New Mexico Community Foundation Awards $22,000 to Sunflower Mission

HOUSTON, TX — The New Mexico Community Foundation has awarded $22,000 to Sunflower Mission for the building of 4 classrooms in rural parts of Vietnam. This funding is possible because of the generosity of the OPM 35 Fund through the administration of the New Mexico Community Foundation.

“We extend our best wishes to you (Sunflower Mission) for success in achieving your mission to improve the lives of children in rural parts of Vietnam,” said Nelsy Dominguez, program director for the foundation.

Since Sunflower Mission’s inception in October 2002, it has built 50 classrooms and granted more than 2000 scholarships in rural parts of southern Vietnam where most families make meager livings through agricultural means and individuals have incomes of about 200,000 dong per month, or about $12 U.S. dollars per person. Although parents prefer to send their children to school, many cannot do without children’s labor to make ends meet or to pay school fees.

To help tip these parents’ decision in favor of school, Sunflower Mission provides the infrastructure by bringing accessible and safe schools to the villages to foster education. Sunflower Mission also provides scholarships to students so that school fees and supplies are paid for. This program will help to reduce child labor and increase school enrollment.

Tuan Dao, Sunflower Mission chairman, believes that education is the key to allow the destitute children to change their fate, or lift themselves out of poverty. These children have faced constant hardship since the days they were borne and most of them cannot even envision what is possible. By making education accessible to the children, we open their minds, allow them to dream of a better live, and afford them the opportunities to achieve their dreams. Sunflower Mission’s work focuses on helping one child, one class, one community at a time. This generous grant from OPM35 will allow Sunflower Mission to deliver 4 class rooms to a needed community and provide safe and accessible facility for about 300 students for up to 30 years.

Sunflower Mission is a 501(c)3 organization committed to improving the lives of the people in Vietnam, mainly through educational assistance programs. The group is a U.S.-based NGO.