Category: Blue Dragon

Blue Dragon – keep it rolling in!

Blue Dragon Children's Foundation
Blue Dragon Children's Foundation

I may possibly be heading to Vietnam again later this year and of course, if I do, one of my priority stops wil be Hanoi to see the kids at the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation again. I’ve been chatting to Michael there recently (we’ve had a couple more generous donations via the 1000 Mile Walk page), and he’s currently in Australia doing some much-needed fundraising.

Thing is, as everyone worldwide pretty much has to tighten their belts as the money dries up. People can’t afford to give cash away. Sadly, though, the need for this money doesn’t abate. Children still need help, education… rescuing.

Mike recently posted the following video on the VietnamStreets blog. It shows a young boy who has just been rescued from a sweat shop. He simply didn’t believe that Michael and the team were there to free him from the slave-driving filth who were making him work 16+ hours a day for nothing. They handed him a telephone so his mother could explain herself.

Now you tell me. Isn’t his reaction – the tears, the relief, the knowledge he was once again free – worth a few pounds, dollars, yen, euros or whatever? Please, please, please – spare a few bucks. I know times are tight. But the price of a couple of pints can make a huge difference to these children.

Donations can be made via this page on the Blue Dragon site.

Thanks.

Rhino Car Hire – thank you!

A slightly sideways post this one. I have been dealing with Scott from Rhino Car Hire over the last few days. He came across the 1000 Mile Walk site, and has made a very generous donation to the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. I know that site doesn’t get the traffic it did, so I would like to post this quick message here for him.

Look at it this way – every time you rent a car from Rhino, a small amount of the proceeds will be winging its way to Michael and the kids in Vietnam. And Rhino’s prices seem pretty reasonable to me as well. You can’t go wrong!

Again, a massive “thank you” on behalf of BDCF to Scott and his wife, Julie. If I ever get to Cyprus I may well look you up!

And don’t forget, folks, Blue Dragon can always make use of any spare cash you have kicking about. Please, please click on the link above and check out the instructions for donations. Unlike “western” charities, their administration costs are around 10-15% of the money brought in. So well over three quarters of the money raised will go directly to the projects that need it. That’s pretty much a complete reversal of the figures of most charities run over here.

In addition, don’t forget to check out the instructions if you’re donating from the US or Australia which will allow your cash to be passed over with tax exemption.

I’m off to school again tomorrow and then to Geneva on Sunday. More updates then.

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Blog Action Day 2008

Blog Action Day October 15th, 2008 - Focus on ...

I just heard about Blog Action Day and I’m just going to make it with a post before the end of the 15th. This year’s topic is poverty, though I don’t know why we need a whole blog thing to draw attention to it.

No, let me rephrase that. I don’t know why we should need a whole blog thing to draw attention to it. It’s everywhere. From beggars on the streets in London to the poor being fed by the better off in Bangladesh I’ve seen a lot of it.

The thing with poverty is that in some cases we don’t seem to want to do anything about it. We don’t trust those who need it. To a large extent it’s not their fault as so many people use a pretense of poverty to wangle cash out of decent people, thus tainting the truly needy.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t help. It simply means you have to be careful how you do. Choose a charity or a cause where you know the maximum money will filter down in a useful way to those who both need and deserve it. Don’t go doling it out in the street, especially somewhere like India where you’ll just get mobbed by “you gave to her, you have to give to me” hordes.

The best way to cure poverty is to get the people in need in a position where they can do something about it. The old “give a man a fish and he’ll have enough to eat for a week; give him a rod and teach him to fish and he’ll have enough to eat for a lifetime” solution. Throwing money at poverty is a great way to make people rely on handouts. There are a gazillion charities which will help people break the poverty cycle. Dig around, find one you like and give them some support.

My personal recommendation? The Blue Dragons Children’s Foundation in Vietnam. Don’t forget that poverty is a worldwide issue. Although there’s likely to be enough on your doorstep to open your eyes.

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Buy a book!

Quotations for Positive PeopleNot one by me (yet!), but one that will benefit the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. Rather than just direct you over to Mike’s Blog post about it, I’ll repeat the details here:

Quotations for Positive People is a collection of inspiring quotes that has been compiled by Larry Welch – and he’s offered to donate all of the profits to Blue Dragon! Thanks, Larry!

We’re going to use the funds for some of our most positive work – providing homes to children who live on the streets. So, buy the book! Give it to your friends! Pay your staff in copies of the book rather than boring old cash!

Click here for more info: http://www.trafford.com/07-1419

Fantastic news

A couple of months ago, one of the kids I worked with at Blue Dragon was seriously assaulted by a random gang of thugs. Apparently it was a case of mistaken identity as they’d been paid to kill someone else who just happened to look similar to poor Ngoc. No consolation for the poor lad who lost a kidney, suffered damage to both lungs and amazed medical staff by actually recovering.

He returned home recently, but the good news for the day is that the police have managed to catch all three of the filthy ******** who did this to him.

Now I’ve not heard great things about the police in Vietnam. They tend to be jobsworths, or just use their position as an excuse to bully or cajole money from people. I don’t want to tar them all with the same brush, but it’s sadly a popular image.

However, I’m guessing that the huge attention Ngoc received while in hospital may have made them realise that this one case needed special care. It’s a shame it was necessary, but the show of numbers from the staff &amp children, and as far as delegates from foreign embassies who visited and passed on gifts perhaps gave the police the kick they needed to go out and do some work.

And it paid off.

I wish I could come face to face with the ******** who did this to Ngoc. In a locked room, away from public view. With a lead pipe and no Colonel Mustard leering over my shoulder as I bludgeoned their knuckles to a pulp. But to do so would be to step outside the law that the police have maintained very well in this case.

I’ll just have to be happy in the knowledge that the prisons over there are a shitload worse than the holiday camps we have in the UK. I hope the ******* rot in there for all eternity.

And I can’t wait to see Ngoc again in July. I can’t tell you how happy I am to know I’ll be able to do that.