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Building hope halfway around the world
Sisters hold last benefit concert at Amador Theater for children of Vietnam

by Jerri Jerri Pantages Long

"Who can live without hope?" asked poet Carl Sandburg.

Children, above all, should have hope for a future of fulfillment. That idea has lead Truc and Chi Nguyen to devote considerable time and energy toward helping children less fortunate than they are. Daughters of Kim and Danh Nguyen, the sisters had often heard their parents speak of life in Vietnam, where they had been raised. For the national Make a Difference Day in October 1998, the sisters decided to hold a garage sale in order to raise funds for those in need in faraway Vietnam--a land they had never seen.

With their mother's help, they made batches of almond toffee to sell, and they also sold their Beanie Babies, small stuffed animals that were all the rage at that time. Their goal was to raise $200--but in fact, they were astounded to raise $1,000 by the end of the day.

This sum they donated to VNHELP (Vietnam Health, Education, and Literacy Program), a nonprofit organization based in San Jose (www.VNHELP.org), which passed on the entire amount to a small library serving 300 children in Giai Xuan.

In the summer of 1999, the entire Nguyen family traveled to Vietnam--a journey that was to change the lives of (then) 17-year-old Truc and 11-year-old Chi. "We had listened to our parents' stories of what life in Vietnam was like and what children there lack that we take for granted," recalled Truc. "So when we went there, we wanted to visit some of these children and see what we could do to help."

"My first impression was great surprise," Chi said. "Even though my parents gave us a notion of what to expect, our first trip was just getting used to what Vietnam was like. People there were poorer than anyone we'd ever seen, even the homeless in San Francisco. How extremely difficult their lives must have been."

The sisters got to visit the library they had helped supply with books. The funds they had raised from almond toffee sales in 1999 were directed toward flood victims in central Vietnam. However, their first visit to their parents' homeland convinced Truc and Chi that they wanted to focus on "helping street children gain an opportunity for a better life, through education." In other words, they wanted to provide the gift of hope to children who were orphans or whose families could not support them.

Truc had begun taking piano lessons at age six, and her younger sister followed at age three and a half. By 2000, both were studying with pianist Ellen Wasserman, who is on the faculty of Cal State East Bay in Hayward. When Truc and Chi decided to give a concert in order to raise funds to give hope to street children in Vietnam, their music teacher helped them line up other performers. Truc, who was to graduate as the valedictorian of Amador Valley High School's class of 2000, turned to her school's leadership class to sponsor the first Children's Benefit Concert in the city-owned Amador Theater on the high school campus--a sponsorship that has continued to this day. Each year, one or both sisters have returned as guest speakers to the class, hoping to inspire the teenagers to devote time and energy toward community service.

Funds raised at the benefit concerts and by sales of the family's almond toffee now are used as the primary support of a children's shelter in Can Tho, Vietnam. The shelter provides housing and daily meals for up to 100 boys and girls, ages 3 to 20, who have either been orphaned or abandoned. They receive schooling, medical care, and a sense of family. In addition, about 30 young men and women ages 17-22 come to stay at the shelter for one or two years, long enough to learn a vocation (such as motorbike repair, home electrical wiring or sewing) so that they can become self-sufficient. This year, the shelter has added a nursery, to be able to care for infants--all this with a staff of five.

"Older children care for the younger ones," said Truc. "It is like a co-op," added Chi, "with everyone taking on some responsibility for all that has to be done."

Truc went on to Stanford University, graduating in 2004 with a major in management science and engineering, plus a minor in music. Truc has worked for Kaiser Permanente and KLA-Tencor. Now 25, she currently is enrolled in the Master of Business Administration program at UC Davis. Despite the demands of her studying and workload, Truc has continued to participate in the annual Children's Benefit Concert.

The family moved from Pleasanton (their home since 1985) to San Ramon, and Chi graduated from California High School in 2005. Currently, at age 19, she is a junior at Stanford, majoring in environmental engineering and planning to go on to law school. When her older sister went on to college, Chi took on more of the responsibility for organizing the annual benefit concert and speaking to schools and service clubs about their project. In 2004, Chi was given the Net Aid Global Action Award. That same year, she was recognized by the "Start Something" program, which is co-sponsored by Target and the Tiger Woods Foundation. Chi appeared on national television in a commercial with Tiger Woods, encouraging young people to participate in community service.

