Binh Tho Life Skills Lessons

BIS HCMC have had the pleasure of working with Binh Tho School for the past 5 years. Binh Tho children visit us throughout the year and take part in a number of different activities with our students, such as: F3 playdates, Project Impact (Secondary), Friendship club and Busy Hands (Junior).

What makes the projects so successful for both BIS HCMC and our community partners is that students don’t need to spend all their time fundraising, but are able to use their time getting to know children in the community and learning together - leading to friendships and a stronger connection.

We would not be able to focus on this aspect of service learning if it wasn’t for the incredible support of the PTG and parent community. Through fundraising events such as the Spring Fair and Christmas BISzaar the school community are able to fundraise so that we can support our community partners. This has had a huge impact on our holistic approach to community service and helps balance the programme.

This year, with the support from both the Primary and Secondary PTGs, we organised for 40 students from Binh Tho School to receive Life Skills lessons from trained psychologists from the International Center for Cognitive Development in Thao Dien.

Ryan and Minh, with the help of Azrael Jeffery, organised an 8-week programme where students could learn about emotions, self-awareness, empathy, family and growth – ending with a big party to celebrate the students hard work.

Sister Khuong, Binh Tho:

Trong suốt khóa học sang tuần thứ 3 trẻ tham gia vui hơn, mạnh dạn hơn, tự tin hơn và năng động hơn. Các em rất thích khóa học này. Cuối khóa Thày Cô đã chiếu Video cho trẻ xem tiến trình diễn ra trong khóa. Kết khóa bằng một bữa liên hoan nhẹ nhàng mà trẻ rất thích.

Sr thay lời cho trẻ BTO xin hết lòng cám ơn Cô Clover, Cô Hương, Cô Hiền, Quí Thày Cô cùng Quí Phụ Huynh trường BIS đã triển khai để tổ chức cho trẻ BTO được trải nghiệm khóa học thật rất quí. Sr hy vọng qua khóa học này các em thêm hiểu biết sâu sắc hơn, yêu đời, yêu cuộc sống hơn và nắm bắt được giá trị cuôc sống tốt hơn.

After the third week of the course, the children become more confident in taking part and were more proactive with all activities. They really loved it. At the end of the course, the teachers showed a small video clip about what the students had done during the class and they had a farewell party which they really enjoyed. On behalf of Binh Tho kids, we would like to express our sincere thanks to BIS PTG & staff who supported us with organising this meaningful course which the kids had a valuable opportunity to experience. I hope that through doing the course, the students will understand and enjoy life thoroughly and capture the value of life better!

Thank you to the International Center for Cognitive Development for your support with this project!

The main focus for this year’s PTG support for community partners is sustainability and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 - Quality Education. Looking forward, we will continue to focus community service and fundraising on sustainability and look to promote a development mind-set instead of charity mind-set. We aim for our partners to become empowered by their experiences with our students as well as the opportunities we will try and give them through the PTG financial support.

Binh Tho School

Binh Tho provides education for over 150 children who are disadvantaged in Thu Duc District. Many of the children come from families who have migrated from rural areas of Vietnam to HCMC for a better life. The children at Binh Tho are unable to go to government school for different reasons. Some children do not have the right paperwork (birth certificate, parent ID, area registration cards) and others need to work to support their families.

Through the education and training they receive at the school, the students are better equipped to integrate with society.

Binh Tho is one of the schools that are supported by the organisation Friends for Street children (FFSC). More information about their programmes can be found here: http://ffscvn.org/?lang=en.

BIS HCMC and Binh Tho School 

Binh Tho have been taking part in a wide range of clubs across the 5 years we have worked with them. They have enjoyed activities such as aerobics club, swimming club and eco club at the Junior Campus. They also visit F3 students for playdates as part of their F3 year group community project.

This term, 12 students are taking part in the Secondary Growing Minds club every Thursday afternoon. Growing Minds Club aims to support Binh Tho students with their learning by providing them with fun and educational activities at BIS.

As with all our community projects, we want our students to focus on the time and energy they spend with partners. However, thanks to the PTG and school donations, BIS are able to support them with their wish lists as well.

We truly value our partnership with Binh Tho and look forward to another great year!

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Clover Sharman, Community Service Project Manager

#BISCommunity