Visit of Mr. Philip Clement, Global Chief Marketing and Communications Officer (CMO) of AON Corporation to UNICEF supported programme in Viet Nam.

Ho Chi Minh City, 19 April 2014 - It was a typically busy day in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Viet Nam’s economic engine, with the city pulsing with its usual streams of cars and motorcycles. Amidst the traffic, a UNICEF team was travelling with a special guest to visit the much respected School of Hospitality for youth and children in difficult circumstances.

Aon Corporation CMO, Mr. Phillip Clement had taken time out from a private trip to the country to visit UNICEF-supported projects in the city, some of which are supported by Aon’s partner – the Manchester United. '

Mr. Clement taking photos with students of the School of Hospitality in HCMC

Local Child Protection Committees are pivotal to identify and support vulnerable children

Nam sells lottery tickets five kilometres away from his house © UNICEF Viet Nam/2013/Truong Viet Hung

I had seen them before, children who are selling lottery tickets in the markets and on the streets. Yet I had never bought a lottery ticket from a child because I didn’t want to encourage them to keep selling lottery tickets instead of going to school. After my field visit to An Giang, I have realised that some children, without support, simply do not have the option of going to school.

It is Tuesday morning and we are driving in a minivan from Long Xuyen city alongside the river to Phu Tan district. It is almost Tet, the Lunar, a.k.a. Chinese, New Year, and in front of many houses the Vietnamese flag is proudly waving accompanied by a yellow Tet tree. I am part of a UNICEF team who is going to visit families to listen to their experiences with the local child protection authorities, in order to improve their functioning.

Social workers help children with HIV

Mai talks to social worker Trung at the residential centre
© UNICEF Viet Nam/2013/Truong Viet Hung

Thirteen-year-old Mai (not her real name) lives at a shelter for vulnerable children in An Giang, Viet Nam. She’s an orphaned girl living with HIV. After her parents died three years ago, she was looked after by her grandmother. They were very poor so instead of going to school, Mai worked in a rice shop. Her grandmother sold lottery tickets to make ends meet but she was 80 years old and in bad health. In the end, she was unable to look after Mai properly and contacted her local commune authority for help.