VFF President's Visit to France Aims to Boost Political Ties, People-to-people Diplomacy
	Farewell to Professor Jean Pierre Archambault - a Faithful Friend of Vietnam

From the bond with her Vietnamese children

Florence Cavalier had always longed to become a mother. But after many miscarriages, she gradually realized that it would be difficult for her to conceive and give birth like other women.

In 1993, Florence and her husband traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam, for the first time - a country familiar to her from childhood memories of Vietnamese classmates and family stories, as some of her relatives had worked in Vietnam on numerous occasions. Through the introduction of friends who had adopted children in Vietnam, the couple visited an orphanage in Can Tho. In the chilly weather, she stepped into that small home and held in her arms two baby girls who were twins. Two years later, and then three years after that, subsequent trips back to Vietnam followed - until four Vietnamese orphans had one by one become members of her family.

Florence Cavalier and her husband (center, front row) with their four adopted Vietnamese children and their fifth biological child (center, back row). (Photo: Provided by the family)

At that time, many orphanages were caring for children with disabilities and severe health problems. The children adopted by her family were no exception - all had to stay in the neonatal ward of Tu Du Obstetrics Hospital for two and a half months before being discharged. For that reason, each adoption trip was not just a process of taking in a child, but also a long period of living and bonding with Vietnam.

She was not only becoming a mother, but also learning to listen to and absorb the rhythm of life in this country. Those days sowed within her a profound attachment. She was captivated by the sight of Vietnamese families gathering around meals, admired how people preserved respect for their ancestors, and valued the tradition of reverence for teachers. The simplicity, discretion, and diligence of the people made her feel a sense of kinship, as if she had long belonged here.

Back in France, the family continued to nurture the children’s ties with their homeland. Each of the four children kept their Vietnamese names as middle names. The family also organized two return trips to Vietnam when the children were still young, so that they could see the landscapes with their own eyes, experience the culture, and understand “where they came from.”

Their small home in the suburbs of Paris also became a place of welcome for many medical residents from Bach Mai Hospital when they traveled to France for training. The conversations and intimate meals created a bridge that brought her children even closer to Vietnam. “I am truly grateful to the country that gave us the children, enabling me to become a mother. That is both a gift and a great honor,” Florence said.

More than 30 years alongside Vietnam

In 1995, Florence was invited by the Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Health to teach physiotherapy to medical students. From that experience, she expanded her efforts: organizing training sessions for staff at orphanages, cooperating with the Family Council of Yvelines (France) to share child care practices, and donating medical equipment - from neonatal incubators and syringe pumps to specialized instruments - to Tu Du Hospital, the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and others.

The Executive Board of EPVN. (Photo: Provided by the family)

Beyond medical support, during her seven years in charge of adoption procedures in Vietnam for a French organization, Florence frequently visited orphanages and worked with the Ministry of Justice. From these visits, she pledged to improve living conditions for children in care facilities, while initiating projects in the highlands to help ethnic minority families improve their living standards and income.

In 2007, she decided to establish Enfance Partenariat du Vietnam (EPVN), as a way to affirm her long-term commitment to the country that had given her the happiness of being a mother. She emphasized that EPVN does not pursue grandiose projects, but each small action is practical and leaves a lasting impact.

Florence Cavalier (second from right) and Olivier Brochet, French Ambassador to Vietnam (far right), present hens and sows to disadvantaged households in Ha Giang Province (now Tuyen Quang Province). (Photo: Provided by the family)

In the Northwest mountains, she and her volunteers installed water turbines, bringing light to H’Mong homes so that children could study at night and women could sew longer hours. In northern highland villages, hundreds of poor households were given breeding sows, along with training in animal husbandry, to provide them with a stable income. At orphanages, EPVN improved meals for children, organized extracurricular activities, provided eyeglasses for children with refractive errors, and opened vocational classes to help young people build independence.

Florence often recalls unforgettable moments: the joyful smile of a girl named Lien as she offered her the first cake she baked after an 18-month training course sponsored by EPVN; the radiant, proud eyes of a young woman from Kon Tum, who had grown up in poverty with an addicted father, but now confidently displayed clothes she had sewn herself; and the warm, simple family meal in Nam Ma commune (Ha Giang), where a Tay woman proudly showed her the breeding sow given by EPVN - soon to give birth to a new litter that promised stable income to improve their lives.

Florence Cavalier (left) receives a special gift - a cake made by a young woman once supported by EPVN. (Photo: Provided by the family)

Speaking about Vietnam’s changes, Florence observed: the roads are spacious, cities are modern, and urban children have better opportunities for learning and development. However, Vietnam still faces challenges: orphans need support to integrate, many rural areas still lack basic sanitation, and disadvantaged youth face obstacles in education and employment. At the same time, environmental issues such as plastic waste and nature conservation demand greater attention.

Looking ahead, she hopes Vietnam will strongly develop eco-tourism and responsible tourism, linked to forest conservation, mangrove protection, and the reintroduction of wildlife. For disadvantaged youth, she hopes more professions will open opportunities for them to achieve independence and maturity.

According to her, as Vietnam marks the 80th anniversary of National Day, efforts in environmental protection, sustainable development, and youth empowerment will become even more meaningful. They are not only the steps of a rising nation, but also a message to international friends of a compassionate, responsible, and connected Vietnam. From that same spirit, Franco-Vietnamese friendship will be further strengthened, built upon bridges of compassion created from the smallest but most practical actions.

Embassy Organizes Vietnam Day in French Port City of Marseille The event is part of activities organizing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and 10 years of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and ...

First Vietnamese French Congresswoman Contributes to Bilateral Cooperation As one of the first French of Vietnamese origin participating in politics in France, Stéphanie Do has been known for her contributions to promoting the ...