2018 Summary

TTO has had some new significant funding from other sources. Great news as there has been a fantastic construction project now completed with the standard of living dramatically increased. As you can see some of the photos below. Our two university students, Phuong and Huong have completed their year 2 and have commenced year 3. They did quite well academically. They also have started working part time as waitresses in restaurants to support their study. Phuc, Hung and Bi have completed their apprenticeship to become jewellers. However after a few months working, they found health issues due to the poor working environment and have stopped. Phuc and Hung now help … Continue reading

2016-2017, An Excellent school year for TTO

t has been a big year for education at TTO.  The school year 2016-2017 has ended. There were quite a few achievements in both in the academic and extracurricular fields. Thanks to your help and support, The kids did well in school. They are now enjoying a 3 months summer holiday (maybe Ms Cu prefers them to be in school rather than on holiday , too crazy for all of them to be at home all the time;-)  Please see a few photos and achievements: 2. Bao won the gold medal for running (He’s the running man). Bao and Khang won silver medal for team running. Vi  and Hieu also … Continue reading

Recent News from TTO in 2016

Saigon Dragons Rugby Club with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Les Enfants du Dragon – Association organized a rugby day where everyone got to learn some basic skills about rugby. Aren’t they a happy bunch of kids? Also they had a chance to go to Vun Tau, the famous beach resort, and enjoyed themselves to the full. They also had a medical check up by doctors. The rest of progress made here this year can be told by the mother of the orphanage, Ms. Cu in this letter to Tim who has been a good supporter of TTO along with his friends. … Continue reading

How E-learning room came about at TTO

Early this year in May on one of many trips to our beloved rough and tough orphanage TTO, we summoned the retired architect but still full time father “Bunyip” to put his legacy craft to work, scratching a few lines to paper, to plan and construct TTO’s first electronic learning room.  A space with computers, electronic learning platforms, internet connections, and air conditioning was our goal. This turned out to be an interesting project, with the occasional hurdle 🙂 Some that come to mind are language barriers and geographical locations, with the Bunyip in Australia, Thanh, Salmon and myself in Singapore, our amazing builders/IT team in Ho Chi Minh city, … Continue reading

Friends’ visit in May, 2015

On the first weekend of May 2015, Tim, one of TTO’s long time friends and supporters, along with his friend, Jason, Jason’s colleagues and Miss Thanh paid a visit to TTO. They took the kids by van to a soccer field which TTO was able to purchase with the donations Tim and his friends had raised thru a charity dinner event two years ago!  In Vietnam, soccer is a very popular sport among boys but usually these boys play in a small alley, so needless to say, it was a special treat and they all had a great time. In the afternoon, Tim met with the builders to discuss the … Continue reading

TTO’s 14th annual summer trip

From August 1-4th, TTO was able to make a trip to Dalat city which is located above 1,500m sea level. It is one of the most popular tourist sites in Vietnam. A lot of newlyweds go there for their honey moon and it is also called a City of Love. At the end of 19th century, The French was looking for a resort for the French army officers and built Dalat city which is 7-8 hours bus ride from Ho Chi Minh city. Miss Cu has been wanting to go there for a few years and this was the first time they’ve gone there. Of course it’s cooler, and it … Continue reading

Mid-Autumn Festival with Kids of Truyen Tin Orphanage

In celebration of Mid-Autumn festival, Silver Lining English club members gathered together at Truyen Tin orphanage on Sunday morning – 30.09.2012. For many Asians, Mid-Autumn Festival is a time to gather with their families to enjoy a meal and to admire the beauty of the moon. In Vietnam, it is known as the biggest festival of the year for children. According to ancient folklore, Vietnamese parents tried to make up for any lost time with their children during the harvest time, by celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival to show their love for their children. Taking advantage of this festival to get closer to each other as well as to enhance the … Continue reading

Sucess Stories

Girl holding orphan

Though some teens leave TTO, wanting independence and freedom, which makes Miss Cu and other caretakers very sad, there are some who stay and become good older brothers and sisters to the younger ones. I interviewed several of these young people. Ms. Hang came to TTO when she was ten years old. Her parents had financial difficulty and couldn’t raise her. She said the following; “ After I arrived there, I felt love from Miss Cu and other children. I know Miss Cu loves all the children at TTO. I graduated from a University and studied English at an English school. I got a job at an advertisement company and … Continue reading