During a four-day journey to schools in Binh Minh town and Vung Liem district, Vinh Long province, the Be Better Foundation’s charity team organized a total of 6 categories. Specifically as follows:
1. Organizing Mentorship Program: Thinking Orientation, Preparation for Life
In Binh Minh, the Mentorship program took place on September 8, 2023 with the participation of over 680 students from two high schools: Binh Minh High School and Hoang Thai Hieu High School. In Vung Liem, a similar program was held on September 12, 2023 with the participation of over 570 students from two high schools: Vo Van Kiet High School and Nguyen Hieu Tu High School.
In addition to Tony Tinh’s sharing sessions, which help students develop a more correct and positive mindset to prepare for life, the program also featured Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngan, an expert and master of educational psychology.
With the knowledge and experience from her work in school counseling, Ms. Ngan shared methods and techniques for identifying and managing emotions with 12th grade students from four schools. This helped the students to have more motivation, a more positive attitude, and a better understanding of themselves.
Mr. Tony Tinh
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngan
2. Organizing the “Intellectual Person” contest
Parallel with the Mentorship program, the “Intellectual Person” contest was organized by the Be Better Foundation with the aim of helping students from disadvantaged backgrounds but with good thinking and good lifestyle have a playground to compete and get a worthy reward, from which the reward can help them partially cover the difficulties in life.
Summary of the contest:
- Two schools in Binh Minh: The total number of questions is 4, 1 special question, and 1 prize for another excellent answer. With a total prize money of: 17,000,000 VND.
- Two schools in Vung Liem: The total number of questions is 5, 1 special question, and 1 prize for another excellent answer. With a total prize money of 27,500,000 VND.
The total amount of money spent on prizes for the contest in both places is: 44,500,000 VND. This prize money is also a scholarship to encourage learning, both encouraging students to speak up in public to express their thinking and courage, and a lifeline for many students from disadvantaged backgrounds but with strong will and positive thinking who have tried hard in the “Intellectual Person” contest.
Some images of the contest:
3. Organizing the “Write a Letter to Yourself” contest
After 3 weeks of launching and receiving entries, the Be Better Foundation received many good, meaningful, and very sincere articles from the students participating in the contest. And after careful consideration, screening, and grading, we selected the works with the most positive content, good thinking, and inspirational to award prizes and certificates. Specifically as follows:
- Two schools in Binh Minh Town: 1 first prize, 1 second prize, and 4 consolation prizes. The total prize money is 5,000,000 VND.
- Two schools in Vung Liem District: 1 first prize, 1 second prize, and 4 consolation prizes. The total prize money is 5,000,000 VND.
The total prize money for the entire contest (in 2 places) is 10,000,000 VND.**
The contest is not only intended to provide a platform for students to showcase their talents and thinking. It is also a place for students to express their emotions, understand themselves, and identify students who may be struggling with their mental health so that they can be provided with timely counseling and support.
4. Organizing a training course on school psychology for teachers in four schools.
On September 9, 2023, a volunteer group from the Be Better Foundation and Ms. Ngân organized a training course on school psychology for teachers at two high schools: Binh Minh High School and Hoang Thai Hieu High School. On September 11, 2023, the group and Ms. Ngân continued to organize the program for two other high schools: Vo Van Kiet High School and Nguyen Hieu Tu High School.
The training session was organized to help teachers equip themselves with more comprehensive knowledge and skills on identifying the psychological manifestations that need to be cared for and paid attention to by students, teaching methods and accompanying, understanding the students in the learning process.
Thanks to the enthusiastic response from the teachers at the four schools, the training session was a great success and went well, bringing positive and optimistic signs for both the volunteer group, as well as for the teachers and students.
5. Psychological counseling
During the trip, Ms. Ngân, a specialist and master of psychology, provided 1:1 psychological counseling to a few students and a few teachers from the schools.
6. Interviewing students from disadvantaged backgrounds to consider awarding the “Change the Future” scholarship
On September 9, 2023, a volunteer group from the Be Better Foundation organized an interview for a total of 9 students in Binh Minh City, including 4 students from Binh Minh High School and 5 students from Hoang Thai Hieu High School. On September 10, 2023, the group also organized an interview for a total of 14 students in Vung Liem District, including 9 students from Vo Van Kiet High School and 5 students from Nguyen Hieu Tu High School.
This was not just an interview, but also a moment for the students to open up and share their stories and circumstances honestly. And from that, our group had moments of sadness and bitterness for those talents, those children with rich dreams and full of resilience, but who had a very difficult situation.
However, at this point, we cannot decide to award scholarships to the students who have just been surveyed and interviewed. The first reason is that some students need to be re-evaluated for their development mindset. Although they have good academic performance and are from very difficult circumstances, if their development mindset and direction are not clear, their future will also be difficult to change. The second reason is that the foundation’s annual fixed budget has been used up (long-term scholarships for over 50 students). We need to “go fundraising” before we can support more students this year.
See more information:
- Be Better Foundation volunteer projects: https://bebetter.org.vn/du-an-thien-nguyen/
- Contact information and getting sponsorshiphttps://bebetter.org.vn/dong-gop/
- The list of donors to Be Better Foundation is updated continuously at the following link: https://bebetter.org.vn/danh-sach-ung-ho/
