Mekong Organics English for Rural Kids in Vietnam

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4 years ago

Mekong Organics – English for Rural Kids in Vietnam

Founded by Dr. Nguyen Van Kien, Director of Mekong Organics

Mission Statement – Mekong Organics English for Rural Kids

Our mission is to support a future where every child in rural Southeast Asia, regardless of background, has the confidence and ability to communicate in English. We aim to enable access to further education, leadership roles, and meaningful participation in the global community. Through direct engagement with native Australian speakers and mentorship from Australian alumni, we equip children from farming families with essential language skills and global perspectives. Our mission is to break cycles of disadvantage—one English lesson at a time.

Vision Statement – Mekong Organics English for Rural Kids

Creating global opportunities from rural roots! We envision a future where every rural child in Southeast Asia has the tools to access education, leadership, and meaningful roles in a globalized world. Mekong Organics English aims to nurture a new generation of youth who are empowered, connected, and capable of contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable future.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1DcvhRWC6XBpI9gVVWIaO7?si=q44IgT5BQ2mBBticuLnF2A

Background

Mekong Organics supports smallholder farmers and small businesses in sustainably growing and trading organic food in Southeast Asia. To build long-term capacity for farm families, we launched Mekong Organics English to teach children in rural areas to speak English with native Australian speakers, under the mentorship of Australian alumni awarded Australia Awards scholarships.

This initiative began in the rural Mekong Delta, Vietnam—where Dr. Nguyen Van Kien grew up in a rice-farming family in Thuan Hung Commune, My Tu District, Soc Trang Province. Mekong Organics is an Australian-based social enterprise headquartered in Canberra. Dr. Kien received an Australian Development Scholarship for his postgraduate studies in Environmental Management and Development (ANU, 2005–06) and an Australian Leadership Award for his PhD in Sociology (ANU, 2008–12). He believes English was the gateway to these opportunities.

Growing up, Kien had no access to English. He rowed a wooden boat to My Huong Primary and High School with his peers. He began learning English at university in 1996, alongside urban students. Recognising the gap, he piloted the English program in his hometown (Thien Nhon Hamlet), starting with three scholarships and a tablet for one child to learn English with mentorship and weekly speaking practice with Australian mentor Mr. Anton Pavlinovic. In 2022, he met Kate Jackson and Philip Piper in Mallacoota, Victoria Australia. From this seed, the program expanded to 60 disadvantaged children by August 10, 2022.

Mekong Organics English Groups:

The Rice English Group (Soc Trang) – Children of smallholder rice farmers in Dr. Kien’s home village.
The Kangaroo English Group (An Giang) – Rural students planning to study abroad.
The Mango English Group (Vinh Long) – Students from families growing mango using integrated systems.
The Shrimp English Group (Ca Mau) – Children from shrimp–rice farming households in Tri Luc, supported by Minh Phu Seafoods.
The Coffee English Group (Dak Lak) – Students from regenerative and organic coffee farming families.
The Shan Tea English Group (Yen Bai) – Ethnic minority (Hmong) children involved in natural Shan tea farming.
The Emu English Group (Yen Bai) – Primary and secondary English teachers needing conversational English to teach 19,000 Hmong students in Mu Cang Chai, Yen Bai.
The Cinnamon English Group (Mu Cang Chai) – Children from cinnamon farming families.
The Organic Rice English Group (Vinh Long) – Students from Tan Dat Organic Rice Cooperative and members’s families.
The Tram Chim English Group (Dong Thap) – Students in ecological rice farming for Sarus crane habitat preservation, in the buffer zone of Tram Chim National Park, Dong Thap province.
The Koala English Group (Soc Trang) – Children from families restoring the integrated Vuon–Ao–Chuong-Ruong model, in My Huong Commune, My Tu District (old name), Can Tho City.
The PGS Vegetable English Group (Hoa Binh) – Children from PGS-standard organic vegetable farming families.
The Lyrebird English Group (Can Tho) – school English teachers from My Huong secondary and high school, My Huong commune, Can Tho city
The IELTS group, specifies for these students who want to test English for pursuing education in oversea
Training English in the Nature, in partnership with the Wild Tour Company in Tram Chim National Park

Supporters and Donors:

Kate Jackson & Philip Piper family: Hosted study tours in Mallacoota.
Alan Broughton: Australian English teacher recruiment
Dr. Daniel Giffiliant: Program funder.
Rotary Club of Hall (Canberra): Long-term Program funder.
AP Engineering Company (HCMC): Sponsor.
Volunteer English teachers and mentors in Australia and Vietnam.

