Temasek Junior College visits World Vision Vietnam

In November 2024, a group of 24 students and 4 teachers from Temasek Junior College partnered with World Vision and travelled to Da Nang, Vietnam with their mission in mind: To serve with the heart, for the hearts.  The batch, composed of JC1 students, were picked to be part of the college’s flagship Temasek Overseas Outreach Programme (TOOP). The programme involved an annual visit to less fortunate areas in the Southeast Asia region. This year was the college’s first time back across borders since the pandemic, and the TOOPers (as we call ourselves) were hopeful to learn and leave an impact. 

With the support of World Vision, we were able to work closely with the local children, offering skills and knowledge, covering topics such as anti-bullying, child safety, and environmental consciousness. We also aimed to liven the communities among us, painting a vibrant mural on the streets of Da Nang and assembling a library corner in a school. Moreover, we prepared a cultural exchange session with the children as we all sang and danced while immersing ourselves in each other’s traditions.  We also got multiple opportunities to put ourselves in the shoes of the locals and are deeply grateful for this eye-opening experience. 

Anti-Bullying Lessons 

We carried out these lessons in 4 schools with the goal of empowering children with confidence, and bringing awareness of the harm of bullying.  The lessons began with skits, engaging the children as they enthusiastically cheered and jeered at the ‘victim’ and ‘bully’ respectively. They then took turns to share how they would confront the bully. This allowed us to touch on the importance of watching our tones when speaking to one another and how that could prevent conflicts.  Afterwards, we pivoted lessons towards inspiring children to dream of their aspirations in life and focus on the actionable steps with an engaging game, which focused on the value of confidence.  

Child Safety and Sexual Abuse Prevention Lessons  

A sensitive yet critical subject, the TOOPers spent weeks researching and improving upon the lesson plan to craft one that was both appropriate and effective to the children. We taught basic concepts such as knowing what are private parts, what is considered “good” and “bad” touch, and what to do in the case of sexual abuse. We used large posters with child-appropriate visuals and easy educational chants that the children excitedly joined in on. The children then received a booklet containing the session’s key takeaways 

Increasing Environmental Consciousness 

We also shared the importance of living a sustainable lifestyle and transitioned into a hands-on activity between the groups of children who were tasked to create a contraption out of typical plastic waste. Through this, we tried to impart the idea of recycling and making the right decisions.  While the language barrier was challenging for all the lessons we conducted, friendly World Vision translators were extremely helpful in understanding our lessons and conveying the ideas to the children which made the process much smoother.  

The Mural & Library 

After two full days of hard work, our team of students finally completed a beautiful mural that we designed, with the guidance of the Vietnam team. We hope the community in Da Nang appreciate its vibrancy and the colour it brings.  We also decorated and assembled a new school library from scratch. We had mobilised the rest of our schoolmates earlier in the year with a book drive to collect hundreds of books! We hope the books inspire the children to embark on many wondrous adventures as they set their imaginations free! 

Community Participation 

During this trip, we were warmly welcomed by the locals who generously showed us glimpses into their lives. We got the chance to prepare and pack dried seafood with the locals, savour their simple, yet delicious street food, plant herbs in a medicinal garden, catch fish at shore with a net and more! On the last day, we were treated to many energetic performances by all the children we had engaged with throughout the course of the trip, while we also shared our own traditional dances and food while playing their childhood games. Under the beautiful pink skies that evening, it was a perfect way to wrap up this unforgettable experience. 

Impact 

We hope our efforts have left an impact in Son Tra, Da Nang, and in the lives of the incredible children and countless individuals we met. The children were remarkably friendly and warm with their gestures, insisting to show us thanks in the simple ways they knew–small tokens and huge, tight hugs. Their passion to learn stood out above all, forcing us to reflect for ourselves. We TOOPers have transformed into better leaders, gaining confidence, resilience, empathy, and a deeper appreciation for the difference one team can make. They opened our hearts and minds to the stark realities of urban poverty, while we realised the power of compassion to drive real, meaningful change. After all, it is only when we serve with the heart, can we effectively serve the hearts.   

Thank You 

This journey would not have been possible without the invaluable guidance of World Vision Singapore and World Vision Vietnam. Their dedication to the community they serve is truly inspiring and we extend our heartfelt gratitude for their support and partnership. We too are deeply appreciative of all the locals we interacted with for welcoming us into their environments and giving us your support through all the lessons and activities. Lastly, thank you to our teachers and school staff for offering so much guidance and care throughout the trip. TOOP 2024 would not have been possible without you.