Child Sponsorship background from Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam

SOS Children's Village Dien Bien Phu

As early as 1998, SOS Children was approached by the provincial authorities of Dien Bien province to set up an SOS Children's Village there. Dien Bien is a mountainous province in the northwest of Vietnam; it is one of the country's poorest provinces. The population lives mainly on agriculture, and there are many people in need, especially children.

The provincial authorities have been trying to introduce programmes to help these children but lack of resources has made their efforts rather difficult. Therefore SOS Children's Villages decided in 2007 to set up an SOS Children's Village in the province capital, Dien Bien Phu, a place of historical importance since the final battle of the First Indochina War was fought there.

SOS Children's Village Dien Bien Phu consists of 14 family houses for up to 140 children, staff accommodation including the village director's house, and an administration and service area.

Background to Dien Bien Phu

Dien Bien Phu  is a city in north-western Vietnam. It is the capital of Dien Bien province, and is known for the events there during the First Indochina War, the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, during which the region was a breadbasket for the Viet Minh.