A FORMER primary school teacher from Winsford is helping to heal the wounds of war by putting his profession to practice in Vietnam.

Alex Kosogorin, of Bedford Rise, is training infant teachers in the country still suffering the effects of civil war.

The 32-year-old is staying in Bac Ha, a remote area in the north near the Chinese border, sharing his teaching skills and experience to bring about positive change.

His two-year trip was organised by Voluntary Service Overseas, a charity which sends aid to developing countries in the form of people who work alongside communities in 60 of the world's poorest countries.

VSO has been in Vietnam since 1991, almost 20 years after the fall of Saigon, and 23 of its workers are currently in the country.

The project Alex is working on is funded by EED, the French branch of Save the Children.

His mother, Paddy, has kept in contact with her son since he left for Vietnam in February.

She said: "Alex worked with BP for three years before training to be a teacher and taking up a post at a primary school in Northampton.

"I think he always had it in his mind while he was at university that he would like to work abroad.

"I'm really pleased for him but obviously I don't really see a lot of him because I can't afford to go out there.

"He's not due to return until February 2000 but we keep in contact via telephone, letters and e-mail."

Paddy shared some of the extracts from Alex's journal with the Winsford and Middlewich Guardian.

Reporting from Vietnam, Alex said: "I have begun language classes. The grammar is easy but the intonation is difficult to master.

"I went to the theatre last night to watch The Tale of Kien, a sort of musical farce. I couldn't understand a word but the costumes, music and atmosphere were brilliant.

"Work has started to take off since my interpreter arrived. Yesterday I went with my project team to visit one of the communes to meet the headteacher and find out the living conditions of the children who will attend the pre-schools we set up.

"At present there are a lot who don't go to school, either because they live too far away, their parents don't see the importance of education, or they already work in the fields.

"Part of my project may be to start informal pre-schools in people's houses or other available premises. So at this early stage we have to visit as many villages as possible to review the situation.

"I've never lived in a place so beautiful, with birds singing, the occasional horse neighing, a nice, slow pace of life."

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