MAI TAM CENTER YEAR 2021 REPORT

GENERAL ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS

SUMMARY:

The Covid Epidemic 2021 was a very stressful period for the program. The Center successfully survived a serious outbreak of Covid. There were no fatalities.

Most fund raisers were cancelled as expected.

Mai Tam received four additional HIV/AIDS positive orphans, all girls.

Several children in the community program have reached adolescence and can now be with their families to be cared for; thus, the number of children supported in the community by Mai Tam has been reduced to 190 children from some 280 in prior years.  This is a positive outcome as the children have survived, and with Mai Tam’s support and education can now move on into society. 

During Covid 2021 Mai Tam received additional food supplies from many donors (rice, milk, vegetables) which Mai Tam distributed to people in the streets and in the slums.  This activity was managed out of the Mai Tam Center with the assistance of the The Camillian Brothers of Vietnam.  Some 8900 citizens received this food aid during this period of the epidemic—an amazing contribution to society considering Mai Tam is an orphanage reaching out and giving to the less well off in Vietnamese society.

THE NUMBERS

Mai Tam Center and Community Population 2021: 

Total number of mothers and children living in Mai Tam, 107 (22 mothers, 85 children)

New infant orphans-- 4 girls

Children and mothers returned to the community -- 2 mothers, 4 children

Total children cared for in the community -- 190

Medical Care and Treatment provided at Mai Tam: 

HIV/AIDS treatment, 107 persons.

Covid treatment in 2021-- 31 persons (22 children, 3 mothers, 6 staff)

Education:

In Year 2021, in-school education was limited.  Teaching was moved to online study and Mai Tam provided tablets and laptops to 61 children for their learning experience (primary school 20 children, secondary school 27 children, high school l5 children, university 2 adults).  Additionally, life skills training was provided for 51 children.

Care and Treatment for clients in the community: 

Health care, nutritional support and educational scholarships were provided for 190 children residing in the community.

Community Outreach: 

The Mai Tam program acted aggressively to provide aid and comfort to people affected by the Covid epidemic in the community, by sharing foods and by providing shelter for ageing people during the lockdown.  The total number of persons supported during this period was 8,900.

MAI TAM EXPENSES: 

--Provide social support for 190 children affected by HIV/AIDS in the community – nutritional services, hospital fees, scholarship money-- US$16/month/child.

--Books and tuition fees-- US$22.26/month/child.

--Average expenses for each child living in Mai Tam Center (food, clothing, tuition fees, etc.) ranged from US$234.26/month to US$429.61/ month, based on the child’s age.

OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES-- EXPECTED AND UNEXPECTED OUTCOMES, 2021

Education:

Because of Covid, schooling slowed down and children are now at different levels of educational advancement, complicating the in-house teaching and overworking the educators in Mai Tam. 

There are developmental issues in some children possibly related to HIV/AIDS positive status and from being orphans; staff have observed a delay in speaking, poor memory, mild autism.  We consider these children to have special needs but Mai Tam does not have qualified teachers to attend to these needs.  Many children are reaching adolescence, facing new challenges, such as discrimination and the stigma of HIV/AIDS as well as the psychological effects of having HIV/AIDS.

We lack long-term volunteers and have a regular turnover of staff.  Our salaries are not high and  staff leave after two or three years to go to another job.  Volunteers are mainly present during the summer period.



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