I think we can all agree that poverty is certainly an evil; but it is not just an evil in itself, it also spawns all kinds of other problems that must be understood as well. Indira Gandhi once famously stated that “poverty is the worst polluter.” This is just as much a problem for Vietnam as it was India in Indira’s time. The meaning behind the quote is the simple observation that the impoverished live in the present. They live on a day to day basis, and caring for their environment is not their primary concern. Those who live in poverty are also often times stuck having to face the many ramifications of their own pollution as well as the pollution of others. Impoverished peoples are more likely to be dependent on a very limited supply of resources making the basis of their economic existence very fragile.

Following the end of the Vietnam War, Vietnam attempted the collectivization of farms and factories. Unfortunately, these measures led to a major economic crisis that resulted in the near total collapse of the Vietnamese economy as well as massive inflation. As a result of this economic situation, the government began free market reforms in 1986 and since then, the economy of Vietnam has grown at a tremendous rate. The effects of this massive growth have led to a large increase in industrial pollution that was worsened by a lack of an effective governmental regulations. This growth also resulted in an increase in the income gap that has left many people in Vietnam still living in poverty. The combination of growing pollution and poverty in Vietnam has led to the poor having to live with the burdensome negative effects of industrial pollution of the air and water. Poverty not only is a major contributor to pollution, but it is the lower class that is stuck living with the effects of pollution.

This realization adds new importance to the mission of REACH—fighting poverty has a global impact as well as its immediate influence. The purpose of furthering education in impoverished areas is to help reduce and perhaps even one day eliminate poverty; but the immediate effect is to help people live better lives in the present. Education is crucial to empowering the poor to change their own circumstances, to giving them the tools to live better lives in a way that is environmentally sustainable in the long run. By empowering a single individual, that individual can in turn influence and empower others in their community. Education is a catalyst to the empowerment of whole communities effecting great change. It is just an added benefit that education will also help to create a better environment on a grander scale.

Written by Justin Laws

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/world/asia/06iht-pollute.1.6529573.html?_r=1

http://www.numbeo.com/pollution/country_result.jsp?country=Vietnam

http://www.haivenu-vietnam.com/vietnam-today-problems.htm

Special thanks to Larry Nielson for the general insights

About Our Blogger

Justin Laws is a junior at NC State serving on the Research Committee of the NCSU REACH chapter. He was born in the far away land of St. Louis, Missouri. Justin moved to Raleigh after middle school and attended North Raleigh Christian Academy. It is belief in the power of education and strong convictions of justice that drive him to be a part of REACH where he hopes to improve himself and hopefully a small part of the world as well. He is currently a History and Philosophy of Law double major.

Jennifer Wong ‏ @gnownej
@reach4education #MyREACHResolution is to design for the voiceless and helpless, turning my passion into positive change. What’s yours?

Ray ‏ @rachellejazmier
My passion is dance. To organize a nation/worldwide dance festival & unite people of all ages & races is #MyREACHResolution @reach4education

Ying-Ao Zhang ‏ @_Yingy
@reach4education #MyREACHResolution is to work towards my ultimate goals and not take this education for granted. #blessed

Anhthu Vuong ‏ @AnhthuVuong
@reach4education I have a passion for service and want people to be more accepting and aware of cultures unlike their own #MyREACHResolution

Justina Chen ‏ @justina_says
@reach4education #MyREACHResolution is to use my passion for food to help the city of Detroit

Karl Artis ‏ @kslegacy7
@reach4education as a lover of dance & the arts, I hope to invoke the same passion & love in others, which in turn will become love for all

Misha Tobar ‏ @realmishatobar
@reach4education I want to use my experiences, good or bad, & help someone by allowing them to vent and seek advice. #myreachresolution

Misha Tobar ‏ @realmishatobar
@reach4education I want to be a role model for future generations, so that they can become leaders and help the world. #myREACHresolution

NCSU FAE ‏ @NCSU_FAE
@reach4education Through our group, we wish to create a legacy here at State and be role models. #myREACHresolution @realmishatobar

NCSU REACH ‏ @NCSU_REACH
@reach4education We are love our community. Our group wishes to help through tutoring and awareness. #myreachresolution @realmishatobar