Since 2000, Truc and Chi have raised and donated at least $8,000 each year to the children's shelter in Can Tho, Vietnam. In 2007, they were able to pay one-third ($11,000) of the cost of a new kindergarten building in a rural area of the Mekong Delta. They also began to fulfill their dream of helping others go on to college, providing three scholarships for high school graduates from their mother's hometown of Ca Mau. The sisters have committed to providing three more scholarships a year for at least the next four years. Truc and Chi hope eventually to assist children from the Can Tho Shelter with higher education. (Photos and details of these projects can be seen at www.vnyouthprojects.net.)

This past summer, Truc and Chi were able to travel back to Vietnam with their mother, seeing for themselves how much of a difference their contributions have made to more than 1,000 children. As before, they brought along suitcases filled with clothing, toys, and candy for the children in the shelter. The sisters describe it is a lengthy journey, in part by boat, and the summer weather is extremely hot and humid.

"The second time, I knew more what to expect," said Truc. "Still, I was extremely touched, with tears in my eyes, at how extremely happy the children were to see us. They treated us as family, clamoring for our attention."

Of course, it helps that both sisters speak the language fluently, so they could laugh and play with the youngsters.

"They never hesitated to show how much they cared," said Chi. "I liked it this time (her third visit) because I felt more like an older sister to the children."

Chi had been back for a visit with her mother in 2004, and some of the same children were still at the shelter this past summer.

"One child, who had been only 8 years old when I last saw her, was now 11, and so grown up, caring for the younger children, acting so responsible," she said. "More than me at that age."

The sisters spent two days at the shelter, watching how the former street children happily worked on their assigned shores, sweeping floors, washing dishes, caring for livestock and the orchard. The shelter also has its own vegetable garden and fish pond.

"We never saw any arguments," Chi said. "They really get along as a family."

The next stop was at the new kindergarten building in a rural area.

"I was so proud to come there and see that we had helped to build a school," said Truc. "We got to meet the children [who were going to be the first to attend]."

In fact, both sisters were surprised by the welcome they received. "There was a huge reception, with speeches, banners, and flowers," said Chi. "It was obvious that the little children were dressed up in their very best clothes."

The 2000 Children's Benefit Concert brought in $1,500--including sales of the popular toffee during intermission. Since then, the annual event has grown to bring in 10 times that initial amount. Truc and Chi each perform piano solos, then a duet of classical music as part of the program. Pianist Ellen Wasserman has performed at each concert, as has her husband, clarinetist William Wohlmacher. They will be performing this month with violinist Philip Santos of the San Francisco Symphony.

Also on the program for the ninth Children's Benefit Concert on Feb. 10 will be Evan Kirby, Truc's fiance, who will perform on clarinet, with Christa Stiner and Judy Chen playing bassoon and flute. Evan was able to travel with Truc and Chi to Vietnam this past summer. Completing his doctorate at University of California, Santa Cruz, Evan commuted to San Jose to take lessons in conversational Vietnamese in preparation for the journey.

A special part of this year's concert will be a performance by Van-Anh Vo on a traditional Vietnamese instrument. The benefit concert begins with a moving slide show depicting the need and progress of the youth projects Truc and Chi sponsor.

Truc and Chi both will graduate in 2009, and their future may take them in separate directions. That is why they have decided that this will be the last benefit concert. However, both sisters are determined to continue to support the shelter and scholarship programs in the years ahead. Their hope is that those who have supported their efforts thus far will make pledges each year to help keep the projects going. Already they are planning an online newsletter to keep donors informed of the progress of the shelter and the scholarship students.

Next October, Truc and Chi will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their fundraising to bring hope to children halfway around the world. So far, their efforts have touched the lives of more than 1,000 children.

Children's Benefit Concert

WHEN Sunday, Feb. 10, 2-4 p.m.

WHERE Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Road

INFO Tickets are $14 per person in advance, $17 at the door. Advance tickets may be purchased from students in the Amador Valley High School leadership class or at Towne Center Books on Main Street. In San Ramon, tickets may be purchased at House of Woodwinds.

Other ways to help

* Sponsor a child at the children's shelter in Can Tho, Vietnam. Just $20 per month will cover the cost of food, clothing, and school supplies for the child, and a progress report will be sent to the donor. Donations (tax-deductible, payable to VNHELP) may be sent to Chi Nguyen, P.O. Box 14210, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94309.

* Provide a (tax-deductible) scholarship to cover college tuition for a student for $80-120 per year (depending upon the college). Address is listed above.