In 1990-91, Vietnam vets visited Polio Orphanage #5 in HCMC/Saigon with Vets With A Mission. VWAM agreed to help Sister Jean Marie, then orphanage director, in repairing the rehabilitation pool inoperable since 1979. Volunteers connected with the children, and a special bond was formed. In 2016, some of these children now adults, contacted VWAM seeking help to renovate and repairs their homes. In 2017, 4 of 9 homes were renovated. In 2018, 2 more were repaired and 3 remain.
Nine houses provide lodging for adult male & female polio victims. The majority of the adults do work, but their jobs provide a only a subsistence level of living. This means there isn't any extra income to renovate. Several adults, who can only crawl, cannot work but remain home and do the cleaning, cooking, etc. In May, 2018, Cedric Yumba, Hlobal Giving's Southeast Asia Rep, made an on-site visit and inspection of the renovated/repaired homes. His report was positive and approving!
Renovating and repairing these final three homes will remove these adult polio victims from terrible living conditions, and assure them of maintenance free living for many years. In some cases, the occupants will never again have to make a major home repair.
The quality of life will be greatly improved for these polio victims, providing them with long-term benefits associated with a safe, secure and functional living quarters. Vets With A Mission's two decades plus relationship with the children of Polio Orphanage #5 will come full circle with the repair and renovation of these final three homes.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
