It is five years ago when I visited to Vietnam. Till then, I traveled not only the West but Southeast Asia and the Middle East, Africa, and all over the world. The country where is the most impressed is Vietnam. While working in the Niigata branch, a Niigata international Volunteer Center is known and I began to be concerned with the international volunteer activity. About Vietnam, I know only the Vietnam War, a sequela of a defoliant, and such knowledge.
Present Vietnam is the Doi Moi Policy which advances economic liberalization, and economy is rapidly developed. An income gap also spreads with it and there are street children who are living in the road everywhere. They are the children deserted by parents. It is said that there are 22,000 street children in the whole country. A big garbage bag is shouldered, and many children who beg are in that an empty can, an empty bottle, a plastic bag, whose scrap iron, etc. sell well, looking for anything. There are some children who commit crimes, such as theft and juvenile prostitution, among children. Most is 10 or less years old. I thought I had to do something and carried out, when I saw the children who were drinking rain water collected on the dust box. This is five years ago.
Street Children gathers a PET bottle
Contributions were collected from the employee and the project that the school of the 50th anniversary of foundation would be made to Vietnam was started this year. When the schedule amount of money was not fulfilled, I planned to have built in the self-belly. When I close my eyes, there are children of the former street children who run up by the friendly eye. When they smile with shy, and their eyes with shines, I feel something that Japanese children do not have.
Of course, it cannot change the society of the country with this project. Now I can do only has holding out a hand to the children who need help. This is the reason I do as a volunteer.