Community Partner since 1994.
While the global media focused on COVID-19 cases worldwide, Vietnam quietly proceeded with their containment campaign and now is cautiously restoring daily life. Despite its dense population and proximity to China, Vietnam has held onto one of the world’s lowest infection rates. How have they succeeded where the richest countries with the best health care […]
Three-time volunteer Melinda Staveley says she chooses Global Volunteers service for her travel abroad for the deeper human connection and cultural learning. In Vietnam, Melinda taught conversational English to visually impaired young massage therapists. The non-profit spa where they train and work serves mainly international clients where English language skills are essential. Read on for […]
In Hanoi’s city center, people for generations have integrated Hoàn Kiếm Lake into their daily lives. Central to their social, physical and cultural routines, youth and adults crowd the site day and night. In the early morning, community elders congregate in traditional areas to practice Tai Chi, while youth and young adults jog on the […]
Global Volunteers CEO and Co-founder Bud Philbrook claims that in all his travels across the world, Vietnam remains one of his favorite places to volunteer. Why? Read on for Bud’s eight reasons to volunteer in Hanoi! 1. Americans are welcomed and appreciated. “I’ve been to Vietnam numerous times over the past 20 years. The one […]
Seven–time Global Volunteer and Colorado retiree Rene Moquin employed his legendary optimism and enthusiasm to captivate students at Nguyen Binh Khiem School (NBK) in Hanoi, Vietnam. Through skits, music and personal charm, he urges them to “dream of new possibilities.” In these journal entries, Rene reflects on his singular experience and offers personal insight to […]
Elizabeth Wang, Senior Marketing Product Manager at Google, sought both a different way to travel and a meaningful way to give back to the global community. After reviewing several organizations online, Elizabeth selected Global Volunteers’ Vietnam service program. She served in Hanoi at Blind-Link, a non-profit organization which trains visually impaired adults in massage therapy […]
Relatively little research is available on the wellbeing of the large population of visually impaired or blind adults in Vietnam. Global Volunteers’ partner, Blind-Link, a social entrepreneurship program, professionally trains blind young Vietnamese adults for a career in massage therapy, affording them the opportunity to significantly elevate their lives. In this interview, two Blind-Link staff […]
A dedicated and experienced team leader is an essential component for the success of the Global Volunteers service programs worldwide. Global Volunteers Team Leaders arrive in-country a few days before the teams’ arrival in order to meet with our community partners, coordinate logistics, and prepare work projects. All Team Leaders are Global Volunteers alumni or […]
Blind-Link began in May 2013 as a dream-come-true for its co-founder and manager, Huong Nguyen. The NGO was established with her lawyer-husband, Phan Vu Anh, to train and employ blind and vision-impaired individuals as massage therapists in Hanoi, Vietnam. Through research and intuition, Huong single-mindedly employed the business advice she acquired in the U.S. on […]
