This year, the team visited Hoa Tan Commune in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam as part of their Overseas Exposure Programme (OEP). The commune is said to be the poorest in the Tra Vinh Province.
The team was the first batch of foreign help that one of the schools, School B, has received. Under the lead of ECO Vietnam Group, the team worked together to refurbish School B through the construction of a water filtration system and the cementing of the school’s front yard.
The team also conducted a study camp for the students in the school, and the teaching syllabus focused on basic English, Mathematics, Arts and Crafts, Hygiene, Basic First Aid and Sports. In particular, the team piloted their English textbook at the camp. The textbook focused on vocabulary and usage of words in 10 different contexts that would be relevant to the students of the commune. For example, greeting words and phrases, going to the market, going to school, etc.
One of the most memorable programme that the team conducted was the cultural exchange night on their last service day in the school. The event comprised of local food tasting, performances by both countries and festive decorations. Everyone enjoyed themselves at the event with friendship bonds forged. Watch the trip highlights here.
This has been a very eye-opening experience. Seeing the poor living conditions of the villagers in the Hoa Tan commune and to a certain extent experiencing it, made me reflect on the things that I had took for granted in Singapore, such as clean drinking water and proper waste disposal methods. Being away from home and out of my comfort zone made me even more empathetic towards those who do not even have their basic needs met. Although the villagers do not have much to spare, they were still very generous. They gave us the fruits they grew as a token of appreciation instead of selling them to earn a few extra dollars to feed their family. This made me realise that you don’t have to be wealthy to give, and anyone can afford to give. The lessons learnt during this trip is very unlike what I have learnt doing other local Community Involvement Projects and everyone should have at least one such experience. Christy Yip, Participant
About NTU Hall 13 Overseas Expedition
NTU Hall 13 Overseas Expedition (Hall 13 OE) is one of the eight student-run adhocs of Hall 13.
Team members from Hall 13 OE aims to bring joy and spread warmth to the communities that they have reached out to. They have been visiting different provinces in Vietnam since 2016.
The expedition is usually a two-week long programme where participants get to experience life outside the city, learn from different cultures and contribute meaningfully to the host country.
