Projects Update

Last updated August 2008

Families
  • In excess of 100 sponsorships have been granted under the Support-A-Family program in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam.
  • Sponsorship aided very poor families to establish and commence Micro-businesses.
  • Installed wells and pumps for families without water.
  • Connected electricity for families without power.
  • Concreted dirt floors in many houses.
  • Installed iron roofs to make houses water-proof.
  • Purchased rice, food and blankets for many who were cold and hungry.
  • In excess of 100 children are now clothed by Lifestart Foundation.
Education
  • The Lifestart Foundation Free School was officially opened in March 2006.
  • Over 50 education scholarships have been granted to disadvantaged children.
Youth
  • 35 at-risk young people have been mentored and in turn sponsored into trainee ships under the Jobstart program.
Orphans
  • Renovated the Dien Ban Orphanage under the Orphan-Assist program.
  • Supplied the orphans with school uniforms, warm coats, school supplies and school books.
Medical
  • Funded medical care for sufferers of tuberculosis.
  • Funded neurosurgery for a motorbike accident victim.
  • Funded orthopedic surgery for a child with webbed feet.
  • Funded treatment of kidney and liver disease.
  • Funded medical treatment for a variety of serious illnesses and skin disease.
Housing
  • 7 houses have been built for families who were squatting or they were without shelter.
Boats
  • 24 boats have been built which now provide a source of income, a means of providing food for the family and somewhere to live when the river floods annually.
Elderly Assistance
  • Vietnam's elderly do not receive a pension when they are too old or no longer able to work.
  • This program helps the elderly with an income stream via animal breeding and they are also supported with food and rice so as they are not hungry.
65 Special People Under the Lifestart Umbrella
  • This group of people is aged between 20 and 40 years of age. They are being offered support via training, food allowances, accommodation and motorized transportation. The recently formed Lifestart Foundation disabled womens' workshop is currently producing goods that will be for sale on-line in the near future.
Projects in Development
  • R.M.I.T. together with Architects Without Frontiers are in the process of designing a purpose built building for Lifestart Foundation. The building will be a "Transitional Housing Project" for at risk and disadvantaged youth in Vietnam.
Mariana Hardwick and Lifestart Foundation Collaboration - THANH & GHI
  • Two of Lifestart Foundation’s Jobstart recipients are now in Australia training with Mariana Hardwick. The long term vision with this project is to set up a "Jamie's Kitchen" of fashion in Hoi An (the tailoring capital of Vietnam). Thanh and Ghi are the founding members of this project.
Intrepid Challenge - A Fabulous Fund Raising Initiative.
  • An amazing 13-day fund raising bike ride through Vietnam November 2008. More information.
Lifestart Foundation Free School
In March 2006 the Lifestart Foundation Free School was officially opened.
The Vietnamese government has given a building to Lifestart Foundation rent-free.
The school caters for extremely poor, illiterate, disadvantaged, neglected and abused children.
The children's age range is from 8 to 20 years of age.
The school operates 7 days per week, with children participating in art and creative classes in the morning, Vietnamese literacy and numeracy in the afternoon and English language class in the evening.
All funds to set up, staff and operate the school are raised outside of Vietnam.
Long Term Goals for Lifestart Foundation
To set up proven working programs within a small community to effect a generational change.
To deal with a wide range of community problems on a deep rather than surface level.
To have successful programs that can be transported and implemented in other communities in Vietnam or in other developing countries.
Projects in Development
  • A community based Rehabilitation Centre for people living with disabilities.
  • Funding from the Planet Wheeler Foundation is making this dream a reality.
Monash University
Watch this space...
Ongoing Projects
  • Support A Family
  • Jobstart
  • Orphan Assist
  • Elderly Assistance
Contact Lifestart Foundation via Email
If you have not done so already could you please forward your email address to lifestartfoundation@mail.com. To keep up to date with Lifestart's work in Vietnam please make sure you are on our email list. The Lifestart Foundation website is now quite comprehensive and full of interesting stories and pictures. www.lifestartfoundation.org.au