Village Chance – a continuation of Ribeaud’s passionate project

Story by MAYANG ISMAIL

Photos: Courtesy of MAISON CHANCE
On Jan 20 this year a brand new complex of 40 apartment units was opened in the district of Bing Hung Hoa on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The newly opened Village Chance

This is no ordinary complex. Village Chance as it is called is the first disability adapted housing in all of Vietnam.
It is home to 20 physically challenged families, many of whom are wheelchair-bound. The facility was built to house these families in an environment that could help improve the quality of their life.
Besides having wheelchair access, Village Chance has a swimming pool specifically built to help the residents in their rehabilitation programmes.
Village Chance is one out of three projects under Maison Chance foundation, started by Tim Aline Ribeaud after her travel to Vietnam 18 years ago.
She was only a student then, seeking new adventures in territories beyond her country of birth – Geneva, Switzerland.
After forming Maison Chance, Ribeaud went on to build the Maison Chance Shelter and the Take Wing Centre. All these facilities are adjoined to Village Chance to facilitate easy movements for the disabled within the buildings.
Improved classrooms have already been added and operational at the Village since the opening. In the next few months, the existing school in the Take Wing Centre, will be completely moved to the Village. By moving the school to the Village the Centre will have more space for the existing vocational training classes.
Over the years since Maison Chance was started, Ribeaud continues to work hard to improve the life of Vietnam's orphans, street children, disadvantaged people and the physically handicapped.

Ribeaud (back row L) and Livingston pose for the camera with the children

The Shelter is home to these street children and the disabled who can't look after themselves without assistance. Currently, there are about 50 residents in the Shelter.
One of the unique characteristics of Maison Chance is that it provides a home environment for the occupants.
The occupants are one big happy family, each coming from different backgrounds, different levels of disabilities and ages.
Here, they learned to give each other the physical and moral support that they are sorely deprived of.
The occupants not only enjoy a good home environment but they are also given education, vocational training as well as healthcare.
Ribeaud's passionate project is supported by many corporate and private sponsors around the world. One of the project's major sponsors is Swiss-based watch company Sequel AG, who designs, manufactures and distributes Guess and GC watch brands sold in over 70 countries worldwide through a network of 60 distributors and 15,000 retail outlets.
To date, Sequel together with the help of its business partners around the world has raised US$1.1million to help Ribeaud's charitable project.

Some of the Maison Chance family members doing a performance during the opening

"Tim Aline is an example to everyone who meets her and her passion and dedication to her project that has brought so much to those who have so little, has been a real inspiration to us all," said Cindy Livingston, President and CEO of Sequel AG.
Sequel's Time To Give campaign started in 2006 has raised more than US$5million through various charitable efforts.
This campaign supports charities in various parts of the world, namely Vietnam, China, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Pakistan. Its latest project is with Cidade dos Meninos in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
The opening of Village Chance was attended by the entire staff of Maison Chance, volunteers, benefactors and the founder herself.http://www.expat-

blog.com/fr/destination/asie/vietnam/

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