"Bonjour Vietnam" musician visits Maison Chance residents

Musician Marc Lavoine, the composer of the hit Bonjour Vietnam recently drop a visit visited Nhà May Mắn (Maison Chance), the home of hundreds disadvantaged people in HCMC.

Maison Chance is a non-governmental organisation that provides housing, healthcare and vocational training for orphans, street children, and the disadvantaged and physically handicapped in Vietnam. Every year, it welcomes dozens of tourist groups from Asia, Europe and North America who take part in community activities at the village.

Arriving at Maison Chance on November 4, Marc had a memorable day at the center, where he spent time learning about the history and mission of the Maison Chance, and especially, learning about the life of its residents via talking to them and observing how they study, work and live there.

During the visit, the French musician also presented gifts to Maison Chance residents.

*Marc's visit in pictures (Credited to Maison Chance)

The musician then visited the families living at Village Chance. They are families with one or two disabled people living in wheelchair-accessible apartments.

The musician carefully unpacked the gifts to be presented to Maison Chance members.

Handing gift to a handicapped resident of Maison Chance.

Marc in a group photo with students in a primary school in Maison Chance. He gave them gifts including candy, milk and school supplies.

Since Maison Chance's founder, Tim Aline Rebeaud was abroad for some fundraising campaigns, Marc and her did not have chance to meet in person. The musician sent her his greetings with his promise to stay in touch with Maison Chance and his desire to return to the center in the future.

About Marc Lavoine

Marc Lucien Lavoine (born 1962) is a well-known musician and singer in France and Belgium. He is a member of the Les Enfoires, a group of French celebrities who assemble each year for a charity concert tour.

Born to a musical family on the outskirts of Paris, at 16 Lavoine wanted to be a television performer, but later recognised that music was his real dream. In 2004 and 2006, he was nominated for best male artist in France, and once appeared on the big screen in the movie Toute la Beaute dans ce Monde (All the Beauty in this World) by Marc Esposito.

His name became familiar to music fans in Vietnam since his song Bonjour Vietnam made waves in Vietnamese communities all over the world. The song, performed by Vietnamese Belgian aritist, Pham Quynh Anh was posted on the Internet in January 2006. Bonjour Vietnam has touched the heart of millions listeners, as it was sung with all the passion of a 19-year-old girl, who, as the song goes, wishes someday to visit her ancestral Viet Nam.

Bonjour Vietnam later has an English and Vietnamese version has become a popular song, featured in various events in Vietnam and abroad.

About Maison Chance

Maison Chance was founded by a Swiss painter name Aline (Tim) Rebeaud after her encountering with street children while traveling to HCMC as a tourist in 1993. Since then, Maison Chance has expand its functioning categories and has gone beyond its initial purpose of a shelter.

With specialized vocation training center, workshop, guest house, restaurant, Maison Chance has been providing training and create jobs for its disadvantaged members in six fields, including painting, computing, handicrafts, table service, and baking. Made-by-Maison Chance members' products are as perse as stuffed animals made of brocade, paintings, bamboo lamps, picture frames, pastries. The centre also offers service such as guest stay, restaurants.

Along with its three centres in HCM City, the Maison Chance Shelter, Take Wings Centre and Village Chance, the NGO’s fourth centre, Dak Nong Social Center was inaugurated in September.

​Maison Chance’s representative branches in Belgium, Canada, the US, France and Switzerland generate funds that ensure stability for the work done in Vietnam./.

( P.Y )