our Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temple Day Trip

Learn more on Wildlife At Risk actions in Vietnam at www.wildlifeatrisk.org.

KOTO

Standing for 'Know One, Teach One', KOTO is a registered charity supporting street and disadvantaged youth living in Vietnam. The founder and director, Jimmy Pham, aims to empower vulnerable children by providing the skills and education needed for a bright future. The KOTO Restaurant and Training Program teaches hospitality skills to young adults, integrating life skills and educational training into the curriculum. Exotissimo actively supports KOTO's annual bike rides, sponsors staff outings and arranges drink vouchers for interested clients.

How to help:

• Visit their café near the Temple of Literature in Hanoi
• Donate an item from their 'wish list' of educational and hospitality equipment
• Sponsor a trainee for USD100 per month
• Attend a KOTO cooking class, held every Tuesday
• Join the annual KOTO Ba Vi Bike Ride Fund Raiser (usually in December)

A meal at KOTO can be included in any Hanoi itinerary such as our Hanoi Escape.

Want to learn more about KOTO's programs in Vietnam? Read more on KOTO's website.

CHILDREN'S HOPE IN ACTION

Located in Hoi An, Children's Hope in Action (CHIA) is a grassroots charity that helps disadvantaged children and their families in Quang Nam province, central Vietnam. Established in 2006, the center focuses on providing health services, disability care and education programs for poor children.

How to help:

• Make a donation to CHIA

What your money can buy:

• USD 600 facilitates the surgery and long-term nutritional supplementation for a baby born with cleft lip and palate.
• USD 550 pays for the corrective orthopedic surgery for a child suffering from congenital bone deformities.
• USD 120 pays for a child's education needs including school fees, extra tuition, text books, uniforms and stationery for one year.
• USD 30 pays for a range of health checks for a child suffering from unknown conditions.

Travelers can visit CHIA while touring Hoi An on our Discover Hue and Hoi An tour.

Discover more about how you can help, read inspiring stories from CHIA's beneficiaries or make an on-line donation at www.childrenshopeinaction.org.

SAIGON CHILDREN'S CHARITY

Founded in 1992, Saigon Children's Charity (SCC) aims to help educate poor, disabled and vulnerable children from Ho Chi Minh City and the surrounding provinces. SCC runs various programs, including building schools in remote rural areas and special schools for the deaf, offering scholarships to poor children, providing English lessons and vocational training as well as supporting small trusted local charities.

How to help:

• Make a donation to SCC

What your money can buy:

• USD 50 buys rice for one child for a year or a new bicycle for a child who lives more than 5km from the school
• USD 65 buys a bicycle for a child living more than 5kms from his/her school
• USD 100 provides a scholarship for one child to go to school for one year.

A visit to SCC can be made while touring Ho Chi Minh City during our South Vietnam and Cambodia Unveiled tour.

Help break the cycle of poverty. Read more about how you can contribute to Saigon Children's Charity by visiting www.saigonchildren.com.

FAIR FASHION AFESIP

Agir pour les Femmes en Situation Precaire (AFESIP) seeks to combat sex trafficking of women and children and to provide support to victims by offering accommodation, healthcare, counseling and life skills training classes. AFESIP Fair Fashion is a garment atelier located in Ho Chi Minh City, providing training in sewing skills and jobs to former residents of its rehabilitation centre.

How to help:

• Get your clothes tailor-made at AFESIP Fair Fashion or buy the products online.

AFESIP Fair Fashion is an excellent visit to include in our Ho Chi Minh City Escape.

Browse the online clothing catalogue and make a purchase to directly contribute to Fair Fashion's ongoing efforts to end sex trafficking: www.fairfashionvn.org.

BLUE DRAGON CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION

The Hanoi-based Blue Dragon Children's Foundation (BDCF) works with street children, victims of child trafficking and poor families throughout Vietnam. The foundation aims to help underprivileged youth break from the poverty cycle by offering them educational and vocational training opportunities, as well as providing support for their physical, psychological and social needs.

How to help:

• Make a donation to BDCF 
• Check BDCF's online wishlist and donate required supplies

What your money can buy:

• USD  20  can sponsor a  child's  education and support  the entire school community for a month
• USD 65 can help a child to go to school

Dine at the Blue Dragon café in Hoi An's ancient town on our Highlights of Vietnam tour.

Sponsor a child, join the Blue Dragon mailing list or learn about more ways to get involved at www.bdcf.org.

POUSSIERES DE VIE 

Established in Ho Chi Minh City in 2002, Poussieres de vie (Dust of life) helps street children and their families by providing them with vocational training opportunities. Poussieres  de  Vie  has  since set  up several  centers, called  PointCom (DotCom), where street children are welcomed to interact with  volunteers,  learn  English, access the Internet under supervision and communicate with their sponsors.

How to help:

• Make a donation to  Poussieres de vie

What your money can buy:

• USD 10 helps a local family to keep one child in school for one month

• USD  20  provides  daily  computing  classes  to  one  child for one month

A visit to Poussieres de Vie can be made while touring Ho Chi Minh City at the beginning of our Absolute Vietnam Tour.

Read more about Poussier de Vie's ongoing projects, view photos or make a donation by visiting: www.poussieresdevie.org (note: Site is in French only).