Helping the street children Helping the street children (March 04, 2005)

Teen's concert Sunday will benefit youth shelter in Vietnam
by Rebecca Guyon

This past summer was the first time Chi Nguyen had visited Vietnam in five years, but her presence has been felt every day by the street children of Can Tho.

"I met a lot of new kids when I visited Can Tho this past summer and they all knew me because their teachers had told them stories about me," Chi said. "When they finally got to meet me they treated me like an older sister."

That's because Chi, 17, has been the sole sponsor of a shelter for street children in Can Tho, Vietnam, for four years. She and her older sister Truc began raising funds for the children in 1999 by selling homemade almond toffee and Beanie Babies, and organizing an annual benefit concert at the Amador Theater.

Chi and Truc conceived of the project after a 1999 trip to Vietnam, their parents' homeland. During their trip, the sisters visited the shelter and were moved by the children they met.

Since that first trip, they have raised $34,000 for the shelter. The money provides clothing, meals, classes and basic medical needs for more than 100 street children ranging in ages from 7 to 17.

"The impact the funds have is so great that it just seems like there is no option but to do it," Chi said. "It's easy to forget the goal, but seeing the kids and hearing from them makes it a reality. If I didn't sponsor them, I'm not sure if there would be enough money to run the shelter."

Chi said the shelter is doing well and has weathered a transition period when it moved to a rural home outside of the city. One of the advantages of the new residence is the garden where the children grow vegetables and other plants as an activity. Children are still living in a city shelter as well, but eventually the rural home will house all of them.

Education is important to the children, as Chi experienced firsthand when they ran out to show her the certificates of merit they had received in spelling. The children take classes in history, penmanship, Vietnamese and math, and Chi said they are showing great progress. "The kids are very bright and want to do well in school," Chi said.

Academics are also important to Chi, who will be attending Stanford University in the fall. She still plans on organizing the concert for next year and has already set the date.

"When the kids at the shelter heard I was going to college they said, 'If Chi is going to college who's going to support us now?'

"That is a really realistic question," said Chi, "but I have to keep it going. I really want to do it because it is important to me, and not doing it would feel odd."

Chi's grassroots effort has gained national attention from the Target Start Something Program, which is sponsored by Target to encourage youths to take part in community service. At the end of the program Chi earned a scholarship and was featured in a commercial for the program with Tiger Woods that aired for a couple months at the end of 2004.

The sixth annual Benefit Concert for Vietnam Youth will feature performances by Chi and Truc Nguyen playing piano, clarinetist Bill Wohlmacher, pianist Priscilla Granger, members of the Viet Spring Folk Ensemble and Just Friends jazz band. David Louie from ABC7 will emcee the event. All proceeds will be donated to the Viet Nam Health Education and Literature Projects (VNHELP), a nonprofit organization helping children and communities in Vietnam.
Vietnamese folk music and more

What: Sixth annual Benefit Concert for Vietnam Youth Where: Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Road When: 2 p.m., Sunday, March 6 Who: Traditional Vietnamese music, jazz and more Tickets: $9, available at Towne Center Books and at the door Benefits: Viet Nam Health Education and Literature Projects (VNHELP)

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