11/8/2015

DragonTalesNovember2015

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A toast to our kids

Themomentwasfilledwithexcitement,anxietyandmoretensionthanaMasterchef
finale!EightofBlueDragonsteenagerstookthefinalexaminationfortheirBarista
Courseandallpassedwithflyingcolours.ItwasthefirstcourseofitskindrunbyBlue
DragoninconjunctionwithREACH,alocalNGOspecialisinginvocationaltraining.The
trainingwassupportedbyANZBank(Vietnam).For11weeks,thekidsweretaught
principlesofhygiene,coffeeanddrinkmaking,teamworkandleadership.Fortheirfinal
exam,teamsmixedandpresenteddrinkstoapanelofjudgeswhodeclaredthedrinks
werebetteratBlueDragonthanwhattheypaidforincafes.
"ItaggedalongwithmyfriendtoattendthefirstlessonbutitwasreallyinterestingsoI
keptcomingback.IwasveryhappywhentheteachertoldmethatthedrinkImadewas
reallyyummy.Afterthecourse,Ireceivedacocktailshakerasareward.Iwasreally
proudofmyself.Ibelievenowthatwhenyouhavepassion,youcandoanything.Iwant
toattendtheadvancedBaristaCourseinthefuture."My,14yearoldbaristastudent

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WHATS NEW AT BLUE?

Green fingers and thumbs

To Russia with love

Therooftopverticalgardeniscomplete!
Ourkidsaregettingintouchwithnature,
andobservinghowplantsgrow.
VolunteersDaniel,David,LukeandLes
donatedtheirtime,skills,andprovided
financialsupportforpurchasingrain
barrels,soil,plantsplustwoelectricsaws!
Thekidswerefascinatedbytheworm
farm.Ithasbeenawonderfuleffortto
makeBlueDragon'scentregreen.

Itsabigstepwhenanyofourtertiary
studentsgetthechancetostudy
overseas.hasjustsetofftoRussiafor
ayear,completewithwarmgloves
providedbyherfriendfromHoiAn,
SandieMcKay!Wearesoproudthatshe
obtainedthescholarshipthatwillsupport
hertostudyRussianinMoscow.
Althoughnervous,ismakingthemost
ofheradventure.Congratulations!

Red Stocking Christmas Campaign!

We'vegotgreatChristmasgivingideasforyourRedStocking.
Givehotmealsforhungrykids,equipaboardingschoolinaremoteareaof
Vietnam,orbringatraffickedgirlbackhome.Detailsinyourinboxsoon!
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Walking a new path

Nhung*wasonly16yearsoldwhenshewassold
toabrothelinChina.Shewascheatedbytwo
friendswhoinvitedhertoaborderprovincetobuy
abirthdaygift.Nhunghadnoideashewouldntsee
homeagainforayear.

Nhungwasbrave.Shemanagedtoborrowa
client'sphoneandsecretlyrangafriendin
Vietnam.Withpolicecooperation,BlueDragonwas
abletolocateandrescueNhungtwoyearsago.
Butthiswasjustthebeginningofherjourney.Like
othervictimsofhumantrafficking,Nhung,now17,
wasrelievedtofleefromthebrothelbutsoonfell
intodepression.BlueDragon'spsychologist
workedcloselywithNhung.Shebecamea
survivor!
Wehelpedtobuildherresilienceandshemadeplansforherfuture.Nhungdecidedto
returntoschoolinherhometownfortunately,wewereabletoprovideherwithfull
supportincludingvisitingherregularly.ShedidntjustneedherschoolfeespaidNhung
neededsomeonetotalktoandpeoplewhounderstood.

Withalotofhardworkandplentyofcounselling,Nhungfinishedhighschoolandwas
acceptedintouniversitythisSeptemberasaBlueDragonTertiaryScholarship
student.Nhungscourageinreturningtoschoolhaspaidoff.Shewillstillcontinueto
needoursupport,potentiallyformanyyears,asshenavigatesthetraumaofher
experience.Fornow,wecongratulateherforenteringuniversity.Itisamazingthatshe
hascomethisfar.
*Notherrealname

A room with many views

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ItsmakeovertimeatBlueDragonsDropinCentresinHanoiandHue.Wewantedthe
kidstohaveabigsayinthecreationoftheirownspaces.Theyformedcommitteesand
electedleaderstheyvisitedhomewareshopsandsurfedthenet.InHanoi,theyworked
withalocaldesignerfromthefurniturestoreUMAandinHue,withourYouth
Engagementteam.Thecentreshavebeenbuzzingwiththecreativeenergy.
AtDragonHouse,thekidscameupwithaningeniousideaafullsizedblackboardwall.
Theywantedaninteractivespacewheretheycouldscribble,shareinspirationalsayings,
andwriteupthenews.Otherideasincludeaselfiewall,asecondcounsellingroom,a
moreaccessibleartspaceandasmallstage.It'sgoingtobeawarmandwelcoming
spaceforthemanyadditionalkidswearemeetingonthestreetsthesedays.

