Association Provide shelter

During their trip to Vietnam in March 2008, Kim Gutbrod and Michel Moor, founding members of the association, were made aware of the dilapidated state of certain dwellings belonging to very poor families in the villages of Da Bàn and Tu Bông, province of Khanh Whoa. These dilapidated houses, built of earth or wood, covered with plastic to make them waterproof, are often no longer habitable during heavy monsoon rains.

Back in Switzerland, Kim Gutbrod discussed with his friends how to help these poor families and this disadvantaged region of Vietman.
The association founded on April 12, 2008 by Kim Gutbrod and Michel Moor quite naturally bears the name of "Offer a roof".
The aim of the association is to find funds to help rebuild the houses of the poorest families in the villages of Da Bàn and Tu Bông.
During the first three years, the association financed the reconstruction of around thirty houses and the renovation of around twenty others.

Subsequently, other requests from the villagers were brought to our attention, for example heart operations on children, help for poor and lonely elderly people, help with the schooling of disadvantaged children, etc. As a result, the activities of our association have diversified day by day.

In 2009 we built a dispensary open 3 days a week and set up a garden of medicinal plants near this dispensary.

In 2010 we started a big project to build an orphanage on our site in Tu Bông. At the same time we have helped young children with heart problems, we have helped finance heart operations. Since July 2010, 3 free English classes have been open each year during the summer to school children in the village. In addition to learning English, children are also taught to respect the environment. They take part in tree planting days and clean up the site after class.

In 2011, an environmental and social project was started to help the local population. This project, consisting in the reforestation of the mountainsides, was set up in order to prevent the erosion responsible for the presence of sand in the rice fields, and to alleviate the drought of the villages located at the foot of these mountains. To date we have replanted over 120,000 trees.

In 2012, the sponsorship project for orphaned children began in several villages, including those of ethnic minorities in the region. more than 85 children have been sponsored by Swiss families. Currently the number has dropped due to Covid-19, as many families have moved.

In 2013, we are continuing work on the orphanage, which is the major project for this year of activity.
The same year, we launched several projects such as the lighting of the site by solar energy, the drying of exotic fruits, the construction of a nursery school, the construction of a wood-fired kitchen for the orphanage, the continuation of reforestation in partnership with the NGO Pur Projet.

In 2015 the orphanage is operational, free English lessons are given regularly. A small library has been installed in one of the multipurpose rooms.

In 2017/2018 more than 100 houses were rebuilt following Typhoon Damrey

In 2018 the project of bottling water from our source starts, production is launched in 2019

In 2019/2020 the association starts the construction of a primary school for 150 students on the grounds of the orphanage. Fundraising is underway.

2021. Due to Covid-19 the construction of the primary school is delayed, its inauguration is postponed to 2022.
For the same reason the association is creating a new sponsorship project for poor families.



For the next few years, the association will develop projects always linked to humanitarian aid in the region, our goal always being to give work to the most deprived people and to improve the living conditions of the villagers.