Collaborative Philanthropy in Early Childhood Development: Foundations partner in supporting OneSky to improve the standards of care for thousands of children in Vietnam

(Hong Kong, 10 June 2019)

The Lorinet Foundation in partnership with the Octava Foundation, are providing vital funding to enable the rollout of a successful pilot led by OneSky, in supporting Early Childhood Development in the Hoa Khanh, Da Nang Industrial zone, in Vietnam.

Vietnam is one of South-East Asia’s fastest growing economies and has experienced significant economic growth in recent decades.  However, rapid industrialisation and urbanisation has led to a shift within the societal fabric of families, where parents have no choice but to travel long distances to generate an income, and this impacts on the most vulnerable – young children.

OneSky’s programme in Vietnam launched in September 2017 in the Hoa Khanh Industrial Zone, and addresses the needs of the children of migrant workers.  An Early Learning Centre (ELC) was established, as well as the introduction of the first-ever Home Based Care (HBC) training programme of its kind in the country.

To date, the programme has trained 80 home based day care providers and 54 teachers working at the ELC, reaching a total of 2,595 children.  Following its success, Vietnam’s central Ministry of Education and Training has requested the expansion of the HBC programme into 19 more provinces.   The support received from the Lorinet Foundation and the Octava Foundation will be integral to the expansion of HBC training in these provinces, and represents the strong relationship OneSky has developed in partnership with the Vietnamese government, to deliver services in supporting young, vulnerable children from migrant families.

OneSky Chief Engagement Officer, Chloe Taylor, said:

“We are very pleased to work with the Lorinet and Octava Foundations in delivering this vital level of support to the thousands of young children in Vietnam’s industrial provinces, who will benefit greatly from the responsive care and nurture they will receive, in giving them the best start in life”.

Raman Sidhu, Lorinet Foundation Spokesperson:

“This partnership demonstrates a huge opportunity for Lorinet Foundation and Octava Foundation in leveraging our collective resources to scale the impact for young children.  OneSky’s model of working with the local government to build Home Based Care providers capacity offers a practical and scalable solution to a systemic issue.  We are excited to enable quality early learning provision for marginalised children in Vietnam and its potential replication in Mongolia, another key geography for Lorinet Foundation”.

Debbie Fang, Octava Foundation Spokesperson:

“Octava Foundation is delighted to work alongside the Lorinet Foundation to co-fund this momentous project, which will positively shape an individual’s life trajectory.  Investing in early childhood development is especially important in levelling the playing field for children from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, and is in tandem with Octava Foundation’s vision of empowering children and youth to be given equal opportunities to excel as citizens and contribute to a better world.  We are excited to partner with OneSky, and achieve impact through a proven holistic method, in offering a stimulating and developmentally appropriate early childhood programme, while concurrently building a healthy ecosystem, focusing on developing the young child”.

END.

NOTES:

Jenny Bowen and the team at OneSky were recently hosted by The Lorinet Foundation in Singapore to share experience and learning with members of the Asia Philanthropy Circle (APC).

Read our release here.

In late 2019, OneSky will open the P.C. Lee OneSky Global Center for Early Childhood Development in Hong Kong.  The centre will serve as a training hub and provide a model for science-based early nurturing and education for children at risk in the Asia Pacific region, as well as Hong Kong.  For more information please contact: Susanna Lee,

Media Contact:
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About OneSky:
OneSky unlocks the vast potential hidden in our world’s most vulnerable young children.  We create and implement simple, replicable early learning programmes that provide nurturing responsive care, transforming the lives of thousands of at-risk children every day, and ensuring that those most in need have a second chance at childhood.

About Lorinet Foundation:
Lorinet Foundation is a family foundation based in the Bahamas, with offices in Singapore and Mongolia.  Led by the purpose of enabling positive and sustainable impact on the lives of children, youth and families living in vulnerable communities, Bolor and Pierre Lorinet set up the Foundation in 2013.  To enable this purpose, the Lorinet Foundation supports pioneering, impactful, and sustainable initiatives promoting education, employment, and access to clean water and energy for vulnerable communities in Mongolia, South East Asia, and France.

Contact: [email protected]

About Octava Foundation:
Founded in 2016, Octava Foundation is a Singapore-based grant-maker which supports children and youth from economically disadvantaged families to realise and achieve their aspirations, who are empowered to have sustainable livelihoods as adults.  We do this by building their socio-emotional assets, nurturing talents and interests, and helping them to attain educational and vocational qualifications.

Contact: [email protected]