Hope Box Vietnam NGO
HOPEBOX
VIETNAM NGO
A super brief introduction and snapshot to the wonderful programs withinHope Box and how they empower survivors of domestic violence.
HopeBox and Social Cycles
We’re proud to connect with Hope Box in Vietnam. The founders of Hope Box and Social Cycles, Huong and Brett Seychell respectively, actually worked together in a previous life in a hotel in Melbourne. We’re amazed at the progress and cause behind Hope Box and the effect that it has on so many local lives.
What challenges are HopeBox trying to solve?
HopeBox came from the simple idea and mission of helping Vietnamese women who have experienced Gender Based Violence obtain a fresh start. To address these gaps, HopeBox provides a six-month program that includes:
- Safe accommodation
- Employability skills (including hospitality skills training, job search skills, career development skills, life skills, trauma healing and work-based therapy.
- Personal development – counselling services, compassionate communications workshops, emotional intelligence
- Referrals to relevant support services such as legal advice.
History: How and why HopeBox began…
HopeBox was founded with a simple idea and mission; to help rural Vietnamese women who have experienced gender-based violence obtain a fresh start. It’s as simple as that. The lack of public awareness and government funding, the entrenched stigma and limited rural services mean that there’s a long way to go.
Growing up, founder Huong, always looked up to her single mother who has been her constant role model in her life and inspiration. She was often struck by the plight of the women in her village who faced numerous challenges in domestic violence, those who believed that it was their destiny and there was no way out of such a situation. Upon learning that her sister was one of them, she decided to make a change.
Huong’s journey is an incredible story of inspiration. Read more here.
Impact: 5 Key Facts
- 63% of Vietnamese women have experienced one or more forms of physical, sexual, emotional and economic violence and controlling behaviours by their husbands in their lifetime.
- 32% of women reported that it was in the last 12 months.
- 90% did not seek to report the abuse at the time.
- Violence is a learned behaviour. Women victims of violence are more likely to have a husband whose mother was beaten or who was himself beaten as a child.
- There have been 28 women who have gone through the Employability Program
The videos that explain everything
Fast Facts
Most frequent questions and answers
What programs do you run?
We provide a 6 months employability program including baking, trauma healing, life skill, passionate communications workshops, stipend, lunches, and accommodation support. The whole program is free. We are developing another program for entrepreneurship for women in the provinces who want to open their vendors.
How big is the NGO?
There are 7 staff who work full time for HopeBox – of those 5 women who are survivors of gender-based violence. 1 full time volunteer from Australian Volunteer Program, 2 virtual volunteers from Yale University and the founder, Huong volunteers her time.
How are you funded?
The last few years we applied for grants and got funding from development funds from Australian Volunteers Program, Netherlands Embassy in Vietnam, New Zealand Embassy, SK2 Funds, Free the Slaves. We also do our own fundraising event and get some general donations from schools such as St Paul American school during their Christmas. Apart from that, we do have our incomes from our business activities.
For business activities, our annual budget is US$125,000 for both business and training and outreach programs.
What difference would a US$150 donation make?
$150 could provide emergency accommodation for one victim of domestic violence for up to three months.
What difference would US$1000 make?
$1,000 could offer 3 months training and accommodation and stipend support to one woman via our employability program.