Vietnam
Stories from change-makers in Vietnam
One morning in October 2020, Li Na was standing on the banks of the Dak Bla river.
Hundreds of people and vehicles crossed the bridge over the river every day, including students like her on their way to and from school. But now, she watched as the bridge was swept away by raging flood water.
Typhoon Molave smashed through central Vietnam at the end of October 2020, leaving floods and landslides in its wake, and destroying structures like the bridge over the Dak Bla river. With the bridge gone, Li Na and more than 70 other children now have to travel more than six miles along treacherous roads to get to school.
“Back then, it only took us 15 minutes,” Li Na says. “Now it’s over an hour. Many [students] from my class have dropped out, since it takes too long and it’s too dangerous to walk on foot.”
In response to the typhoon, Plan International’s local staff is delivering emergency food and essential items like soap while collaborating with the community on plans to rebuild.
“I just hope that the bridge will be fixed soon so that we can get to school,” Li Na says.
Learn how you can support families in Vietnam.
Typhoon Molave smashed through central Vietnam at the end of October 2020, leaving floods and landslides in its wake, and destroying structures like the bridge over the Dak Bla river. With the bridge gone, Li Na and more than 70 other children now have to travel more than six miles along treacherous roads to get to school.
“Back then, it only took us 15 minutes,” Li Na says. “Now it’s over an hour. Many [students] from my class have dropped out, since it takes too long and it’s too dangerous to walk on foot.”
In response to the typhoon, Plan International’s local staff is delivering emergency food and essential items like soap while collaborating with the community on plans to rebuild.
“I just hope that the bridge will be fixed soon so that we can get to school,” Li Na says.
Chung is a Plan-sponsored child in Vietnam.
In his village, he’s well known for helping people fix their broken radios and phones. So, when the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Vietnam, Chung decided to design a device that could help.
“During this time of social distancing, I was very sad that I couldn’t go to school and meet my friends and teachers like usual,” Chung says. “I had to stay home, so I decided to do some research on the internet.”
Plan has been active in Vietnam educating communities like Chung’s about how to prevent COVID-19. Knowing the importance of keeping your hands clean, Chung designed an automatic hand sanitizer machine that is effective, efficient and convenient. Once he had built his prototype, he looked for the parts online and purchased them with his life’s savings.
It took Chung 15 days to finish his first functioning device: a hands-free hand sanitizer dispenser. Then, his parents gave him permission to bring the dispenser to the local People’s Committee, a government office. Today, the device is installed in the office for all employees to use.
“If I had a bigger budget, I would produce more to put all around the village,” Chung says, “I wanted to create this device to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, so life will soon return to normal.”
That’s how sponsorship creates a positive ripple effect. When you invest in one child, you’re making sure they get opportunities to learn and grow. And they, in turn, can change their entire community for the better.
Read about one family’s experience with sponsorship.
“During this time of social distancing, I was very sad that I couldn’t go to school and meet my friends and teachers like usual,” Chung says. “I had to stay home, so I decided to do some research on the internet.”
Plan has been active in Vietnam educating communities like Chung’s about how to prevent COVID-19. Knowing the importance of keeping your hands clean, Chung designed an automatic hand sanitizer machine that is effective, efficient and convenient. Once he had built his prototype, he looked for the parts online and purchased them with his life’s savings.
It took Chung 15 days to finish his first functioning device: a hands-free hand sanitizer dispenser. Then, his parents gave him permission to bring the dispenser to the local People’s Committee, a government office. Today, the device is installed in the office for all employees to use.
“If I had a bigger budget, I would produce more to put all around the village,” Chung says, “I wanted to create this device to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, so life will soon return to normal.”
That’s how sponsorship creates a positive ripple effect. When you invest in one child, you’re making sure they get opportunities to learn and grow. And they, in turn, can change their entire community for the better.
Ha Vy woke up early on the morning of May 4, 2020.
She was excited. After three months of staying home because of COVID-19, she was finally going back to school.
Once there, everything looks the same — the same blackboard, white chalk, tables and chairs. But, at the front gates she is welcomed by a hand-washing station provided by Plan International. There, she has her temperature taken and must wash her hands before entering. Hand gel and rows of face masks are also available, which all the students have to wear.
“Before the pandemic, two of us shared a table,” Ha Vy says. “Now there is only one person per table. It’s sad to sit apart, but I’m happy because at least I can go to school again.”
Ha Vy’s teacher says that Plan’s support has been critical to the school’s reopening.
“We all feel reassured about returning to work, since Plan International provided us with essential supplies such as temperature readers, soap, hand sanitizer and masks,” she says. “The school has received support from Plan for many years, which has helped us and our students return to school.”
Read about how school closures have affected girls around the world.
Once there, everything looks the same — the same blackboard, white chalk, tables and chairs. But, at the front gates she is welcomed by a hand-washing station provided by Plan International. There, she has her temperature taken and must wash her hands before entering. Hand gel and rows of face masks are also available, which all the students have to wear.
“Before the pandemic, two of us shared a table,” Ha Vy says. “Now there is only one person per table. It’s sad to sit apart, but I’m happy because at least I can go to school again.”
Ha Vy’s teacher says that Plan’s support has been critical to the school’s reopening.
“We all feel reassured about returning to work, since Plan International provided us with essential supplies such as temperature readers, soap, hand sanitizer and masks,” she says. “The school has received support from Plan for many years, which has helped us and our students return to school.”
Plan International has been working to improve children’s lives in Vietnam since 1954.
Our work in Vietnam
Office & operations
Plan Vietnam’s country office is located in Hanoi, with program units in Ha Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Quang Binh, Quang Ngai, Quang Tri and Thai Nguyen.
Technical areas
Education, health, humanitarian response, protection, skills and work
Number of sponsored children
As of March 23, 2022 people like you sponsor 29,684 children in Vietnam through Plan International.
Gender equality is a fight we must all take on together. Through sponsorship, you can change lives and create long-term impact in communities.
The full circle of Fate
When you sponsor a child through Plan, you form an incredible friendship.
But that’s just the beginning. With Plan, you also have the unique opportunity to:
Send them birthday gifts and cards.
Give them special holiday presents called Little Treasures.
Subscribe them to Plan’s educational kids’ magazine, Sunny Days.
Arrange a visit (pending any travel restrictions), with individual travel assistance from us.
Each gift offering is safely hand-delivered by us, and given to your child with personalized cards from you. It’s likely that the child you sponsor will have never seen anything like these gifts, and with the exception of Little Treasures they’re available year-round to make the bond between you and your sponsored child even stronger.
Meet a child to sponsor