Projects

Applications for university students for 2010 Summer Projects are now closed. If you are a high school student in one of the projects' local areas, please look for more information in the near future.

SEALNet has to date completed 23 projects in 7 ASEAN nations (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam). Each year, the projects are selected by the SEALNet Board of Directors from amongst the project proposals submitted to SEALNet.

Our summer service leadership projects are the primary vehicle for SEALNet. You may also donate to SEALNet, or get involved in other ways. If you have any questions, please contact us at recruit 'at' sealnetonline.org. Last year, SEALNet also funded the first ever SEALNet fellowship program in Cambodia in 2009. 

In 2010, SEALNet will undertake 5 projects in four countries: 

Malaysia (June 5, 2010 - June 19, 2010)
The Philippines (August 18, 2010 – September 4, 2010)
Thailand (August 22, 2010 - September 5, 2010)
Vietnam (Ha Noi) (August 19, 2010 – September 4, 2010)
Vietnam (Sai Gon) (August 17, 2010 – August 31, 2010)

Malaysia
When: Saturday June 5, 2010 - Saturday June 19, 2010
Location: Kampong Orang Asli, Simpang Arang, Johor, Malaysia

The Orang Asli, the indigenous people of Malaysia, live predominantly in rural areas and face challenges with managing waste effectively. Many villages, such as Kampung Simpang Arang, have resorted to open burning of waste as a means of waste disposal. This project will aim mainly to provide additional composting and recycling methods, as a way of helping to sustainably manage waste. Moreover, we plan to organize gotong-royongs (village-wide cleanups), together with the high school students of Kampung Simpang Arang. It is our hope that we will encourage environmental friendliness amongst both the volunteers and the local participants.

Philippines
When: Thursday August 18, 2010 – Saturday September 4, 2010
Location: Cebu, Philippines

One of the biggest problem currently facing Cebu, Philippines is the lack of waste management system. Cebu has neither an efficient trash collecting system nor a trash separation system. The lack of sanitation has detrimental effects on health, causes the high prevalence rate of gastrointesitnal worms, dengue fever, and diharrheal diseases in many barangays. Therefore, Project Philippines 2010 strives to improve solid waste sanitation through a community beautification campaign, specifically developing a sanitation education program and implementing a trash collecting system. By bringing college and local high school students together to tackle sanitation, we hope to improve the standard of living and cultivate the future service leaders of the Philippines.

Thailand
When: Sunday August 22, 2010 - Sunday September 5, 2010
Location: Bangkok, Thailand

The importance of high school and college-level education has become more evident in the changing face of Bangkok's socioeconomic landscape. Many Bangkok youths are unable to continue their education because of socioeconomic reasons. Project Thailand'10 aims to bridge the 'education opportunity' gap among Bangkok youths by improving a career and education guidance system which barely exists at Wat Nimmanoradee School—our middle school local partner in suburban Bangkok. We will be organizing series of events during our 2 weeks of the project, aiming to help students realize the passion in their lives as well as to encourage them to strive for it. Additionally, we will work with and motivate a group of high school students from the country's top institutes to step up and learn the problem from the first hand. We hope to develop leadership and foster public service initiative spirits among students at Nimman School and our high school student mentees

Vietnam (Ha Noi)
When: Thursday August 19, 2010 – Saturday September 4, 2010
Location: Ha Noi, Vietnam

During the Vietnam War, over a nine year period, 20% of South Vietnam’s jungles were sprayed with Agent Orange, a type of chemical defoliants that destroyed the environment and caused cancer in the lungs, larynx, and prostate, (>500,000 children were born with) birth defects, serious skin diseases, mental disabilities, hernias, cleft palate, as well as other health problems.

Our project aims to raise awareness and actions for the young Agent Orange victims housed and raised at the non-profit Peace Village Thanh Xuan in Hanoi, Vietnam. By collaborating with local students, we seek to: (1) improve the institution’s financial ability by putting up marketing campaigns and fundraising events (such as Agent Orange Walk/Day, etc) to raise awareness and donations; (2) empower local students and AO victims, and equip them with the necessary leadership skills to carry out their own projects in the future; (3) outreach for a potential business partner to aid the Peace Village’s small business; and finally, (4) give love and inspiration to AO victims.

Vietnam (Saigon)
When: Tuesday August 17, 2010 – Tuesday August 31, 2010
Location: Saigon, Vietnam

Amidst Sai Gon's scenes of urban poverty and of lack of education for the poor, NGO's like our local partner the Gentle Fund Organization (GFO) are making solid steps towards widening education opportunities by providing alternative sources of education to less privileged students. However, such programs often suffer from unsustainable attendance and low levels of student-driven academic discipline. In an effort to strengthen these programs, Project Vietnam '10 aims to establish a foundational and sustainable interactive-teaching model for the middle school English Curriculum at GFO's Long Hoa Learning Center where male orphaned students come for extra classes. Through this new program, we hope to generate and maintain high attendance rates, motivate the students to learn, and inspire them to control their own futures. To further these goals, we will also establish the foundation for a mentoring program at Long Hoa Learning Center through several partnerships with local college service groups.