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The Mulligan Project was founded in 2009 by Kelly Gonzales and her husband Eddie Rohwedder. Kelly traveled to Vietnam in late 2008 and found her life forever changed by the amazing children of Hoi An Orphanage. Although Kelly had been to several orphanages in third world countries, she had never seen one dedicated to children with disabilities. So moved by the experience and in particular one little girl named Hong,  Kelly went back to Vietnam three months later.  This time she wanted to learn more about the children, the government-run orphanage and The Kianh Foundation, a UK non-profit on the ground in Vietnam that has been pioneering a better life for the children at the orphanage since 2002. A month later Kelly and Eddie were honored when The Kianh Foundation asked them to be partners in their endeavor to help the children. They gladly accepted and created The Mulligan Project, a U.S. based non-profit dedicated the same mission.

The Mulligan Project is a small, grass roots non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of children with disability in Central Vietnam. We work with other organizations to provide surgeries and healthcare for the children. We provide special education, physical therapy and speech therapy programs. Above all we provide children with the dignity that every life inherently deserves.

The Mulligan Project provides the gap in services to the disabled orphans living at government-run Hoi An Orphanage. The government provides food and shelter. The children need much more. Children who could not crawl can now walk. Children who could not talk now tell stories. Children who never left a darkened room are now thriving.

For the disabled orphans living at Hoi An Orphanage, The Mulligan Project provides hope. For the disabled children in Central Vietnam that have parents, The Mulligan Project will provide a future. Central Vietnam has the highest ratio of children with disability in the country, yet they are essentially overlooked. Our goal is to build a Day Center for these disabled children so they can maximize their potential. The land has been acquired and our pilot program is thriving.

An Excerpt from Kelly’s Journal recounting the day she met Hong

On what was to be an ordinary Saturday in Vietnam, I met an extraordinary little girl named Hong. Visiting one more orphanage on my trip, I didn’t expect to walk into a room for severely disabled kids. A caretaker pointed to you for me to hold. I didn’t even know if I could. Would I hurt you? You began to crawl to me. Then you sat up and lifted your arms.  I was impressed. When I picked you up, you shook with joy. I almost dropped you. Your giggle was absolutely delightful. Your smile was infectious. You got to me. I tried playing with the other kids, but I kept coming back to you.  Visiting hours ended too quickly. I had to leave.  But you were all I could think about. I couldn’t wait to get back to the orphanage to be with you again. You are an angel Hong. You moved me. You ended my trip. There was no point to continue to Cambodia where nothing could compare to your face.  I flew back the next day just to hold you for a few more hours. You will always be our “daughter”. . . no matter what country you live in.  Someday I hope to bring you home to me and your dad. We love you, and we thank you for bringing us together. We will give you all that we can –in care and love always.