Scholarship Program to Enhance Literacy and Learning
Partner Profile

Nguyen Chuoc, Vice-Chairman, Study Promotion Association

Mr. Nguyen Chuoc serves as Vice-Chairman of the Da Nang Study Promotion Association (SPA). Five years ago his organization began working with EMW’s Scholarship Program to Enhance Learning and Literacy (SPELL), which provides multi-year scholarships, school supplies, and tutoring support to impoverished children in Vietnam. The SPA is just one of the many local organizations EMW partners with, knowing that strong collaborations contribute to the long-term sustainability of EMW’s programs. As in any good partnership, all parties benefit.

Vietnam’s SPAs work in their local communities promoting education by raising funds for scholarships and working to increase awareness of the importance of education. When EMW was launching SPELL, staff looked for a strong local partner to work with. Taking advantage of the existing SPA network, EMW enlisted provincial level SPAs to assist with implementing and monitoring program activities, and liaising with local authorities.

SPA members like Mr. Nguyen are respected community members who are well versed in the workings of the education system. They help identify the neediest students for referral to SPELL. Once scholarships are granted, they assist with the follow-up that is so crucial to keeping students from dropping out. Along with EMW’s own program staff, SPA volunteers monitor students’ academic progress and tutoring attendance, and meet with parents to assess the home environment and provide encouragement and resources as needed.

SPAs play a crucial role in the success of EMW’s SPELL program, but local SPA members report that SPELL has had a highly positive impact on SPAs as well. SPA members receive trainings on management, planning, monitoring and reporting—skills they use to run the SPAs more effectively.

"Working with SPELL, I realize that financial support is really just the beginning. The program will only be effective if we work closely with students, schools and families to monitor progress and identify any problems."

The SPELL program has served as a model around which some SPAs have restructured their own scholarship programs. Mr. Nguyen has been raising money for the SPA to fund scholarships for Da Nang area orphans and children of disabled veterans since 1992. After observing the SPELL model in action, he was inspired to make significant changes to the SPA scholarship program, including developing more multi-year scholarships, strengthening donor commitment through long-term sponsorship, increased tracking and monitoring of students’ progress, and greater responsiveness to the needs of each individual student.

As Mr. Nguyen remarks: “Before, we gave the money for a student’s education, but we didn’t follow up on the progress or outcomes. Working with SPELL, I realize that financial support is really just the beginning. The program will only be effective if we work closely with students, schools and families to monitor progress and identify any problems."