It is with much excitement that Lifestart Foundation welcomes TRAN THI THANH and LE QUANG GHI to Melbourne, Australia. Thanh and Ghi are two outstanding young people who are involved in the Lifestart Foundation Jobstart Program. They will arrive in Melbourne on Thursday the 24th. of April and will commence their traineeships with one of Australia's leading wedding dress and couture designers, MARIANA HARDWICK on May the 5th. Thanh has been involved with Lifestart Foundation for a number of years. She originally came to my attention as a young girl who was being extremely exploited at [View Full Entry]

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Back in March I told you about a "mad but thoroughly loveable " Englishman who was attempting to fly across the Yarra River on behalf of Lifestart Foundation. Thanks to all those who left helpful suggestions on hair removal and other ways to improve his aerodynamics! They must have worked as James (aka Birdman!) managed a magnificent leap of 7.5 metres which earned him huge cheers from thousands in the crowd! He also managed to make a big splash for Lifestart - appearing in newspapers in Melbourne and in Vietnam and presenting (in costume!) to children at Carey Baptist Grammar School [View Full Entry]

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Not many Melbournians would jump into the Yarra River! But that's what Englishman, James Everson-Crane is planning to do on behalf of Lifestart Foundation! He will leap from a platform at midday on March 9th as part of Melbourne's famous Moomba Festival! Always optimistic, James plans to soar high above the crowds wearing nothing but a flowing, white gown and a big Vietnamese hat! Last year James and his family were visiting Melbourne during Moomba and happened to watch the Birdman competition. James was eager to comment on all the entries and certain that he could fly further! Without [View Full Entry]

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Dear Lifestart Supporters, My apologies for the lack of contact during the past month. I have just arrived back from my December/January trip to Vietnam. Whilst in Vietnam I am so busy doing the " hands on work" that I find it impossible to summons up the brain space to write anything intelligent by the end of the day. Rest assured that I am back in Melbourne with a "thousand " stories running around in my head that I will now attempt to get into blog format before I return to Vietnam in March. Highlights of Lifestart news and events include: [View Full Entry]

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Lifestart Foundation has been very fortunate to have had the expertise of some wonderful additional volunteers: DR. JOSH SOLOMON, is a board certified internist, pulmonologist and critical care physician from Denver, Colorado. In January he completed the initial assessment on forty members from our disabled group. An added bonus for me is that his notes are in English and for the most part his writing is readable! All of the patients were taken to hospital for rounds of tests and xrays and then had their appointment with Josh. Josh was assisted with translations by voluntee [View Full Entry]

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Lifestart Foundation is very happy to welcome three new student groups for 2008. Five girls who are training to become Buddhist nuns have now joined the student body at the Lifestart Foundation Free School. The girls, TRUYEN, THAO, TIEN, NGUYEN and TAM all live at the Pagoda, just around the corner from the Lifestart School. The girls live at the Pagoda for a variety of reasons. In some cases, it's a choice made by very poor parents in lieu of leaving their child at an orphanage; for others, this is a personal choice made from a deep commitment to their faith. [View Full Entry]

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Twenty-five-year-old Tung was healthy and strong; a hard worker with stable employment as a concreter and bricklayer. He had a girlfriend and he was in love. Life was good, and like so many young people he had hopes and dreams for the future. Unfortunately, that all came to a crashing halt when Tung fell from a ladder whilst working one day... he broke his back. At age 25, he was a paraplegic. During the next three months that Tung spent in hospital, he had many things to come to terms with. Life as he knew it was to change dramatically. [View Full Entry]

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Lifestart Foundation supporter Christopher Francke held a fundraising event last year to raise money to purchase and modify a three-wheeled motorbike for Hiep. Christopher had read a previous blog about Hiep and his herb farm: Hiep's story touched Christopher, inspiring him to host a fundraiser. The fundraiser was lovely. Christopher held a film afternoon and screened a delightful Vietnamese film called "Buffalo Boy." The small Rado Theatre in Melbourne was filled to capacity, with all who attended eager to help reach the target needed to get Hiep motorized. Thanks to everyo [View Full Entry]

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Hello everyone! We'd like to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year... PLEASE CLICK HERE for Lifestart's 2008 News & Events [View Full Entry]

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Lifestart helpers... [View Full Entry]

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