The Meaningful Journey from Service Learning School Trip to life-altering House Building Project in Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

The Meaningful Journey from Service Learning School Trip to life-altering House Building Project in Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

As we finally reach the end of 2023, our Scivi Travel team has just acknowledged the 10th anniversary of the Overseas Building, reaching our 10^th houses (two of which were built in September 2023). This project marks a major milestone since 2013 when our first trip started in My Tho, Mekong Delta, which lies at the southern end of Vietnam. From that point, with the help of more than 15 schools, universities, and corporations, the project has drawn out the influential opportunity to join hands between students, teachers, and local authorities, bringing happiness to those who have never known the face of fortune, thus, creating the meaningful experience that provides the ideal environment for students to learn and grow, all over of Mekong Delta.

HOW DOES IT START?

Starting with a simple school trip project to discover the Mekong Delta, Scivi Travel has been building a solid relationship with the city community, government, and locals in every part of My Tho and still keeping in great touch all over the years. Through their scope, our team witnessed the beautiful and attractive scenery, but also, with our own eyes, seeing its true color, the hardship that weaves between the vibrant life of My Tho.

Although, My Tho is situated in the heart of thriving agriculture and seafood trade, benefits from its fertile soil and extensive waterways that facilitate the thriving production of tropical fruits, fisheries, and rice. Despite its economic prosperity, the region still faces challenges in adequately meeting the welfare and support needs of its disadvantaged population. We meet with some residents who struggle to meet their basic needs and face difficulties in improving their living conditions, children with limited access to education, inadequate job opportunities, and lack of social support…

Numerous broken-down houses in South Vietnam are constructed from fragile materials, rendering them highly susceptible to flooding and heavy weather damage, especially during the region’s notoriously heavy rainy season. These poorly built homes, which used to be referred to as basic huts rather than sturdy homes, often become completely destroyed by strong storms. Consequently, they are always living in fear of life and death, and spend most of their small income fixing the worn-out materials.

At that exact moment, we realized the potential that lies between tourism and service learning, after some need analysis, we came to the decision to develop a house-building project that constructing new houses for the most vulnerable families would not only address immediate safety concerns but also yield significant long-term advantages, families can now shift their focus on security to the their off springs future education.

Due to its close proximity to Ho Chi Minh City, which is approximately a 2-hour drive away, My Tho has emerged as a favorable destination for educational groups seeking visits. The support from numerous schools and universities in funding and constructing over 10 houses since 2013 has been invaluable. These institutions have played a transformative role in the project, leaving a lasting impact on the affected families. We cannot express enough gratitude for their continued acts of compassion and commitment to service learning, which have made a significant difference in the lives of those in need.

HOW THE THIRD PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT?

• Fund the construction building costs
• Support the actual build of the house/ helping to put all the pieces together under the supervisor and the support of the professional builders as well as our tour guide.

WHAT CAN THIRD PARTIES GET FROM THE PROJECT?

Student groups with 2 weeks of building the house will fully understand the works of a builder and a constructor, exploring the strengths and the deep of their health while in constant cement mixing and brick-layering works. This is the opportunity for students from international schools and universities to experience a life of struggle and poverty. Observing directly the environment of low living standards, for instance, serves as a thought-provoking realization of one’s own privilege.

Students can evolve through hard work and nurturing their inner-self thoughts, and find the connections that go beyond the language barriers. As an advantage of being a professional tour operator, we can help the students explore the full-of-life Asia activities in the Mekong Delta as a part of the school trip.

A CASE STUDY: MRS. HANG FAMILY

This year 2023 marks the 10-year landmark of the journey, as well as the 9^th and 10^th house. Two of them were completed in September and one of them is Mrs Hang Family, based in My Tho, Trung An Ward.

2022 was completely disastrous for Mrs. Hang, her husband – who was under cancer treatment for almost a decade – has passed away. Leaving Mrs. Hang with their 14-year-old daughter in a terrible condition house (40m2).

When our team met her, she introduced herself as an independent woman, who works 3 low-paid jobs per day to have enough money for her daughter to go to school as well as maintain the house at the lowest cost possible. Early in the morning, she helps with cooking and selling box meals for a local shop for 5 USD, weaving clothes for 1-2 USD in the afternoon, and staying up late in the evening folding bags to make an extra. Their only daughter is now in grade 7 and has shown off a lot of talent in drawing and is a great student at school.

“After we spend all of our income finding the cure for my husband, with the slightest hope, that he will overcome and we will go through all the difficulties together, but luck never once, on our side… That leaves us with nothing to maintain the house. Every night, when the heavy wind and rain hit the roof, we can feel the house trembling and shaking, my daughter and I have to sleep in fear of being squashed when it breaks down. Now I don’t even bother to take care of myself anymore, all I want is to have my daughter fully educated, so she can have a brighter future” – Mrs. Hang shared.

Today, the entirety of their meager income is allocated towards essential needs such as food, clothing, and school fees, leaving no resources for improving their living conditions. As a result, their house progressively deteriorated and became susceptible to flooding, particularly during the hot rainy season when water levels can rise as high as 30-40 centimeters. Attaining a new and secure home remained a dream for Mrs. Hang.

Now, equipped with a sturdy and comfortable home, it will become a solid spiritual prop for Mrs. Hang and her daughter to focus on generating income and education without the constant concern for their fundamental right to shelter.

While each story of poverty like Mrs. Hang’s may seem to vary, there remains a common thread among them in My Tho, a large province. There are numerous families that Scivi Travel, along with engaged schools and universities, can continue assisting for years to come. This housing initiative has no fixed completion date, as our commitment to the community will endure indefinitely.

It is truly heartening to witness the profound impact of direct acts of kindness facilitated through service learning, involving students and teachers from various corners of the globe. These initiatives have fostered invaluable connections and provided financially disadvantaged families, such as those in My Tho, with a secure and promising future.