From London to Vietnam

Bánhmì11 is donating 50% of this week’s (1/8/2009) trading profits to a development project in Thanh Binh, Vietnam

Back in 2005, I was lucky to spend a summer in rural Vietnam, first Ben Tre and then Can Gio province, on a volunteer project. We joined thousands of Vietnamese students in the Mùa Hè Xanh or Green Summer campaign to teach and work on infrastructure projects. Although we were supposed to be the teachers, we came out stronger for the lessons we learned from the children and local communities. I took home a box of hand-written notes the students wrote us before we left and little crafts they made out of shells or palm leaves. I got to see a part of Vietnam which I would have been sheltered from if I never left the country in the first place. It made me laugh, it made me cry and most of all, it made me remember to return.

This month, from August 2 to 12, one of Bánhmì11‘s first friends, Wenqi Chow, will embark of a trip with 14 fellow Singaporeans in collaboration with YMCA Vietnam to go to the district of Thanh Binh in the Dong Thap Province, about 250km from Ho Chi Minh City. They will be refurbishing the infrastructure of the local school and as part of the process provide some basic English lessons to the village children. They need to raise at least $3000 to cover the minimum cost of the project, including building materials and transportation. Any excess they raise will given to YMCA Vietnam after to provide study materials for the students.

To this end, Bánhmì11 pledges to give 50% of this week’s trading profit to the group. So if you are picking a Saturday to come out to Broadway Market, come this week because you know you can get a great bánh mì as always and your pounds will be traveling all the way to Vietnam to make an impact on many young people’s lives.

Posted on: 27.07.2009