The Vietnam Learning Association is dedicated to building a public library system across all of southern Viet Nam. Not only do we intend to build over 500 libraries in the next 15 years, but we are committed to long-term support of the system, and to the creation of an endowment large enough to make the system self-supporting in years to come.
One problem with many NGO efforts is a “score and run” model. We don’t want to build a building, fill it with books, and move on. Simply racking up numbers, building schools or libraries without a backward glance to see if their efforts succeed or fail.
We don’t believe in a welfare-like system of constant handouts either.
What we offer is to meet the commitment of the local residents, government, and businesses with an equally strong commitment to remain an active participant in their communities. We want each library to add to the network of public libraries and services across the provinces.
We aim to build, improve, and evolve with the needs of the communities that welcome us; to be here for the long run, and to ensure that what we create is strong, lasting, and self-sustaining.
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Mission Philosophy
We believe that a learning center works best when it serves the entire community. When parents take their children for something to do, but stay to read, to talk with each other, to try new things. A learning center, like a good book, should present something new to every generation which partakes in it. When you are young, before you can read, it is where your mother takes you for story hour. Later you get to choose your own books and take them home with you. Trusted by adults with real responsibility for the first time; with your own library card. It's the place you go to get an edge on your school papers, to find answers on your own, without needing to ask anyone. Gradually, as you age your taste in books grows and evolves along with you, and with each discovery whole new worlds open up to you.
When we're adults, we realize that rather than knowing all the answers, we are just learning what questions to ask. We can look outwards at a world which is larger than the job we hold, the family we were born into, or the town we live in. We can look inwards and spend days, or weeks, or years learning about the beauty of words, about philosophy, about ourselves.
If there are problems we need to solve, a community learning resource can help us be more self-sufficient and with each victory we are more confident in our own ability to find answers. Finally, we get to experience it all again, as if for the first time, through our children.
Our learning centers will be a place children can come to for answers, and where adults can find all the questions they never knew to ask.
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501(c)(3) Status
The Vietnam Learning Association has received official 501(c)(3) status from the IRS. For many people this means that your donations can now be matched by your employer. Most employers who will match charitable donations will only do so if the non-profit has their 501(c)(3) status.
Know that your donations will not only go towards helping the families in southern Vietnam, they will also be entirely tax exempt.
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Books
If you want to learn more about Vietnam (Viet Nam), these are some of our favorite books:
"Catfish and Mandala" - Andrew X. Pham
"Stealing Buddha's Dinenr" - Bich Minh Nguyen
"The Sacred Willow: Four Generations in the Life of a Vietnamese Family" - Duong Van Mai Elliott
"Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora" - Andrew Lam
"The Gangster We Are All Looking For" - Thi Diem Thuy Le
"Monkey Bridge" - Lan Cao
"The Book of Salt" - Monique Truong
Heroes
Hô Phòng Learning Center
Our first center is being constructed in the middle of the shrimp and rice farms of Hô Phòng. Designed to reflect the native archetecture of the region it will have the river behind it and the main road joining Cà Mau and Hô Phòng in front of it. It is located between two large schools and a daily flow of children and commerce pass by everyday.
More than simply shelves full of books, the library will offer a range of free services.
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA
Graduated: 2005
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Major: English
Clubs: We didn't all go to Wellesley, but one of us did, and she was a proud member of the VSA.
2001 to 2005
College For Creative Studies
Detroit, MI
Graduated: N/A
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Major: Ceramics
Minor: Fiber Design
About me: The Vietnam Library Association will begin operating our programs in Vietnam under a new name. The new name is Vietnam Learning Association. It reflects the overall direction our programs will take in Vietnam and a redefinition of the way they will manifest. Rather than building libraries, we will be building Community Learning Centers which will offer a wide variety of learning programs using the most appropriate materials; books, computers, or lectures.
The Community Learning Centers represent a new approach to providing information services in today's swiftly changing climate. Our centers will make continuing education available to anyone willing to walk through the doors, serve as a community meeting place, offer access to computers and software training, provide safe places to study away from home, and provide books and periodicals. Paid staff will help with legal documents, and will serve as non-judgmental community advocates who help with everything from filling out visa applications, to learning to read, to finding what you need for a school paper.
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Who I'd like to meet: 2009 Ao Dai Calendar - Model Search Winners!
The Vietnam Learning Association, a non-profit corporation working to create community learning centers for families in far-southern Vietnam, is proud to announce the 14 winners for our calendar contest! CLICK THE IMAGE TO VIEW!
The lucky children in Vietnam have bookstores to read in, because there are no libraries.
Summer temperatures in Vietnam can reach 110 degrees indoors and most buildings don't have air conditioning. But despite the crushing heat you will commonly see the few bookstores crammed with children who spend the whole day reading.
Why do they come to the bookstore to read? Because there are no libraries nearby for them to go to, and because even in the wealthier parts of Vietnam, they cannot afford to buy the books.
It’s a simple equation.
Without funding we cannot build learning centers or offer the services we want to in Viet Nam and while some of our funds will come from grants, we rely heavily on individual and corporate donations.
Because the US dollar is worth so much in Viet Nam you can be assured that your donations will have maximum impact on
the lives of people who can really use our help.
On average the exchange rate is $1 = 16,000 dong. But what does that mean specifically?
$1 = 3 paperback books
$2 = 1 hardcover book
$20 = A visit from a nurse to talk about health issues
$50 = The monthly salary of one center associate
$100 = Two shelves of books
$200 = A computer system
$1,000 = One teaching garden, outdoor seating, and koi pond
$10,000 = One small learning center, or one wing of a large one
$30,000 = One large community learning center
Ar you a Librarian who can read and write Vietnamese? Looking to make a significant difference in the lives of families in southern Vietnam? Then we want to talk to you! Contact us at: vlibrarian@vietnamlibrary.org
The Vietnam Learning Association's Friend Space (Top 8)
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Hi there! Well i hope that everything is ok with your association! =)
Well, as you know, I've been to Vietnam this summer and i want to share with you my experiences there with churches and families I met. I realized that many of them are poor. I know children education is very important for their future and they need our help. Im happy that your association exists. Thanks for everything u've done until now! =)
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