Past:

The Green Bamboo was founded by the HCWA in 1993 and became a shelter for homeless boys in 1998. Every year, the Green Bamboo Warm Shelter (GBWS) helped hundreds of street boys by providing opportunities and support, designed to give  them the best chance possible of leading a normal, stable life. The main focus of the GBWS was the rehabilitation of its beneficiaries’ mental and physical health, so the boys could successfully reintegrate into society. The GBWS also facilitated access to education and extracurricular activities and provided children aged 15-18 with vocational training appropriate to their age and abilities, so they could secure decent employment in their futures.

Present:

The Green Bamboo is now the Green Bamboo Social Protection Center (GBC) and activities are centred around creating more favourable situations for disadvantaged groups, families, and communities. This is done by facilitating access to social services in the community, while simultaneously reducing the heavy load on the current system of social protection services in Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, the GBC develops the social work skills of employees and collaborators; advocates to improve local policies related to social work and the assistance of people in special circumstances; raises public awareness of social issues and supports vulnerable people.

Social Enterprise is a crucial part of GBC being able to provide for our beneficiaries. The Green Bamboo Kitchen makes a wide range of delicious food that can be purchased through their Facebook page. 

Future:

Due to a lack of funding and Covid-19, the GBC is in serious need of funding and support in order to achieve our goals in 2021-2022. To donate today please click here. 

Projected activities for the GBC in 2021-2022 are as follows:

• Build individual care plans for all children at the center
• Organize extracurricular clubs and workshops for children
• Host capacity-building training and regular meetings for ‘core groups’ of child-peer educators
• Provide training and awareness to parents to improve their capacity for child protection care 
• Facilitate access to organizations which provide healthcare to support beneficiaries
• Conduct counseling activities for children, families, and the community