Dear Summer 2016 friends of TTG : Tinh Truc Gia=Peaceful Bamboo Family , dear volunteers of TTG over the many years
I just arrived back in TTG and was delighted to hear about all your internships, visits, volunteering in TTG this summer
Trinh and me are in charge of organizing volunteers for TTG, getting the permits etc, and we receive MANY requests and sometimes "choosing" is quite a challenge...to feel who are the ones that could create a friendship and long term relation with
the Community and our work, is what we try to "feel" through the applications
From what I hear there was quite a great group in Hue this summer in TTG
Everyone was inspired and happy meeting you all...Some came for just a short visit
some as "official volunteers", but certainly the TTG team really appreciated your energy openness, commitment and kindness
From the beginning of TTG we felt having volunteers really as an important "part of our work" and life in TTG.
Youngsters in TTG live a bit "isolated" geographically, so bringing "the world" to TTg is a way to connect them to other young people around the world,
But also for TTG staff it is an opportunity to share their experience, to train newcomers
( that's how you learn, explaining to the volunteers what you do, why, how, etc) and to feel connected to other people in their generation having similar aspirations, this really gives them energy and They know they are not alone in trying to bring positive
changes "to the world"
Also to be supported in every day work by the volunteers is highly appreciated!
Eurasia Foundation who sponsors TTG is going through quite interesting changes. We are a group of very "experienced social
workers" who created the Foundation and Association about 20 and more years ago. ( 26 years really from the very start)
We have built up MANY projects in Vn ( look up our website : http://www.eurasia.org.vn)
but in the last 9 years or so concentrated on TTG as a model including most of our "expertise" : social therapy, special ed, mindfulness, GNH, bio dynamic farming, social entrepreneurship, team work as a "living example" in TTG
We feel
the big "building period" ( we built many schools, vocational training centers and of course lots of building in TTG) is a bit "finished" and we want to concentrate on ELI : Eurasia Learning Institute, transmitting our experience, train and share with others
Parallel to that we created many partnerships in VN with other NGO's and "like minded " organizations helping us to develop ELI
For all these years Eurasia was the only sponsor for TTG running costs. Now the network in Vn is getting
stronger and organizations start to support TTG but still about 60% -70% is still in the hands of Eurasia . I do not know any center for people with disabilities in the west that manages to find 30-40% of running costs by their own activities...we aim to arrive
to 50%!!!
To have TTG financially sustainable really is important !
A lot of the "big" income for TTG/Eurasia in the last years came through the big building periods, but now we feel a new phase starts that needs another approach
to fundraising
Also the generation that started Eurasia Foundation/Association is slowly "retiring" meaning stepping in the back ground more and more
Next Christmas Marie Fleur a young special educator will become the president of
Eurasia Association
Han also Wake up and many other things, is taking the lead on ELI International
Hai that you all know Eurasia project manager and ELI representative also is stepping up to take more responsibilities, next to Khanh the Eurasia
representative in VN
And this is why I write to you, they need your support and your network to continue the task to support TTG and to develop ELI and Eurasia in a way corresponding to the needs and possibilities of TODAY’s reality …...of
your generation
There are ideas of creating "Eurasia/TTG support "hubs" in western countries, with organizing fundraising events, or ELI events
All this is "in the making" and as I felt there was such a good response from you all
I want to encourage you to connect and to support us in doing this.
We were thinking of organizing a ELI /TTG event in Germany next summer...may be After Chandolin retreat (a meditation retreat we organize each summer in the swiss alps) Hai and
Marie Fleur and Han could create a first event in the west...Switzerland? Germany ?
May be they could visit Maelle and David in le Béal, one of our dear partners and support since many years ( a Camphill in France) and organize something there
All this to be continued.....we also wait for your ideas.....we are still in this delicious "creation phase"
We also want to "enlarge" freshen up our network...Eurasia network was a lot "our, Tho and my" network
You also
need to know to have foreign volunteers in TTg is not easy at all. To get the permits etc is very sensitive and complicated...we are working really hard to keep "this door open" explaining to the authorities, doing all the complicated paperwork
etc...keeping it transparent ( this is why to do it legally and to follow all legal procedures is so important) etc because we know it is important for the volunteers but also for the youngsters and the community !
For the time being official volunteers
come or through Kolping or are Eurasia members
Also for TTG team, yes it is inspiring and truly a help to welcome volunteers, but also an extra task and work, but they know that it is important and are willing to support this TTG activity
There would be much more to share...
Hai and Marie Fleur will continue this conversation with you I guess...but I am still here some time and would love to hear from you
Kindly
Lisi on a hot morning on my balcony