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Volunteer Abroad in Hanoi, Vietnam: Volunteering Opportunities

Hanoi is a lovely city and capital of Vietnam. Located in the heart of the northern Red River Delta, Hanoi is a city of lakes, tree lined streets, and green parks that has a French colonial feel. Founded over 1000 years ago, Hanoi became the center of government for the Indochina Union under French rule in 1888, and later the official capital of independent Vietnam.

Hanoi retains it charming sense of the old world, with preserved streets of the Old Quarter, temples, monuments and pagodas that reflect the significant character of Vietnam. It is a city that appears frozen in a long-gone era. There are relatively few cars – many people travel by bicycle or moped. Today, compared to other cities in the south of Vietnam, Hanoi is far slower, less developed and a charming city to visit. Travelers can find hotels, internet cafes, and western style food in this once inaccessible city.

There is real poverty in Vietnam, especially on the streets of Hanoi, where many wary countryside villagers end up in search of a better life. Rural poor people generally have small plots of low-quality land or are landless, and opportunities for off-farm employment are scarce. As the came into the city looking for opportunities they end of living on the streets, begging to make a living and supporting their families. Poor households tend to include more dependants, especially children. Among age groups, poverty disproportionately affects children. Poor people, particularly ethnic minorities, are often uninformed about their rights and lack access to legal assistance, health care and especially education.

Our programs focus on children and education. Access to education changes the life of Vietnamese children. It allows them to break the vicious poverty cycle that they would otherwise be destined for. Through education they can gain invaluable skills that can further assist in the development of the community and themselves.

We offer the following programs in Hanoi:

Program Length: From 2 to 24 weeks.
Program Date: Flexible Start & End Date
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 30-40 hours per week
Accommodations: Shared volunteer house
Meals: Yes, 3 meals a day, traditional local food.
Requirements: 17 years or older, an open mind to new adventures.

Street Children Center:

Volunteers are needed to provide orphaned and street children in Hanoi with a basic education. This will be done through educational games and activities created by the volunteer. This center works with children who are forced at a young age to earn a living by collecting rubbish, begging, polishing shoes, working in handicraft factories and other like activities. Currently the center houses seventy students are hold three classes- two in the morning and one in the afternoon. As a result, the students are not receiving a full curriculum and the staff is over worked. Volunteers are desperately needed to act as teachers assistants and organize educational games and activities for the students. This project needs international volunteers to work cooperatively to create educational programs which include both Vietnamese and English subjects. The center is the only hope that they have for a better life. (7-8 hours per day)

Teaching / Education Programs:

Volunteers can choose to teach English to children either of kindergarten, primary or secondary age at a privately owned community based center. Volunteers will work at language training centers as phonetic teachers and assistants. This project is especially good for international volunteers who wish to pursue a career in teaching. Volunteers will receive invaluable English language training and skills. Prior experience not necessary, just a desire to help teach English and expand the horizons of these children. Volunteers with language skills in French, Spanish, Chinese also needed. (4-5 hours a day)

Another education project focuses on disadvantaged children. In Hanoi there is a large amount of children with disabilities that lack access to proper education. Most families can not afford to send their children to school, especially a school for special needs. Volunteers can work at a make-shift center, located in an abandoned temple, which provides an opportunity for poor and handicapped students, to have a basic level 1 education (grade 1-5). All students- despite age- are taught, by one retired teacher, at the same level. The teaching focuses on reading and writing Vietnamese and math. The children are taught in Vietnamese, International volunteers will assist local volunteers teaching the children basic English language skills. (3 hours a day)

Conservation / Environmental Programs:

Volunteers interested in conservation and promoting sustainable management of natural resources are welcome participants. Based on the Vinh Phuc district, about 40 miles north of Hanoi, these rural projects are located at the Tam Doa National Park and surrounding areas. A wide range of environmental projects are available to support this goal and they include: forest restoration by incorporating analog forestry methods into farms; sustainable collection of native forest seeds from community seed sources; setting up a fair trade market and to sell products produced by local farms; assisting scientists and students with current conservation research projects; and maintenance work.

This project is extremely important in terms of preserving the biodiversity of the cloud forest and protecting local watersheds. The work focuses on protecting existing forests through reforestation, monitoring human activity and its impact, and environmental education. Volunteers can participate in the following activities: forestry program (restoring degraded areas and sustainable wood production), sustainable agriculture, community involvement, research, eco-construction (environmentally-friendly building practices), and environmental education. No particular skills are needed but prospective volunteers should have an interest in conservation.

This project is seeking volunteers for its ecological projects for periods of one to six months. It includes: the re-vegetation of hillsides using native plants to reduce erosion and create habitats; promoting the use of sustainable practices; renewable energy development; and environmental education. An interest in ecological sustainability and knowledge of regional plants is helpful but not necessary. Willing hands and a desire to help restore a damaged biosphere are the most important requirements. This is rural based project; expect basic accommodation and a lot of physical participation. English speaking Vietnamese and International volunteers work together in a group setting so language barriers with rural communities should not be a major factor.

Program Includes:

Airport arrival transfer in Hanoi. Orientation and project briefing with the local ABV staff. Accommodation in a shared volunteer residence with Hanoi, or at the wildlife refugee center. Three meals per day included either at the project or the volunteer residence. 24/7hr support from ABV Project Director. Departure transfer at the end of the program to Hanoi. *English speaking volunteer assistants are provided at all projects.