Key Focus Areas:

Organic rice, farming, sustainability education
Youth empowerment through English and international mentorship

Partners and Agencies:

Organic Agriculture Association, Global Landcare, Mallacoota community, Rotary Club of Hall, Climate Change Institute Vietnam, and others.

Mentors and Tutors Include:

Kate Jackson, Philip Piper, Anton Pavlinovic, Neula Daly, Pam Findlay, Gudrun Argyropoulos, Karien Macey, Robyn Wilcox, Ron McConnell, Sam & Lien Puddicombe, Jannie, Jennifer, and many others from Australia and Vietnam.

Follow Us:

The first Cohort of the Australia Study tour for two rural kids (Kiet and Hau from Vinh Long) in Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia from 16 June to 25 August 2024

The Second Cohort of the Australia Study Tour for Kha An (Vinh Long) and Thuy Trang (Yen Bai) is taking place at Mallacoota from 10 June to 10 August 2025.

The third cohort of the Australia Study Tour for Kiet and Minh (Ca Mau) will be in Bairnsdale Victoria from 24 July to 25 August 2025.

1. The Rice English Group, in My Tu District, Soc Trang province

2. The Kangaroo English Group in An Giang province

The second English Class, the Kangaroo English Group, supports University students and lecturers keen to apply for scholarships to study overseas. This group is mentored by Mr Vo Van Oc, an Australian alumnus of the Australia Award, and Mr Ron (an English teacher from Sydney), with four researchers from An Giang University, one lecturer from Soc Trang Community College, one lecturer from the National University of Lao PDR, and one student from An Giang University. This group is ready to study overseas.

3. The Mango English Group in Vung Liem District – Vinh Long province

4. The Shrimp English Group in Ca Mau province

5. The Coffee English Group in the Central Highlands of Vietnam

6. The Shan Tea English Group in Phinh Ho, Tram Tau District, Yen Bai province

7. The Emu English Group for English teachers in Mu Cang Chai, Yen Bai province

8. The Cinnamon English Group, in Mu Cang Chai, Yen Bai province

9. The Organic Rice English Group in Vung Liem district, Vinh Long province

10. The Tram Chim English Group in Tam Nong district, Dong Thap province

11. The Koala English Group in My Tu District, Soc Trang Province

12. The PGS Vegetable English Group in Hoa Binh province

13. The Lyrebird English Group

14. The IELTS group

Inspired Story for rural kids to learn English

The story of learning English successfully from Dr Van Kien Nguyen can be seen at this link: https://vietnamnet.vn/tien-si-nguoi-viet-tai-uc-chi-cac-cua-ai-khi-hoc-tieng-anh-788066.html

TEACHERS AND MENTORS

Ms. Bao Tran Pham is an English teaching assistant and student mentor. Bao Tran came to Australia in year 9 at the Kings-ford Smith High School in Canberra, ACT, Australia. She is now in year 12 at the Dickson College in ACT Canberra, Australia. Bao Tran volunteers to mentor English pronunciation and speaking for the kids. Bao Tran Pham is also the class coordinator for the program.

DONORS & SUPPORTERS:

Rotary Club of Hall in Canberra, Australia

From the left: Mr Daniel Gilfillan (major donor), Dr Van Kien Nguyen (Founder), Mr Alan Broughton (Supporter), Mr Anton Anton Pavlinovic (English teacher), and Mrs Fiona Hamer (Organic Farming in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam (RAOAF)—Program Director). The Rotary Club provided an initial fund for three tablets to three children in the rice-growing area of Thuan Hung hamlet, Thuan Hung Commune, My Tu District, Soc Trang Province.

The Rotary Club of Hall in Canberra is the key funding body for rural kids undertaking the Australian rural study tour.

https://donations.rawcs.com.au/116-2019-20?fbclid=IwAR1tPXikZUCG9__WyTeWSB1NgfM_fsc7yftk-IgRt3Zn-QUs_Bkzm1AVHsw

2. The Kate Jackson and Phil Pipper family host the family in Mallacoota for the Australian Rural Study Tour.

3. AP Engineering Company – Organic Fumigation System in HCM City.

Mr Phat Nguyen, the CEO of AP Engineering, donates the first USD 1,000 to cover IELTS testing fees for children who achieve an overall IELTS score of 6.0, with no band score below 6.0.