Canadian students to build homes in Vietnam, Canadian students to build homes in Hanoi

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Canadian students to build homes in Vietnam

Seventeen high school students from across Niagara, Canada will trade their textbooks and pencils for hammers and nails this summer to build a brighter future for two families in Vietnam.

In June, the students will travel to My Tho, in the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam. They will spend 10 days working on all aspects of a home-build, from plumbing to roofing, electrical work and landscaping. The 17 will also learn about leadership, a foreign culture and the challenges faced by people around the world.

Last July, 12 District School Board of Niagara students travelled to El Salvador and built a home for a needy family in the capital city of San Salvador.

"It made a huge impact on the kids," recalled board consultant Kevin Graham. "Most of the kids had never seen this level of poverty or this level of suffering."

They also discovered – much to their surprise – that young people are pretty much alike, regardless of where they live.

"They realized everyone all over the world is basically the same. We're just very fortunate to have the things we have," Graham added.

Andrew Petheram, 17, participated in the El Salvador build and will be a student leader for the Vietnam project.

"It was an eye opener for me," the Grade 12 A.N. Myer student said of his experience in El Salvador.

"It started out as a house build, but it turned into a personal build for me as well.

"It's all about family and friends, and the whole community came out to help us build the house."

The international program is based on the longtime partnership between the school board and Habitat for Humanity.

The board's specialist high-skills major program allows students to earn credits toward a diploma while working on local Habitat projects. To date, the students have helped build eight homes for needy families.

Since the partnership was so successful locally, Graham felt it would also work internationally.

"Habitat for Humanity is such a good, solid partner with the DSBN, it made sense to continue on that pathway," he said.

The El Salvador trip, he said, was unforgetable for both staff and students.

"Out of my career, it was likely one of the most powerful things that I've ever done," he said. "For the kids, this was a life-changing trip. It wasn't about high school any more, it was about effecting kids lives in a very extremely positive way."

Last year's project attracted about 30 applicants. More than 60 students applied this year.

The students must now raise $3,500 to participate, as well as attend classes for masonry, bricklaying and mortar fixing. They will participate in a general safety course and receive first-aid training.

And, they will take classes to familiarize them with the culture and language of Vietnam.

That won't be a problem for Nancy Nguyen, a 17-year-old student at Stamford Collegiate. Her family is from Vietnam and she has visited the small country many times.

"One of my life goals is to make a difference. When I heard about this, I knew I wanted to be a part of it," said the Grade 11 student.

When the students first arrive in Vietnam, they will visit a private school in Ho Chi Minh City that is supported by the Niagara board.

While Vietnam has experienced significant economic growth in the past several decades, it is still one of the poorest countries in the region. A 2004 census estimated 19.5 per cent of Vietnamese lived below the national poverty line.

Source: dtinews.vn