OUR STORY

HOW WE WORK

We charge $6 USA each short story, The money we recieve from our books we use for our shop exspenses William Cuong will not advertise for any one and we also will not recieve any sponsorship from any one at all .

MY SPONSORS .

They are Austrian socialist Ambassadors working in Ha Noi from 1997 to 2000, I also was recruited by KOTO (for disavantage youth in Viet Nam ) in 1999 to 2001 . In 2001 , I got a certificate at KOTO and moved to work in a restaurant . At that time Mr and Mrs Ambassador left Viet Nam without contact ,but they left money for secratary to pay for school .This is my story . There are many other good and bad stories . Here is is one of my friend's stories about a gentleman , who i appriciate now after I have been helped by the Ambassador and KOTO .

Hung was a bright 16 year old boy , who came from another province and who worked with me on the street in Ha Noi , selling postcards for about fives year . Hung had become well known face in the area he worked , particularly with a number of expats . Hung had a physical deformity that attracted a great deal of attention and sympthy over the years .The problem was a treatable one , some thing that is easily resolved in the West but in Viet Nam is almost impossible to fix for a street child .

Like many postcard sellers ,Hung spoke very good English and could easily interact with , and charm , foreign tourists, Many street children become great storytellers, realising that hard-luck tales (often exaggerated ,though base on reality ) are a good way to get money .It is also a way of attracting the sympathy ,attention and affection the children obviously lack and yearn for .

This gentleman is about 50 years old . He stayed in the hotel where Hung often waited for the tourists . He said he come from Taxas USA doing business in Viet Nam and stayed in this hotel . He saw Hung outside the hotel and bought some postcards of couse he had a long talk with Hung .Since then whenever he comes to Ha Noi for bussiness he meets Hung and gives him money somtimes . He also sends Hung money by post

Over the years , a number of foreigners were taken by Hung and his problems .While they could do little to solve the underlying social problems that lead to homelessness , they did try to help him .

In Hung's case it was clear that some of later his problems could be solved with a straightforward trip to the doctor.Consequently, many people gave money without hesitation people would hang over one 100 or more and either taking to a doctor to plan an operation or they would trust him to make the visit himself .The majority of people who assisted Hung over the years were only visiting or doing bussiness the area for a short period of time ,so they were unable to follow up their support ,or assist Hung in his treatment.

Children like Hung has no idea how to be responsible for a large amounts of money .They do not get paid large pay packets -they rely on the goodwill of tourists to pay for overprised postcards to make enough cash to get though the day .Overcharging foreigners is justified by the belief that all foreigners are rich-what is an extra $5 to them ? The problem is that they become totally dependant on tourists as a souce of income.

So what happened to the money ?In Hung's case it sadly led him in to a life of drugs .He became a heroin addict. Like other addicts ,he was supported through drug rehabitation ,and went through five detoxification programmes .Why? The donor helping Hung usually unable to go through the programme with him and give the support and encouragement he desperately needed .If some one had paid in advance ,Hung would go along for the treatment -although he was addicted some tiny piece of will semed to remind him he must stop to survive.But, if Hung was given the money and respondsibility to take himself along to the hospital .as was so often the case, then the money was inevitably used for his next fix.

The problem with most addicts is that after going through the gruelling and lonely ordeal of detoxification,they leave the programme and end up back on the streets-exposed the same street life and drug culture as before.without proper counselling ,guidence or support .these youngters do not have the streng to walk away and begin their lives over without drugs.

People want to help ,but what they do not relise is that sometimes they are atually making the situation far worse,and in Hung's case creating even bigger problems that did not exist in the first place.If all of those or local organisations who could have helped Hung over the years had instead focused their time on seeking out people or local organisations who could have helped ,perhaps Hung would be alive today.Instead Hung no longer has that chance ,as his drug use resulted in him contracting AIDS .In the end ,Hung lost his battle.