Breaking the Cycle

General Information

Donors: tesa Site Haiphong, Navigos Group Hanoi, IFC, and many other generous and kind donors

Period: Since 2021 – Ongoing

Location: Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

Implementer: Children and Youth Program

The "Breaking the Cycle" project idea was incubated amid COVID-19 while we met thousands of homeless people and poor families severely affected by the pandemic. Among those, children are the most vulnerable and more likely to fall deeper into poverty. They are facing malnutrition, unsafe and unhealthy living conditions, low access to public services, notably in education and healthcare, low self-esteem, and many more challenges to survive and thrive.

Therefore, the project’s overarching goal is that young people in poor families can have decent employment, which is the most effective way to stop poverty for themselves and their families. The project's key component is the improvement of education and learning for the children. Besides, we pay attention to building their resilience - their inner long-term asset, and improving the environment for their safe and healthy development. The three goals and their interventions are the following:

Improved education access and study at school for the children through:

Support to obtain birth certificates and personal documents so that children can enroll in public schools
Financial and in-kind support to aid the study-related expenditures
Tutoring and developing learning skills
Nutrition and healthcare support to ensure physical development
Support for families to improve their physical living conditions such as house rental, health insurance cards, livelihood support for caregivers, etc.

Improved resilience to reduce health, social, and legal risks and to increase their self-esteem and social inclusivity via:

Reducing financial burdens through housing and livelihood support
Providing nutrition support packages
Supporting in getting health insurance and access to healthcare
Organizing group sessions to build and improve parental skills

Building a sustainable support eco-system by:

Engaging schools, vocational centers, and communities
Mobilizing local resources and initiatives

With over three years of implementation, SCDI has garnered considerable support from partners, donors, and charitable individuals to uphold essential assistance concerning documentation, tuition, nutrition, and child health. Moreover, the active participation and commitment of project volunteers have significantly contributed to the consistent delivery of impactful extracurricular activities for the children.

The year 2024 signifies a strategic evolution for SCDI, transitioning from providing singular support to cultivating a sustainable ecosystem. This involves the flexible, proactive, and long-term mobilization of local resources through corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies aligned with sustainable development principles. This approach not only facilitates swift responses to specific local difficulties but also empowers internal capacity and community responsibility to generate collective momentum and a systemic impact in supporting children's education, thereby disrupting the cycle of poverty.

2023 Key results

In 2023, 320 children in poor families in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hai Phong city were supported. Two children started Grade 1 after obtaining their birth certificates. 150 children received nutrition support. The project bought and renewed 220 health insurance cards for 220 children and their caregivers; four children were referred to healthcare services when they were sick, and one child with chronic medical conditions received monthly medication support. In particular, 35 children in Hanoi received health screening. As a result, the school retention rate significantly increased to 99.4% compared to 90% when the project started.

2024 Key results

In 2024, 332 children in poor families in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hai Phong were supported, including tuition for 287 children for the 2024-2025 school year, 161 nutrition and living expense packages, 332 sets of study supplies, and tutoring for 25 children.

Additionally, 17 children were supported with personal documents, and 240 received medical support, including health insurance, medical expenses, and referrals for specialized treatment.

By maintaining effective and core interventions, the project has ensured uninterrupted education for children and promoted life skills development through extracurricular activities while promptly addressing health issues. In 2024, the project supported medical screening, treatment, and nutritional costs for one child diagnosed with tuberculosis; installed a water pump for a family in Hanoi without clean water; and provided 15 food packages and home repairs for 02 families severely impacted by Typhoon Yagi