InHue,themakeoverwascompletedwhen30kidscametogetherinabrainstorming
session.Theycleaned,drew,paintedandmovedfurniture.TheHuecentre(photoright)
isnowabright,colourfulspacewhichtheytrulycancalltheirown.

CELEBRATING OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF

SUPPORTERS

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On1August,BachNguyenreachedthepeakofMtKilimanjaroafterenduringthe
challengesofacclimatisingtotheheight.HedecidedtoraisemoneyforBlueDragon,got
intouchwithus,andclimbedthemountainassimple(andamazing!)asthat.Onthe
othersideoftheworld,amonthlater,JohnDaveNgflewfromSingaporetorunthe
70kmmountainmarathoninSapa,Vietnam.Inlessthan17hoursheranupsteeply
climbinginclines,downtreacherousdeclinesandthroughrivercrossings.Hemadeitto
theendandleftusinawe.BachandJohnyouresuperstars!

A scrumptious show and tell

ThestudentsatPeakhurstPublicSchoolinAustralia
putonafairforEducationWeekwheretheyshowedoff
theirBlueDragonartwork,blogsandwebsiteto
visitors.Thestudentsalsosoldlemonade,lollybags,
mouthwateringbrowniesandcupcakestoraise$3,400
formedicalcareforBlueDragonkids.Toechothe
wordsoftwooftheorganisingstudents,Blairand
Zane,ThankyouPPSyouareawesome!

Rally Indochina 2016

Itsadifferentrideonthewildsidewhenparticipantsof
RallyIndochinainMayexperiencenorthernVietnamin
auniqueway.RidersonMinskandUralvintage
motorbikeswilltraversethebeautifulnorthernrouteto
DienBienwhilesupportingBlueDragonsanti
traffickingwork.TheRallyhasbeenraisingmoneyfor
BlueDragoneveryyearsince2010.Thereisstilltime
tobeatthestartinglineregisternowat
www.rallyindochina.com.

VISITORS
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IntrepidFoundationhassupportedBlue
Dragonsince2007,donating$198,867
raisedthroughtheirtravellers,toursand
matchinggrants.ItwasgreattoseeCo
Founder,DarylWadeandAdministrator,
AnnaWadeatDragonHouse.

SusanNelsonandhertwoyoung
sonsbroughttoiletries,artsupplies,and
toystoourDropinCentre.Theyhad
askedforpresentstogivetoBlueDragon
foroneoftheirbirthdays.Theboysalso
gavetwodrawingsofbluedragons!

IN OTHER WORDS ...

ThemajorityofBlueDragonvolunteersarelocalVietnamesetertiarystudents.But
VibhavfirstcametoBlueDragononaschoolservicetripfromSingaporeandhascome
backeverysummerholidaysincetosharehisskillsandknowledgewiththekids.
"Ithinkit'ssoinspiringtoseethekids
herewhomaynotleadascomfortable
livesbutmanagetoremainsohappyand
sogenerallyoptimisticabouthowtheirlife
isgoingtoturnout.Withthesupportof
BlueDragontheyknowtheycanchoose
todocertainthingsandtheyknowthey
havetheopportunityandtheyreally
appreciatewhatisgiventothemand
whattheyhave".
Readthefullinterviewhere.

BlueDragonChildrensFoundationisanAustraliancharityworkinginVietnamwithchildrenincrisis.
BlueDragonkidsarestreetkids,childrenwithdisabilities,childrenfromruralfamilieslivinginextreme
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poverty,andvictimsofhumantraffickingandslavery.Ouraimistorescuekidsfromdanger,reunitethem
withtheirfamilieswhenwecan,andprovidealltheservicesneededforrecoveryandgrowth.

Copyright2015BlueDragonChildren'sFoundation,Allrightsreserved.
www.bluedragon.org
updateyourpreferencesorunsubscribefromthislist

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