By Pham Cao Phuong Thao | Deaf Community of HCMC (LIN's NPO Partner)
THE HEART OF MS. BENTE
"In life, we need to live with warm hearts. Do you know why? To let the wind take them away ... ". We will not forget the moment when members from DCOH “sang” this song by sign language at the Funding Appeal round of Narrow the Gap 2012. This was the first time I had an opportunity to present a project in front of a large audience, thanks to Ms. Bente Sternberg. She was my coach, a sister, and to her I really want to express my deep gratitude.
Ms. Bente Sternberg is a training and consulting specialist. LIN helped her to connect with our organization to consult on the project presentation at the Narrow the Gap Funding round. The funding would help deaf and mute women to escape from family violence. If the project was successful the Deaf Community Organization of Ho Chi Minh City (DCOH) would receive funding to carry out the project. This was not only a great opportunity but also a significant challenge for DCOH.
Ms. Bente is a foreign woman with a tiny body, simple attire and a gentle smile. She came to work with us three to four times a week. She spent three to four hours each time to teach me how to walk and speak effectively for the presentation. Presenting a project concisely, thoroughly, and engaging the sympathy of the audience is a new task, which is not easy for me. I have a fear of public speaking and tend to ramble too much. Ms. Bente was a patient listener and although all communication between us had to rely on an interpreter, she helped me to overcome my weaknesses.
In addition, Ms. Bente also advised our team on how to promote DCOH and design the booth for the day of the event. She proposed DCOH print it’s logo on a small stickers and stick them on the dress of each visitor to make a good impression on the audience. She also showed us how to design our first leaflet which included the project introduction and a summary of the group’s activity. These were really effective promotional tools that we had not thought of and had no ability to develop.
On the day of event, Ms. Bente arrived at the site early. Seeing the booth of DCOH located in an inconvenient spot, she asked the organizers to move our booth to another position. She also furnished supplies which DCOH team used to make the booth more beautiful. She was always on duty at the DCOH booth to answer visitor questions as well as give them the leaflets and stickers. Maybe it was her warm-heartedness which contributed to the good impression of our group and helped us to get the most votes.
The organizations each presented their project then the audience would vote for their favorite project. I felt very worried because members of DCOH expected a lot from this project, and I had to win on their behalf. Ms. Bente thoroughly understood my psychological state and she encouraged me a lot. I stood before the audience and just focused on what I had practiced all this time in order to complete the presentation successfully. When the results were announced, we were surprised our organization had won the most votes, which resulted in funding of 150 million Vietnam Dong. The efforts of DCOH and the devotion of Ms. Bente were well rewarded.
Although Ms. Bente and I only worked together for two weeks it was a wonderful experience for me. She has helped me to feel more confident and improve my presentation and communication skills. A professional volunteer like Ms. Bente is a real necessity for our organization. I wish I could work with her for a whole lifetime.
Links:
By Truc Nguyen | Volunteer Coordinator
By Truc Nguyen | Volunteer Coordinator
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