Thanh and Ghi's first month. A thousand first experiences. We stopped counting after the first week. They have settled in remarkably well and are extremely happy. Ghi and Thanh had a week and a half to get their bearings before they commenced their training at Mariana Hardwicks. Their week is now quite full and includes English lessons two nights per week taught by Lifestart volunteer, ESL teacher Lee Dib. ( Thank you Miss Lee for helping!) It is winter in Melbourne so getting used to wearing layers of clothes, singlets, gloves and scarves is so very different to life in Vietnam. As are flanelette pyjamas, hotwater bottles, carpeted centrally heated rooms, thick mattresses and doona's, a kitchen with endless gas and water you can drink straight from the tap, hot water showers, dishwashers, met cards, pampered ... read more

Thong ( pronounced "Tom" ) is another member of the Lifestart Foundation disabled group living with Polio. I call him a "can do " kind of man because there is not a whole lot that Thong won't have a go at. Thong walks on his hands, his legs simply do not work. So he puts his sandals on his hands, crosses his legs into lotus position and off he goes...........and by golly he's really fast! Thong contracted polio when he was one year old. He explained to me that Polio took his legs away. His family was very poor, they took him to many hospitals and he spent one year in a German Hospital in Vietnam. The doctors wanted to send him to Germany for treatment however his mother was too worried and frightened to allow ... read more

Sherry Berger is from Philadelphia, this is her second volunteering trip to Vietnam for Lifestart. I struggle to find words to adequately describe Sherry, suffice to say I think she is type of volunteer that all NGO's need at least one of and I can't wait for her return. Sherry is one of the most committed, hard working and compassionate human beings I have been fortunate enough to meet ( not too mention she is also extremely talented, super efficient, well organized and has a great sense of humour!!!). She embodies what the ideal volunteer is for me. Sherry works selflessly, takes on her volunteering role with 100% commitment and simply "gets " what it means to volunteer in the true spirit of the word! She gets that this is more often than not, exhausting work ... read more

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 her place of employment. Thanh was working 7 days a week for up to 18 hours per day, she had no accommodation and was forced to sleep on the floor of the restaurant when it closed late at night. She ... read more

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 much thought, he promised his family that if they ever found themselves in Melbourne again during March, he would enter the competiton! And here we are! March is approaching, James and his family are in Melbourne and ... read more