Mui Ne Village is located in the Binh Thuan Province in southeast Vietnam. Mui Ne means “point of hiding” or “Hiding Cape” and got its name from the many fishing boats seeking shelter from the strong storms hitting Mui Ne. The main occupation of the 30,000 inhabitants of Mui Ne is still fishing.

The English school of Mui Ne is a non-profit organization committed to supporting the young, ambitious and less fortunate children of Mui Ne village.  Teaching the children English will help them get better jobs, allowing them to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

All children have to apply to the school. The application has to include the families’ financial situation, as only the poorest children are accepted by the school.

Background

ES-MN was founded in the spring of 2007 by Marcus Robell and Nguyen Ho Lam Vy. Marcus visited Vietnam earlier that year to compete in a surfing competition held in the strong winds of Mui Ne. During his stay Marcus made friends with some of the local children working at the guest house where he was staying. The children told him they were very eager to learn English and Marcus managed to teach them some basic skills in the short time he was there. When Marcus returned to Sweden he wanted to continue to support them in their ambitions, and the idea of the English School of Mui Ne was born.

Why English School of Mui Ne?

ES-MN believes that education can change lives, which we strongly agree with. The school helps the students set goals for life, and helps them achieve them. We believe that with education these children will have a chance to step out of poverty and help their families. To study English might seem a luxury if you look at the poverty in the region. However, being able to speak English is in many cases a lifeline for these children to find jobs in the tourist industry or other fields.

What has been achieved to date

In March 2008, after a lot of hard work by the local manager of ES-MN (Miss Nguyen Ho Lam Vy), volunteers from Stockholm and local politicians, the school opened with no less than five classes with twenty ambitious and hopeful students in each class.

Today, the School consists of eight classes of 20 children. The students are 11 to 17 years old and come from the Mui Ne Village. In school the children are not only taught English but are encouraged to care for the well being of others and taught that the key to future success is based on the principles of respect, hard work and friendship.

Some of the students are able to attend public school and they join classes either in the mornings or evenings. Other students have to work to support their families, and are not able to attend public school. ES-MN provides these students with basic education, starting with Vietnamese literacy as well as English and computer skills. The goal is to help these less fortunate students through primary and secondary school and even higher education. The more fortunate children are also encouraged and supported in their dream to go on to university.
The school employs eight full time teachers (hence the eight classes). English-speaking volunteers provide support to the teachers.