While mornings are often dedicated to field visits in the surrounding communities, afternoons are usually spent working at the Center. Some days, however, are entirely focused on office-based tasks. Here is a look at what I do during those moments.
Supporting English Communication
A key part of my role has been to help the team practice English. This happens both during visits, where I exchange with staff and during office breaks, when we chat over fruit, tea, or a shared meal.
I also organize English sessions with my colleagues, focusing on vocabulary related to family life, agriculture, and Thien Chi’s work. The goal is to help them feel more confident when introducing projects or speaking with international visitors.
Communication, Website, and Social Media
A significant part of my time at the office is dedicated to communication. I work on improving Thien Chi’s website and social media presence, as these platforms are key to maintaining transparency and attracting potential donors.
My tasks include updating existing content, conducting in-depth analyses of both the website and social media platforms, and proposing concrete ways to make them more dynamic and user-friendly.
Perhaps my most regular contribution has been writing a daily blog post for Thien Chi’s website. Each day, I document visits, office activities, and personal observations about the Bình Thuận region and Vietnamese daily life.
These posts serve multiple purposes:
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Visibility: providing fresh, consistent content for the website and social media.
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Transparency: offering donors and partners a realistic insight into Thien Chi’s everyday work.
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Knowledge-sharing: explaining programs like microcredits or scholarships in simple, accessible terms.
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Guidance for future interns: helping them understand what to expect through concrete examples.
Fundraising and Proposals
Under the guidance of Mr. Trần Vinh Huyền, the Fundraising Officer, I also contribute to identifying calls for proposals and researching potential donors. After screening several opportunities, I helped prepare one funding application.
This process gave me a clear understanding of how NGOs present their projects to donors, balancing technical accuracy with human stories, and how much effort goes into securing even small grants. It also highlighted the importance of English in communicating effectively with international partners. As I learned, NGOs must often submit many proposals before receiving one successful response.
Ambiance in the Office
The office staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming. They always try their best to communicate and often invite me out to enjoy local Vietnamese dishes. On my last days in the first office in Hàm Thuận Nam, we even had a small farewell party with hotpot, it was so much fun and a perfect way to end my time there.
Leticia