I would like to volunteer, is this possible?

Please visit our Volunteering page for more information.

Will you arrange my travel and accommodation?

No, we are a very small team and our time and resources are limited. Good, reasonably priced hotels are plentiful in Hoi An; popular ones close to the Orphanage are:

My Chau Hotel, 4 Tran Cao Van Street. Tel: (84) 0510 916307

Hoa My Hotel, 29b Ly Thuong Kiet Street. Tel: (84) 0510 916855

If you are staying for a long period of time, you can rent a room from a selection of private accommodation in the town. You should make sure that you have a Business Visa if you wish to do this.

Can I visit Hoi An Orphanage?

Tourists are welcome to visit between 8 – 10 am and 2 – 4 pm. Vietnam is a conservative society and Hoi An Orphanage is run by the local communist government, so please ensure that you dress appropriately: no short shorts or flimsy tops. Scantily clad visitors have been turned away before. Visitors are welcome to photograph, but not film, the children. Please DO NOT bring sweets and biscuits! We have spent considerable time and money on the children’s dental care. Fruit is far better, and is enjoyed as much.

How do I get to Hoi An Orphanage?

Hoi An Orphanage is at 108 (formerly no. 4) Nguyen Truong To Street in Hoi An town centre, just next to the Catholic Church. Nguyen Truong To is an extension of the popular Le Loi Street.

How many children are there?

The Orphanage receives funding from the Vietnamese government for upwards of 80 children (approximately). The actual number of children fluctuates regularly as a result of arrivals and departures.

Are all of the children "genuine" orphans? How do the children end up at the Orphanage?

Many of the children have some family, perhaps even a parent, but are surrendered to the Orphanage when difficult circumstances dictate that they can no longer be cared for at home. A lot of the children come to the Orphanage when one parent dies and the remaining parent is disabled or must go to work long hours so cannot look after the child. Several children have lost their family in unexploded mine incidents. Most of the disabled children have family but are abandoned at the hospital or in the market place as babies.

What disabilities do the children have?

Most of the children have Cerebral Palsy-related disabilities; some also have scoliosis or hydrocephalus. Their intellectual disabilities range from extreme to non-existent.

Are the children’s disabilities due to Agent Orange poisoning?

We are unable to say for certain whether the children's disabilities are due to Agent Orange poisoning. Other causes can be malnutrition and inadequate medical care. Please visit our Agent Orange page for more information.

How do you raise your money?

We do not receive any government grants, loans or funding support; funding is predominantly from voluntary donations. We rely on the support and goodwill of friends and families, Orphanage visitors and volunteers. Their contributions allow us to pay for staff salaries, surgeries, educational costs, equipment, trips out, and the many day-to-day expenses of caring for a large amount of children.

We receive financial support from Dutch charity Colour4kids to cover many of the medical costs sustained by the children.

We have no corporate sponsors in the background making it all happen. In short, we are dependent on you.

What can I do to help?

The greatest thing that you can do is make a regular donation – no matter how small – to our charity. This will help to maintain our current work, and allow us to plan ahead. We cannot move on to other, much-needed, projects until we have ensured that there will be enough money each month to sustain the progress already made. A couple of supporters have opted to pay for a staff member's salary for one year, which is invaluable to us. If you wish to do this, we can put you in touch with the staff member and you may like to enter into correspondence with them. Donors doing this have found it a rewarding experience which reassures them of the direct help that their donation is making.

Please visit our How You Can Help page for more information.

Do you need toys, clothes, medicines, to be sent from the West?

No. Sending items into Vietnam is difficult and they are generally stopped at Customs. Most items are readily available in Vietnam and can be bought for a cheaper price whilst also supporting the local economy.

What can I bring to the Orphanage?

Many visitors like to bring toys, games, pens, pencils, sweets and clothes for the children. The giving of such gifts tends to make them feel that they are contributing directly, and immediately, to the children’s welfare. However, Hoi An is a tourist town, and there are regular visitors to the Orphanage. As a result, the children frequently receive such items, many of which do not last the day.

Meanwhile, the Orphanage buildings are crumbling around them, they may only have one set of well-worn school clothes, and their diet is poor. Please therefore visit our How You Can Help page and consider supporting the children in a way that may not get an instant response or a good photo, but will have a longer-lasting impact on their quality of life.

I am interested in adopting…Do you arrange adoptions? How many children are adopted and to where?

No, we are not an adoption agency. You should contact an adoption agency in your own country who will liaise with the Vietnamese administration. There are an increasing number of adoptions from Hoi An Orphanage, mainly to the United States and Canada. Please see our Useful Links page for further information on adoption-related websites.