What charity organizations are there in Da Lat Vietnam?
June 72010
Here is the thing I want to go to Da Lat Vietnam to help out the needy and people there. Can some one recommend a orphanage, old folks home, a home for disabled or something like that? It would be useful if some sort of contact information is provided.
The answer you got to your funding question is spot on. No charity Org is going to fund you to take photos. Why? Every man Jack and his dog has high quality camera gear these days and getting someone to take photos as a courtesy is not a problem. They have more pressing needs for their funding. You will also need a work permit and no one is going to issue you one to take photos in a country where there are 1000s of Vietnamese photographers trying to earn a living. Do not attempt to ply your trade on a tourist visa! I live 125 ks from Da Lat. Will be going up there for the flower festival in January. I see from a previous answer you’re a Canon man. So am I. Don’t go bringing anything like an EOS 1D Mark iv, or even a 5D Mark ii. Not unless you have full insurance cover. My wife had her handbag ripped from her arm in Saigon the other day. Fortunately she wasn’t seriously injured. Camera theft is also a big problem here. There are 2nd hand camera shops all over the place and they’re getting their high end stuff from somewhere! Something like a 7D sporting a 17-55 f/2.8 IS lens would represent 3 years income to most people here. I love photography and have some good stuff, but only carry my 500D when I’m traveling about. As for working in a Orphanage/Old Folks Home? Forget it. Vietnam wants funding not workers that’s why they’ve changed the visa laws. Attempting to ”help out” the needy would be seen as a violation of your tourist visa. These guys do not think like you or I and Western ”assumption” can get you into a lot of hot water here.
June 7th, 2010 at 5:35 pm
The answer you got to your funding question is spot on. No charity Org is going to fund you to take photos. Why? Every man Jack and his dog has high quality camera gear these days and getting someone to take photos as a courtesy is not a problem. They have more pressing needs for their funding. You will also need a work permit and no one is going to issue you one to take photos in a country where there are 1000s of Vietnamese photographers trying to earn a living. Do not attempt to ply your trade on a tourist visa! I live 125 ks from Da Lat. Will be going up there for the flower festival in January. I see from a previous answer you’re a Canon man. So am I. Don’t go bringing anything like an EOS 1D Mark iv, or even a 5D Mark ii. Not unless you have full insurance cover. My wife had her handbag ripped from her arm in Saigon the other day. Fortunately she wasn’t seriously injured. Camera theft is also a big problem here. There are 2nd hand camera shops all over the place and they’re getting their high end stuff from somewhere! Something like a 7D sporting a 17-55 f/2.8 IS lens would represent 3 years income to most people here. I love photography and have some good stuff, but only carry my 500D when I’m traveling about. As for working in a Orphanage/Old Folks Home? Forget it. Vietnam wants funding not workers that’s why they’ve changed the visa laws. Attempting to ”help out” the needy would be seen as a violation of your tourist visa. These guys do not think like you or I and Western ”assumption” can get you into a lot of hot water here.
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Lived here 8 years this time round. Haven’t lost any camera gear yet (touch wood) but know people who have.