PSB Vietnam program from Voices for Vietnam Adoption Integrity

Pearl S Buck International: Welcome House

How long has your agency been in business?

We placed our first child in 1949. We began facilitating international adoptions in the mid-1950s.

How long specifically in Vietnam?

We were working in Vietnam from 1968 until the fall of Saigon. We were one of the 8 agencies involved in the Vietnam Baby Airlift. We began humanitarian assistance in Vietnam once again in 1989. We had an adoption program in the 1990s that we chose to close in 1997 and renewed our adoption license in 2006.

Who are the facilitators working on behalf of the agency?

The Executive Director of our office in Hanoi is responsible for all adoption work on our behalf. Her name is Hang Pham. Hang is a full time staff person; she is not a contracted facilitator.

Would you be willing to share a photo of your facilitators?

[see photo posted at link]

How long have each of your facilitators worked in Vietnam adoptions and in what capacity? What is their experience?

Hang was hired as ED of PSBI Vietnam in January 2001 and is responsible for local Board recruitment/development, coordinating implementation of all fundraising activities, representing PSBI to official government authorities, international and national social development groups, supervising program development & implementation, and overseeing all financial functions. Hang provides supervision of administrative support, donor/sponsor support, personnel management and human resource development functions. She assumes responsibility for the oversight of PSBI Vietnam’s property, equipment, and all employees.

Hang holds a Bachelor in Economics, from National Economics University - Hanoi, Price Department; a Bachelor in International Economics from Foreign Trade University - Hanoi, Foreign Economic Department; and is working on her Master of Business Administration, from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Hanoi School of Business.

Where is your agency’s office or offices in Vietnam?

R2704, 34 T, Trung Hoa Nhan Chinh, Cau Giay Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam

How many Vietnam staff work for your agency in Vietnam in any capacity? Are these full time, part time or volunteer workers?

Currently, PSBI employs 5 full time staff in Vietnam. Of which, 4 staff directly get involved in adoption program including:

Pham Minh Hang - Country Director

Tran Viet Hoai - Admin staff

Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy - Project Officer based in Ho Chi Minh City

Ha Thuy Hong - Accountant/ Admin

What humanitarian aid programs does your agency run? Are these programs run through a separate organization or managed directly by your agency?

Our humanitarian programs are operated directly by our office in Vietnam and an example of our programs for last program year is as follows:

2006/2007 Program Year:

PSBIV implemented programs to meet the needs of 868 target children with PSBI funding. Funding from USAID completed the Community-based Integration of Children with Disabilities project (CICD) in Kontum province. Funding from AGI implemented an HIV prevention program for the blind and deaf in Thai Nguyen province.

Under health programs, PSBIV provided decent meals and health care to 510 orphans living in 5 orphanages. With funding from AGI, 186 blind or deaf adolescents and teachers for children with disabilities at Thai Nguyen province also participated in and improved their knowledge and awareness and behaviors change on reproductive health and STD/HIV/AIDS prevention. Expanded project on vaccination, this year 22 orphaned children at Birla orphanage were provided with Hepatitis B, a significant cause of illness and death that more than 20% of Vietnamese population suffered from it. Infrastructure at Binh Luc orphanage was also repaired and renovated for better living of children. Rehabilitation equipment was provided to orphans with disabilities in Thi Nghe orphanage.

Under education program, PSBIV provided support on learning aids and education for 495 orphans living in 4 orphanages, while 40 adolescents in orphanages enrolled in the vocational training courses to be able to have basic vocational skills and find jobs after graduation from orphanages. The CICD project was completed with the opening ceremony of Communal House accessible for children with disabilities at Center for Care and Education of Children with Disabilities in Kontum, and closing workshop. 5,000 copies of the book “Helping Children Who Are Deaf” was translated with adaptation into Vietnamese communities and distributed to the deaf children, families and related organizations and schools working for the deaf children.

Under psycho-social protection and development program, 502 orphans had a chance to join in festivals, social and outdoor activities. Importantly, there were 152 sponsored children received educational gift from their sponsors.

Under Child and Family Service project, the project was expanded to 2 more orphanages of Thi Nghe in Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa. There were 95 infants in 3 orphanages provided with nutritional supplementation for feeding infants, health care support, clothing and cribs and toys. Living supports were provided to 98 orphanages’ staff and nannies.

What humanitarian projects, if any, did your agency participate in during the shutdown?

Sponsorship programs with our orphanages in Hanoi and Hanam Provinces.

How much money does your agency dedicate to humanitarian aid per year?

2006/2007 Program Year - $236,000

What orphanages does your agency support? Can you describe, briefly, the atmosphere of these orphanages?

Thi Nghe Sponsorship Center for Orphans and Children with Disability, Ho Chi Minh City

Tay Dang Orphanage, Hanoi

Nguyen Viet Xuan Orphanage, Hanoi

Birla Children’s Village, Hanoi

Binh Luc Orphanage, Ha Nam

Thu Duc Youth Village – Ho Chi Minh

Khanh Hoa Orphanage, Nha Trang

We work in the above 8 orphanages, however, we currently only have adoption MOA’s with Thi Nghe and Khanh Hoa. The other orphanages we have been working with via our sponsorship program for many, many years. We match sponsors with children to assist with education and nutritional needs. Our sponsorship programs support orphanages with special needs or older children mostly.

What kind of oversight does your agency provide in orphanages to ensure that orphanages are acting ethically and children are being kept safe and healthy?

We visit all of the orphanages that we work with regularly to deliver or pick up photos and sponsorship letters from and to our sponsors. In addition, PSBIV staff visit with children that have been referred to PSBI families and children receiving the benefits of the humanitarian aid that we provide. Whenever possible our staff provides suggestions, guidance, or education regarding the care of the children. PSBIV staff stay in close contact with orphanage officials regarding the paperwork for each of the children. Any concerns that arise are address with the orphanage director and with the provincial officials and DIA, if necessary.

Would you be willing to share a copy of your contract as a public record for interested potential adoptive parents to peruse via our website?

Sure. It is currently available on our website as part of our 2007 Adoption Guide. We would also be glad to send it to you separately.

Does your contract contain any gag clause? If so, why?

No, we do not.

Has your agency been threatened with or received a NOID since January 2006? If yes, please share relevant details, if possible.

No, we have never received a NOID.

What efforts does your agency employ to encourage ethical adoptions in Vietnam?

We hire staff with a history of international aid and oversight and professional degrees in social work or affiliated fields, provide close supervisory and budget oversight to our office in Hanoi, share all orphanage MOU’s with Embassy and DIA, and share open, honest and realistic assessments with our PAPs of the situation in Vietnam.

We have a search program as part of the services we provide to adult adoptees. One of the “measuring sticks” we use when making decisions regarding our adoption program is how the children we are placing now might feel about the decision when they learn about it as they grow older. The decisions we make affect their lives dramatically. When they are adults we want to be able to look them in the eye and say that we did everything we could to ensure that their adoption was completed ethically and in a transparent manner. Perhaps most importantly, we want to be able to say that we know that they were truly in need of a family and that their birth family was not encouraged or coerced to make an adoption plan.

How many adoptions have been completed by your agency since the MOU was signed?

7 children placed with 6 children waiting to come home.

How many waiting families, approximately, are currently in your program?

There are currently 13 families waiting for referrals, 12 families completing their home studies or dossiers, and 13 families on the waiting list.