School on the Boat was created in 2011 as a volunteer’s initiative. These volunteers were teaching children in Hanoi poorest district for programs of few months.

After months of working with the affected families, the volunteers all agreed that the children’s educational needs were not being met at the charity school they were attending.With the help of a local social worker at the school, the first group of International and Vietnamese volunteers began the process of enrolling all the children into public school.

The first step was to provide the children with birth certificates, a document required for public school registration. In September 2011, the majority of the children were enrolled in public school for the first time. This is how School on the Boat was created.

It is a French organization, but we’re made up of international volunteers from Vietnam, France, Belgium, Japan, Italy and England.

THE 3 MAINSTAYS OF SOTB

1. EDUCATION

Our main mission is to offer access to education to kids living along the Red River and in the Long Bien area. Within this framework, we have built a sponsorship program. This allows us to finance scholarships for the kids participating in our program within 7 different public schools. In the school year 2019/2020, 26 kids were registered on our program. Since the creation of School on the boat, 39 kids have had the chance to enter public school. To support their educational development, our N.G.O provide the children with an after school tutoring program. To assist the kids with their classes and homework, volunteers come to our office each evening to help them overcome difficulties in math, literature or English.

2. CULTURE

School on the Boat organises sports games, cultural and artistic after-school activities. It's an ideal way for the children to enjoy experiences that wouldn’t necessarily be available to them due to their socio-economic situation. Additionally, we organise field trips beyond Hanoi once a year.

3. HEALTH

School on the Boat monitors the children's psychological development and contributes to their medical expenses (surgery, dental, material purchases). In order for a child to study and live in good conditions, it is important for us to support them with their health expenses.

More information on our website: https://en.schoolontheboat.fr/organisation

and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/schoolontheboat