‘’Over the past 25 years we have been supporting the orphans. So far Viet Nam's society has grown and the number of orphans is decreasing, so we will focus on education.’’

Every Lunar New Year, Ms. Thanh Binh Rybacki – President of COPI (short for Children of Peace International) returned to Vietnam.

This is a journey of shared love: giving presents to people who COPI is carrying, and those who accompany COPI to nurture and care for the underprivileged in all three regions of the country.

Dear Ms. Thanh Binh Rybacki, after the medical examination and treatment program, now I meet you in Spring journey – the journey of giving Tet gifts. Can you share something about this journey?

I am Vietnamese so I understand that Lunar New Year is very important to Vietnamese people. Thus, for more than a decade, the Children of Peace International has always given li xi to the nursery, the teachers and the volunteers of the Association in Vietnam. We give each of them a small amount of money for Tet. This year, there were about 800 recipients. The teachers in Viet Tri, Phu Tho make chung cake,we brought to the teachers in the South. And the teachers in the south make jam, we brought to the North. I just stand in the middle to do small things like that.

Ms. Thanh Binh Rybacki and a nephew at Hieu Nghia Kindergarten, Vinh Long province - where COPI sponsored construction since 2009.

The sharing of COPI brought a lot of fun, happiness for the unlucky fate in Vietnam. Surely in this journey there are always touching unforgettable stories?

Yes, for example, when coming to Soc Son leprosy village, there are family Tho and Nhi, all under 80 years old. When I asked the family if they had prepared for Tet, they replied that except for our chung cake, they had nothing. I bring a lot of essential things to each family. If they need something, I’ll give them that. I also give each family chung cake and fortune money. There is a fourth year university student telling me that this money is very much to him, he would change to odd and share to other villagers. I am very happy that I he learned to share.

As I remember, in the North, outside Soc Son leprosy village, COPI also organizes regular programs in Viet Tri, Phu Tho. And this time, you must have returned to Phu Tho?

We want to expand our activities in Phu Tho, so we started the bike donation program. In Viet Tri, there is a specialized school where 20-30% students are in difficult families. I have told the principal to choose 5 students who are studious and at risk of leaving school due to far distance and no means of transportation.

I asked them “Do you know why I invited you to come here?”. All said because of their same circumstance. I reminded them not to see circumstance as a barrier in their lives.

I continued “Are you all eager to study”. They all said they like to study.

This year, only five children were chosen but next year, I hope 20 – 40 students will be presented bicycles.

Ms. Thanh Binh Rybacki (2nd right) and other members of COPI in a fundraising event in the United States

So right in this spring's journey, COPI has come up with projects to be implemented in Vietnam?

What we care about today are children living in the river, both in the North and the South. In three western provinces alone, there are 1,800 non-school children. They have no birth certificate, no school. So we will find ways to open schools on the river for the children. It is impossible for them to go ashore, so we plan to build a school on a mobile boat so that children can come to study.

Over the last 25 years we have been supporting the orphans, so far Vietnamese society has grown and the number of orphans is increasing. So we will focus on education. Among the children receiving COPI funding for the last 25 years there are business people, bankers, doctors, and engineers. COPI scholarship students are also required to commit two hours a week to do charity work, otherwise their scholarship will be cut off. Thus, education is very important./.

VNF