Nigel Spence, CEO ChildFund Australia, with children at Phu Minh preschool in Vietnam. Photo provided by ChildFund

ChildFund Vietnam is the representative office of ChildFund Australia – an independent international development organisation that works to reduce poverty for children in developing communities.

ChildFund Australia is a member of the ChildFund Alliance – a global network of 11 organisations which assists more than 13 million children and their families in over 60 countries.

ChildFund began working in Vietnam in 1995 and works in partnership with children, their communities and local institutions to create lasting change, respond to humanitarian emergencies and promote children’s rights. Projects are implemented across the northern provinces of Bac Kan, Cao Bang and Hoa Binh, where the majority of people are from ethnic minority groups, often the most vulnerable or marginalised sections of the population.

ChildFund Vietnam’s projects focus on education, water and sanitation, sustainable livelihoods, child rights and child protection, food security, and maternal and child health, including HIV prevention. ChildFund Vietnam also prioritises building the resilience of young people, by giving children and youth the opportunity to take part in sports, vocational education and life skills training, and supporting their participation in local decision-making processes.

VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga awards Nigel Spence the ‘Medal for Peace and Friendship among Nations’. Photo: VNF

At the event, VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga also conveyed her deepest gratitude and warmest congratulations to Nigel Spence on this occasion.

Among the most active international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Vietnam, in the past years, Childfund Australia has made practical and significant contributions to development assistance, poverty reduction and humanitarian activities in Vietnam with the focus on children. The development of Childfund Australia and its successful stories in Vietnam would not have been possible without the leadership and strong support of Nigel Spence.

In his capacity as the CEO of ChildFund Australia, for the last 14 years, Nigel Spence has led ChildFund Australia through significant growth and changes, making it a leading organization in creating new opportunities for vulnerable children, their families and communities in the world, including Vietnam. He has directed Childfund Australia in establishing effective project monitoring and evaluation systems to continuously improve the quality and sustainability of its development programs in Vietnam.

He has also actively coordinated members of the Global ChildFund Alliance and other donors to ensure a stable source of funding for the organization's support activities in all project locations in Vietnam. This is crucial to the long-term sustainability of ChildFund’s programs giving children a better livelihood where they can be protected and nurtured, Nga added.

In recognition of the great contributions by Nigel Henderson Spence to Vietnam, the Presidium of the VUFO has decided to award him the ‘Medal for Peace and Friendship among Nations’ - the highest recognition of VUFO to inpiduals and organizations with significant/important contributions to Vietnam.

On behalf of the VUFO, Nga express the sincere thanks to Nigel Spence and ChildFund Australia for their support to children of Vietnam, as well as to the development of the country which is also an important contribution to the promotion of friendly relations and strategic partnership between Vietnam and Australia.

Nigel Spence will be moving on from his role as CEO in December 2019, after long and tireless service. The VUFO President expressed her belief that in any future capacity, Spence will be a close friend and great supporter of Vietnam, adding that the VUFO will work closely with ChildFund Australia in Vietnam, as well as all foreign NGOs to further develop friendship and cooperation between the people of Vietnam and countries around the world for the sake of peace and sustainable development.

For his part, Nigel Spence expressed his honor to receive such noble award and sincerely thanked VUFO for the recognition; thanked the VUFO for their support for him and the ChildFund Australia in Vietnam.

Recalling notable achievements of ChildFund over the years, he paid tribute to ChildFund Vietnam team’s effort, ChildFund Australia Board as well as Australian people and Government’s supports.

Stressing his strong and deep connection to Vietnam, he promised that in any future positions, he will try his best to make contributions to fostering bilateral ties between Vietnam and Australia./.

Mai Anh