CHILDREN ARE NOT BRIDES
Educating communities in Vietnam to prevent early marriage.
Why early marriage still happens
Poverty and culture play a crucial part in pushing young girls and boys into marriage.
Marrying girls off is sometimes seen as a solution to reduce living costs, or as the only option to "guarantee a future" for them.
In places like Quang Binh, Vietnam, reproductive education is limited, and if a girl gets pregnant, she has no other option but to marry, no matter how old she is.
What it means for girls
From early pregnancy complications to unsafe abortions, the impact on girls is much higher.
Lack of maturity to make informed decisions, and marriage to older men are also factors that contribute to domestic violence.
These situations likely keep girls from getting an education, which perpetuates a cycle of gender inequality.
Girls end up isolated, without direction, and far from achieving their true potential.
Watch Sin Thi Lien's story to understand a bit more
Action for change
Early marriage in the region of Quang Binh is double the national rate. This is what Good Neighbors is doing for the community:
- Prevention starts with education.
Training for teachers to implement a new sexual and reproductive health curriculum in schools. Without formal instruction, early marriage will continue to happen.
- Awareness of children's rights.
Youth is directly involved in creating campaigns and spreading the word to their peers. In 2021, we had 84 participants brainstorm ideas to teach the community: 3 projects were selected to be implemented in their schools.
Real improvements
- Health care and counseling.
Two health care rooms were renovated to support the community. Over 120 people already benefited from health checks and pregnant girls started receiving prenatal care, supplements, nutrition, and medication.
- Book distribution.
5,400 books about reproductive education were distributed in schools and households in 15 villages.
We are a Canadian registered charity (Registration Number: 72273 2922 RR0001), therefore donations are eligible for a tax receipt, issued to the donor’s email. Changes and cancellations can be made anytime. Donors have the options of creating a donor account, powered by CanadaHelps DMS, to update information online. If you prefer to speak to our team, you can reach us at 1 (833) 614-GOOD (4663).