Visit to the Camillo Home for the Aged

Parents of TAK and ASYC have been very kind and generous in helping us raise funds for out Christmas Charity Project. Our target was 15,000,000vnd. We raised 40,000,000vnd. With this amount, we will be able to help 2 homes - one for Christmas, and one for Tet.

The photographs tell the story of our visit.

Greeting card for old folks at Camillo

Arrival at Cao Lo Street, Dist 8

Getting ready to ferry the kids in

Loading our gifts onto the 3-wheeler 

The old folks were already waiting for us

Khoi with ASYC students

Our gifts

A dance item from ASYC kids

A present for you, auntie

Each elderly had a present

Khoi presenting a gift from a TAK parent

Let's all sing

Ms Dung helping an ASYC student 

Now the old folks entertain us

Another grand lady sings

Walking around

Khoi and a friend

Getting ready to go back to the bus

Christmas Craft

Everyone took our Christmas Charity Project very seriously. The amount of effort put into the craftwork to raise funds for the aged is really touching. Teachers went to great lengths to make sure that the crafts came up beautiful. In the process, they willingly spent hours on their own to give the refined touches to their children's crafts, and to make their own crafts as contributions.

Babies craft

Pre-Nursery

Nursery students working hard on the Christmas wreaths

Done! Happy!

Ms Vien putting the finishing touches

The boys and their craft

The completed work of students and teachers

K1 students admiring their craft

Lovely intricate cards

K2 hard at work

So serious!

The first half

Slowly does it!

Finally, the completed craft

Teachers' contribution

TAK-ASYC Christmas Charity Project

This year, we thought we would like to teach our kids a little bit about the spirit of giving and sharing with the poor. It's Christmas afterall, and Christmas is indeed a time of giving. It's also good to have children learn compassion while they're young, and we hope they will grow up with this value as their companion.

So our kids will be making and selling their Christmas crafts to parents to raise funds. Our chosen charity for this year is a privately-run aged home known as Camillo. There are 15 old folks there at the moment. It used to be 30 but the rest have passed away because of old age, leaving the remainder to live their lives out at Camillo. We did not want to contribute to a charity that already has lots of help. We chose Camillo because they are small and isolated, the latter translating to fewer supporters and donors. As it is a private home, they have no government support. The only support they have is from well-wishers.

We hope all parents will donate generously so that these old folks have a decent Christmas this year.

The home has only one helper (in blue)

Old pots and pans for cooking

The only worldly possession of each resident -
a bed and some personal belongings

Most, if not all, have no families.
Those who depart are cremated, their ashes kept in this small shelf.

The only exercise equipment I saw - a hand-made pulley system
comprising ropes and wooden handles.

Here they spend their days till their end

This admirable lady looks after the rest. She walks with a the aid of a walking stick.
Saw her pushing a wheelchair bound old lady with one hand and her stick in the other.

Next she headed to the kitchen to cook lunch.
You can see her walking aid by her side.

Need to navigate a few of these narrow lanes to reach Camillo.