If you're attending the 2018 Feast For Peace, you'll be delighted to know that Certified Trainer and Founder of the A New Day Social Work Group in Vietnam, Rita Nguyen, will serve as the keynote speaker. Her story is one of utmost compassion and inspiration and we are lucky to have her on our team. Rita recently shared her PFP story with Blogger Ali. Check it out!
Rita Nguyen is a Play for Peace Certified Trainer from Vietnam. All it takes is one encounter with her to quickly realize that compassion is the core of her drive. From working with children who are HIV+, to eventually connecting with Play for Peace to help uplift and support vulnerable communities, Rita is always aspiring to help change the community around her for the better. In 2008, Rita began working with HIV+ children in summer therapeutic camps as a volunteer, then a part-time consultant in 2011, for an INGO. "I spent many days and nights thinking about how I could do more for vulnerable communities,” Rita said. She pursued this desire to do more and noted that her skills improved during this time.
“Fortunately, in 2011, when two trainers from Play for Peace visited Vietnam and ran a training program for social workers, I joined it and this event changed my path right away. I was impressed with the trainers because of their dedication to supporting the community, their positive attitudes about life, and their experiences in transmitting their love, energy, knowledge, and skills to us. I also loved all the orientation games in the event.” Rita was eager to talk with the trainers about how she could get involved. “I believed that I could follow my passion for helping vulnerable communities very shortly.” Rita went to her friends who used to work in the same summer camps for HIV+ children, hoping they'd consider the possibility of establishing a volunteer group. This eventually led to the development of A New Day Social Work Group in 2011. It was one of the first clubs in the Play for Peace network around the world. Rita is quick to mention how much she has learned from and been inspired by other dedicated trainers.
Watching them shape their communities for the better pushes her to be the best leader and certified trainer she can be. Rita recently married her partner, moved to the US, and is excited to have the opportunity to be at Feast for Peace. She is excited to officially meet some of the people face-to-face who she has come to know over online communication. It is evident that Play for Peace is not only something that inspires Rita but that the community itself is very dear to her. “I have a chance to inspire people and get inspiration from them.” Her advice: “Our life cycle is very short in the universe. Everything in this life is very impermanent -- we do not know what exactly will happen in the future. Therefore, when you have ideas that are good for yourself and for people, do not postpone your motivation. Because after sharing our passion and dedication to others, we can get more fire.” There couldn’t be a better description of what exudes from Rita’s heart: Compassion, dedication, and drive like fire.