Janet Nguyen ‏ @YouLoveMe_xP
@reach4education my passion is helping others & I wish to see a world filled with passionate leaders #myREACHresolution @realmishatobar

Casey Roy ‏ @caseyanne03
@NCSU_REACH My resolution is to inspire people to take charge of their own lives instead of thinking they’re stuck. #MyREACHResolution

Aaron Chen ‏ @ACkeepitcool
@reach4education My passion is videography, and I want to inspire and touch people’s lives through the medium of film. #myREACHresolution

Benjamin Lin ‏ @ben_jaaamin
#myREACHresolution is to see students learn and have education transform lives everywhere

MoreThanDanceMTD ‏ @More_Than_Dance
Our passion is dance, and through this, we want to see other people realize their passion and turn it into service. #MyREACHresolution

Jaehee Park ‏ @jhpark41
@reach4education #MyREACHResolution is to spread the gospel to the hurt,poor,and disabled with the loving and caring heart God has given me.

Angela J. ‏ @angeelahh
@reach4education #myREACHresolution is to inspire others to become leaders by helping them find opportunities to pursue their passions…

Ricky Phuong
My Reach Resolution is to help encourage creativity whether it be through visual arts or performing arts, I am all about expression. #MyREACHResolution

Shane Pusz
Before REACH, my passion was to see how many cheezits I could eat in a single sitting. After REACH, I really like designing things, and creating something out of nothing; something to be proud of. It’s been a really cool transition, going from my own little bubble, my comfort zone if you will, to creating events, designing fliers, and bringing people off their own metaphorical couches to do something amazing. Best part is, it’s all something I enjoy every minute of.

tl;dr: Cheezits can be more expensive than Photoshop in the long run.

Matthew Guan
My REACH resolution is to use my passion for public health to educate and serve the public. #MyREACHResolution

Valerie Eng
My REACH Resolution is to channel my passion for REACH and for connecting with people to show others – at Carolina and beyond – that everyone can change some part of the world through his/her passions. I thank Justin Huang, Angela Ju, Andrew Poon and MTD for fostering my love for REACH and look forward to working with AnhThu Vuong, Aimee Xu, William Lee, Matthew Guan, Shane Pusz, Mikey Nom, and Ying-Ao Zhang in the near future! (hooray for facebook and not twitter )

Sonya Patel
#MyREACHResolution is to end inequality of health and healthcare services, domestically and abroad, through my career as a physician and through my life as a compassionate human being.

Aaron Chou
My goal is to become a social entrepreneur and create wealth to support issues I’m passionate about #myREACHresolution

Justin Laws
My passion is history; i have a love for knowing exactly how the world came to its current state. I intended to use my passion to raise awareness of the problems our current world so that we can all work together to make a better world for the future. #myREACHresolution Misha Tobar

Michelle Ngo
My reach resolution is to help one of my current students at an under privileged tutoring center I work at with their reading and mathematics skills. I would achieve this by checking their test grades, reviewing and helping them understand their mistake for future improvement. Possibly making them read on a daily basis and quizzing them on the content after every meeting. #myREACHresolution Misha Tobar

Eric Sim
My reach resolution is to make create music that will connect people to each other and bridge the gap between our dreams and reality

Daniel Thomas
my REACH resolution is to use my technical knowledge and skills to bring change to developing countries and the underprivileged. One of my biggest idols is the OLPC project, dedicated to providing low-cost laptops to foster education in developing countries. I think this project goes hand-in-hand with the educational goals of REACH and can really make a huge difference in our world

The name of REACH is widely displayed on posters for mixers and Asian cultural shows across North Carolina, stating ticket sales and entry fees are going toward a good cause. However, what exactly is REACH? What do we do? Why do we exist?

Unlike many charities, REACH was started by a group of college students, instead of professors or CEOs, making funding and support more difficult to find. However we at REACH believe that it is possible for student organizations to make a difference in the world without the backing of names that hold esteem in the professional realm.

THON, the original dance marathon at Penn State, was proposed by the InterFraternity Council president to rebuild IFC’s image in 1973; that year, the event raised $2,136. Since then, the effort and money raised have multiplied on an annual basis. In 2011, THON, now the largest student-run charity in the world, raised more than 9 million dollars to defeat pediatric cancer.

