Organizing Games and Fun Activities for Children in the National Pediatric Hospital In Hanoi

The National Hospital of Pediatrics (NHP) is specialized in treating children coming from different provinces in Vietnam. The hospital consists of 22 departments, with the number of treated patients amounting up to 1000-1200, ages ranging from infancy to nearly 17 years old. The majority of them are afflicted with difficult to cure ailments, such as hematologic, nephrologic, etc.

Most patients come from low-income families in which parents are working in agriculture sector, leading a rather poor life. During the treatment period, the patients do not have opportunities to participate in common leisure activities and they often suffer from stress of staying long time in hospital, so having fun and activities to reduce worry and sadness while they are in the hospital is necessary.

The hospital itself is deficient in organizing psychology-care activities for little patients. Pediatrics patients have full rights to healthy development, both physically and spiritually, like other people. They also have desire to communicate, play and receive knowledge. The efforts made by all doctors and nurses in the hospital are not likely to meet all patients’ needs.

Volunteers are needed to teach English and organize games and leisure activities for the children in the hospital (e.g.: singing, drawing, magic shows, etc). In Aspiration center, the volunteers will encourage children to communicate in English every day and will organize performances with them every month.

The volunteers will support the children by playing with them. Through the games, the volunteers will help to distract the children from their physical and mental pain and they will not feel so much afraid of being in the hospital. We hope that the lovely children in the hospital will have sweet and comfortable time with both international and Vietnamese volunteers.

Special requirements: Volunteers need to be enthusiastic, patient, optimistic, full of energy and ready to work with sick children. They also need to be creative in organizing activities for the children so the children will feel relaxed.

Leisure activities: Hanoi has many historical and cultural places and it is also a famous destination for tourists. Visiting Old Quarters and traditional trade villages are good choices for the volunteers at weekends or in their free time. Many cultural festivals are held in Hanoi annually so this is a great chance for the volunteers to explore the Capital which is 1000 years old.

Language: English

Duration of the project: 2-12 months

Accommodation: Volunteers will stay in a host family. They need to bring a sleeping bag.

Location: Hanoi

Terminal: Noi Bai International Airport (HAN)

Age range: 18 and over

Participation fee: $590 CAD

Extra fee: 7,500,000 VND (about 260 Euro)/month

The extra fee is intended to support the hosting organization who does not have sufficient funds. It is due upon arrival on the project.

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