The 7th Annual NGO Fair at the Canadian International School (CIS) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam recently brought together local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for an exciting day of student engagement and education. CIS students from grades 3-12 attended the fair and engaged with local AIP Foundation staff to learn more about helmet legislation, road crash facts and statistics, and the importance of wearing helmets properly.

Other organizations also present at the fair included Saigon Children’s Charity CIO, The VinaCapital Foundation, Kid.kickstart, CHANGE, Habitat for Humanity Vietnam, Maison Chance, Happier, Hope Unending, FTM Vietnam Organization, The Cancer Voice, Live with Autism, Green Bamboo Shelter, A.R.C. (Animal Rescue and Care), Operation Smile Vietnam, Thảo Đàn Social Services (Cơ sở Bảo trợ Xã Hội Thảo Đàn, and Wild Rhino – Wilderness Foundation Africa.

AIP Foundation’s engagement with students involved a spinning wheel game, where students landed randomly on a trivia question relating to road safety, and engaged with their peers to find out the correct answer. AIP Foundation staff also demonstrated the correct way to wear and adjust helmets through interactive sessions. Reading materials were also available for students, teachers, and staff, to learn more about road crash statistics and injury prevention measures in Vietnam. One student expressed, “I learned a lot of new information today. I’m going to teach all my friends how to properly wear a helmet now.”

The event was organized by the school’s Global Issues Network (GIN) council, which is comprised of students, teachers, and staff. According to the GIN Council, there are many student-led clubs dedicated to tackling various global issues at CIS. The annual NGO Fair provides students an engaging opportunity to deepen their understanding of complex issues, while also building their relationships with local NGOs. The aim of the CIS NGO Fair is to educate students and inspire students to make positive changes in the world.