THON was able to become the most successful charity through its definitive goal: fight cancer. The goal is not only resolute; it is also widely-accepted by the society, drawing attention from outside the campus. Also, with numerous Greek organizations as its root, THON is guaranteed accessible funding and participation from the sororities and fraternities. Year after year, its reputation and participation build on each other; the bigger the event, the more people want to join the next year. With a simple logo and slogan (“For the Kids”), THON spread throughout Pennsylvania. THON was then able to organize year-long events to build a strong relationship between the patients, families, and the students.

Similar to THON having the Greek societies as the initial pool of resources, REACH originates from the Asian community in the Triangle area and attracts students from all over North Carolina. With the success of partnership with Asian student organizations on each campus, REACH was able to raise more than $40,000 to date and has built two schools in the past three years. REACH’s starting accomplishments are comparable to THON, indicating a promising future.

Unlike THON, the goal of REACH is much broader. Instead of fighting one cause, REACH’s goal is to overcome an obstacle in a society that is not generally recognized. Education, a rather abstract necessity, is often overlooked when supporting a community. Health gives people the ability to work, yet education is the key to opening doors to sustainable advance. By establishing a two-way channel, REACH strives to empower and connect members locally and foster education overseas. This approach is different than most organizations, where resources are directed from one campus to a charity. REACH strives to develop a sustainable way to tackle intellectual poverty both locally and globally. With the goal to turn passion into action, the essence of REACH is to seek passion and inspiration from every individual to change the world.

About Our Blogger

William Lee is a second year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel and is currently serving as a research associate for the UNC chapter of REACH. William moved to Chapel Hill, NC from Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 8^th grade, and graduated from East Chapel Hill High School in 2010. His passion for education originates from his own transition between two completely different education system and environment. During free time, William likes to play basketball and a little bit of League of Legends. William is currently pursuing chemistry – biochemistry and economics double major.

Our researchers at UNC recently requested for an update from the school in Guangxi, and we are very pleased to share the results with you! Below are a few of the pictures we received (check out or media page for more).

A note from the school was also included:

In our quest for empowerment, REACH is committed to spreading awareness about local issues and actively engaging students to advocate resolve. I would like to take this time to speak on an age-old issue that continues to grow. The black-white income gap is a pervasive societal issue that I have always held close to my heart. In 1967, with the end of the Civil Rights movement, African Americans were finally beginning to realize the American dream of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Many people assert that racial inequality disappeared with the advent of the 1970s, however the numbers show otherwise. Despite the birth of civil rights, there remained a noticeable gap of almost $20,000 between the mean household incomes of blacks and whites (Wolfe, 2011). Unfortunately, this income gap is showing no signs of decline. Data from a 2011 study done by Sean F. Reardon of Stanford University suggests that  “The [income] achievement gap between children from high- and low-income families is roughly 30 to 40 percent larger among children born in 2001 than among those born twenty-five years earlier” (Reardon, 2011).

Experts have long strived to prove a causal relationship to explain the black-white income gap. Of these theories, one stood out to me in particular. In 2003, Roland G. Fryer Jr. proposed a theory detailing the implications of “acting white.” I feel that this theory brings to light some interesting societal issues that are pertinent to the goals of REACH.

Fryer’s theory essentially states that black youth are often underperforming in school as a direct result of societal pressure. Applying oneself in academics may be seen as an attempt to “act white”, soliciting ridicule from one’s peers, in turn severely decreasing the incentive for African American children to  genuinely utilize their educational opportunities. The resulting educational gap may in turn account for the income inequality between blacks and whites.

This theory of “acting white” directly corresponds with REACH’s goal of empowerment. By being deprived of their education, minorities will never be able to fully apply their passions to make a difference in the world. Issues like this are exactly why REACH is making such an earnest attempt to spread the message of empowerment. By empowering minorities, we can break stereotypes and maybe even facilitate long term change. Through our actions, we can inspire the change necessary to maybe one day break this vicious cycle of wasted potential. This is my passion.

