For most Vietnamese, instant noodle is a classic quick meal for any occasion. You can whip up a bowl in under 5 minutes, add a variety of toppings of your choice, then gulp up! In Vietnamese, the word “instant noodle” is also synonymous with “quick, one-off, not long-lasting”.
For some time, food assistance has been the priority for most of our charity campaigns, with donated goods usually coming in the forms of instant noodles, rice packages, and condiments... During a crisis, these goods prove to be the best options to solve an immediate need. But life goes on after a crisis.
We hope to support the disadvantaged community not just by food and in an “instant-noodle” fashion, but also to help build better their livelihood way after a campaign too. And we found the same purpose in Maison Chance - a home, school & vocational training center for disabled people and orphans in Vietnam founded by Aline Rebeaud (Hoang Nu Ngoc Tim).
In April 2022, the Cushman & Wakefield and Love of Vietnam team went away for the long holiday weekend, traveling 350km from HCMC to Dak Nong to visit Maison Chance. This facility is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city, a peaceful haven surrounded by nature. This is the home, educational and vocational hub, and healing retreat for over 150 residents.
Here, the team hosted an art competition titled “The world in your eyes” and received artworks from 35 "little artists", all of whom were disadvantaged kids in primary school. All 35 kids were awarded scholarships that will facilitate their future educational and creative journey.
Trang Bui, CEO of Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam shared: “Our team was astonished when the artworks were unveiled, the sheer talents of these little artists were channeled through vivid watercolor and oil crayon on canvas. What’s more surprising and heartfelt is how the “world in your eyes” was depicted. Their world is somewhat encapsulated, surrounded by mighty green hills, soaring kites, extremely colorful high-rise buildings and odd cars, visiting doctors and soldiers, and the endless blue sky of Dak Nong. It seemed that many of these kids have lived most of their life in rural towns, most of what they know beyond this realm, is either told or imagined. Perhaps that’s why, when asked if we could share their stories with our partners and clients all around Vietnam and the world, the little artists were overjoyed! It was the moment we realized, happiness cannot get any simpler than this.”
More on Maison Chance: Founded by Ms. Aline Rebeaud (Hoang Nu Ngoc Tim) in 1993, Maison Chance serves as a “springboard” for disabled people, orphans, and children from challenging backgrounds in Vietnam. Residents live, eat and study together under one roof, with all accommodation, education, and vocational training provided at no cost. Maison Chance Dak Nong offers ecotourism, volunteer trips, and a dining facility, as well as guest rooms operated to collect funds for operations.
As one of the largest real estate services firms, Cushman & Wakefield is committed to making a meaningful impact on our people, clients, shareholders, vendors and suppliers, communities, and the world. Looking ahead, we are dedicated to furthering our impact in the areas that are most critical to our stakeholders and business, such as sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and more. We believe this will lead to improved company performance, better client service, and more opportunities for our people.
