During some of the most beautiful days before Tết, saigonchildren was excited to return to Hậu Giang and bring a little spring sunshine to underprivileged children looking forward to the new lunar year.
Through the program “Ngày Tết quê em” (Tết in my Hometown) which took place on January 15th, 135 primary and secondary students – who are scholarship recipients of saigonchildren in Hậu Giang – had the opportunity to experience the warm atmosphere of welcoming the new year through a variety of unforgettable activities and interactions. Hundreds of gifts and snacks from our sponsors were also given to the students at this event.
One of the highlights of the event was the fashion show competition, where contestants exhibited costumes made from recycled materials under the theme of spring and environmental protection. Mr. Tri, a teacher at the school organising the event, shared: “The contest was formed after a selection from ideas submitted by the students to the school, all based on the fact that waste in our daily lives has been polluting the beauty of our countryside. This is a great opportunity for students to put their creativity to the test and try their hand at making costumes out of recycled materials, whilst also raising awareness on the responsibilities of environmental preservation and protection.”
After the fashion show, students were divided into multiple teams to tackle two team-challenges: ‘Pass the lemon with a spoon’ and ‘Find the teammate’ (the captain is blindfolded in the middle of a circle formed by the players and has to find their own team members). These challenges allowed students to practise their soft skills and improve their confidence in communication. The intermission between the two games – a folk dance performance called “Chung sống” (Cohabitation) – brought moments of relaxation and relief.
A while later, all eyes turned to the final act as the attendees welcomed the arrival of a magician, whose performance was enthusiastically received throughout the half hour. Moreover, snack stalls were available with gifts for students throughout the event. Specially, saigonchildren organised an extra booth where students could answer questions drawn from a box to win a teddy bear as a prize from the program.
To close the program, the students received gifts from our sponsors. We hope that with this gift, students will have a more fulfilling Tết season and extra motivation to light up their dreams for the new year.