About Our Blogger

Matthew Guan is a first year at the University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill and is currently serving as a research associate for the UNC Chapter of REACH. Matthew is from Cary, North Carolina and graduated from Green Hope High School in 2011. His passion for education stems from his involvement in Educational Aid for Refugees, a nonprofit organization that provides school supplies to the refugees of the Sri Lankan Civil War. When not helping to advance the goals of REACH, Matthew enjoys playing (Halo) Reach, reading The Onion and going to the gym. Matthew is currently planning on pursuing a business major in preparation for professional school

Further Reading:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21759075/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/t/income-gap-between-black-white-families-grows/#.Twk7iG9rN0Q

http://www.jbhe.com/news_views/55_closing_the_income_gap.html

Works Cited

Fryer, Roland G., and David A. Smith. The Economics of Acting White. Aug. 2003. Web. 2012. <stiglerlawoffice.com/public/as_fryer729.pdf>.

Reardon, Sean F. “The Widening Academic Achievement Gap between the Rich and the Poor: New Evidence and Possible Explanations.” Whither Opportunity? Rising Inequality, Schools, and Children’s Life Chances (2011). Print.

Williams, Rodger. “Understanding the Black-White Earnings Gap.” The American Prospect. The American Prospect Inc., 19 Sept. 2008. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. <http://prospect.org/article/understanding-black-white-earnings-gap>.

Wolfe, Adam. Economic Racism: A Look at the Black-White Income Gap, 1967-2001. Boise State University. Web. 19 Jan. 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/user/DavidSoComedy?blend=2&ob=0

http://www.youtube.com/user/DavidSoMusic?blend=2&ob=0

It was a great pleasure to befriend David and we hope that we will have the opportunity to work with him again in the near future.

As we kick off the new year, I wanted to remind everybody that our efforts do, in fact, create a global impact. Whether at Guangxi, An Giang, or Binh Phouc, the site of our latest project this year, we affect not only the lives of students themselves, but also the well-being of their families and communities.

It is not enough for us to simply say we’re making a difference, though. A successful philanthropic operation requires transparency, so that an informed onlooker can understand who the charity affects, or how operations work, or what challenges the organization faces. UNC’s research team demonstrated strong commitment to this value earlier this year during the selection phase, and their work led us to chose Binh Phouc province for our school because of its growing industrialization and subsequent demand for primary education.

Sunflower Mission itself is also dedicated to transparency, and to show this, they have volunteered to answer any questions you may have about the organization or their operations overseas building and maintaining schools.

How do you participate? Simple — just post an informed question in a comment reply to this entry here and we will publish answers on a biweekly basis to you!

A few common questions we’ve gotten:
1. How long has Sunflower been in operation?
2. What percentage of Sunflower’s revenues goes toward charitable ends?
3. How much has Sunflower raised thus far toward their goals?

Of course, Sunflower’s website gives us the answer to these questions: 2002, 97%, and $1.7 million, respectively.

Yet there are many other questions that are beyond the scope of their website. For example, what are some or the challenges working with local organizations to build schools? Or — what kind of opportunities are present to those who have earned a primary education versus those who do not?

We look forward to hearing and answering your questions!

Thank you all so much for sharing your passions with us and embodying change through them!

UNC Asian Students Association is thrilled to present this year’s Journey Into Asia this Saturday, November 5 at 7PM in Memorial Hall!

JIA is UNC ASA’s annual showcase of exciting and dynamic talent pertaining to Asian culture. This year, with the theme being “Embrace,” we want to inspire everyone to truly take pride in their cultural heritage, be it Asian or not! Check out our awesome promo video HERE if you haven’t already seen it!

We will be pitsitting all this week on UNC’s campus selling tickets in person, but tickets can also be purchased online at http://memorialhall.unc.edu/ or at the Memorial Hall Box Office in person.

PRICES:
$8 in advance
$10 at the door

We STRONGLY recommend you buy your tickets in advance to avoid long lines on the night of & the possibility of not getting a ticket at all if we sell out. And don’t forget about our JIA Afterparty at Pulse Nightclub from 10PM-2AM right after the show! As always, a portion of the proceeds from the night will be donated to R.E.A.C.H., so we hope you all will join us for our biggest night yet in support of this cause!

- Angela Ju, UNC ASA President

Also huge thanks to Angela Ju, Justin Huang and Michael Cherry for their wonderful contributions and sharing their experiences.

THIS is what REACH is all about. I am so in love with this movement – and the best is yet to come!