About Us

There are an estimated 5 million disadvantaged children in Vietnam and of those, about 20% are disabled. Not only do these children suffer from material poverty; they are confronted with medical problems, experience accessibility issues and suffer from significant social stigma. They typically are not afforded the same educational opportunities as mainstream students, particularly in creative fields. Visual arts is sometimes viewed as a ‘waste of time’, and is excluded from the curriculum.

• Tohe provides weekly visual art classes to disadvantaged children in various social welfare centers around Hanoi.
• Through our Creative Playgrounds we ignite kids' self-confidence and nurture their artistic potential.
• Selected artworks from the children are used as prints for lifestyle products such as carry bags, laptop cases, notebooks, soft toys. Profits from sales are reinvested into the art development program.

Why We Need Your Help

• We are seeking to raise 15,000 USD to expand our program and improve our art class curriculum so that we can reach and help the lives of more kids.
• With your donation we will be able to provide more disadvantaged kids the opportunity to explore their creative passions. We are seeking 15,000 USD to support our centers with materials, food for the children and for our scholarship program.  However, the more funds we raise, the more children we can support in our classes.

The Impact

• We see that there are many disadvantaged children all around. There are orphans, disabled children, and children born to poverty-stricken families who lack even the most basic living conditions.
• We believe in the appeal of drawing and the arts for all children, including those who are disabled. These activities are like "Games" which enable kids to play, learn and grow up with essential skills.
• We hope that the art program will bring about a true Playground for our little participants rather than a Class, since our priority is to create an enjoyable and exciting atmosphere for the kids, as if they are joining Games. We believe that a spirit of fun is critical to stimulate their imagination.
• We hope that Tohe’s playground will ignite kids' self-confidence and nurture their art potential.
• We have facilitated Creative Playgrounds for disadvantaged children since 2006, with activities such as drawing, modeling clay, making toys from recycled materials, and so on… The top priority of each class is for kids to PLAY. We often draw enormous pictures together. We also used recycled waste paper, cans, pieces of wood and cardboard to make cute toys, lovely bookmarks and fashionable paper clothes... We even erected a miniature city using milk bottles…
• We have organized activities for approximately 1,000 kids across 16 centers across Vietnam since our inception.
• We have trained about 100 volunteers to help run our creative classes.
• We have awarded scholarships to several disadvantaged children whose drawings have been used in Tohe’s products.  In addition, we have provided new facilities for the kids’ centers, and have contributed to improving their living conditions.
• We will never stop dreaming and will do all we can to motivate kids and provide them an ideal environment for both playing and nourishing their creative capability.

Please find more information about us on our website: http://tohe.vn/

Other Ways You Can Help

• Tohe would also benefit from contacts with potential buyers both in Vietnam and overseas. The more sales we can generate, the faster we will be able to expand our program and improve the lives of disadvantaged kids.
• We are also always looking to explore new partnerships with retailers and interior design companies, with the intention of collaborating on interior decoration of kid’s rooms, and kid’s and women’s clothing.
• Finally, we are always seeking new connections in the creative arts education sector, who could help with curriculum design and measuring social impact.

Thank you for your support!