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Nonprofit Overview
Causes: International, International Development, Philanthropy, Philanthropy, Charity & Voluntarism Promotion
Mission: Founded in 1987, The Vietnamese Heritage Institute (VHI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-governmental organization, devoted to bringing about sustainable changes at the community level that foster long term benefit to the people and the environment of Vietnam. VHI partners with individuals and other NGO based in Vietnam as well as in the U.S. to provide opportunities for the less fortunate in Vietnam to improve their quality of life.
Programs: VHI charters 4 programs aimed at poverty alleviation, improved educational level, and enhanced environmental awareness. 1/ Revolving credit loans in destitute remote regions. A loan of $100/ year helps the poor family stabilize its income and become self-reliant. The recipient learns a trade (basket weaving, rice paper making etc.), raises husbandry or does farming. Two hundreds families in the Mekong Delta and 112 in Cu Chi have benefited from this program. Currently, a pilot microcredit program has been set up in Quang Binh province to help 15 poor families become self sufficient. 2/ Scholarships to poor students to help them complete schooling. VHI has disbursed 425 scholarships in many regions. 3/ Build schools in impoverished areas. VHI has built 16 schools in the central and south provinces of Vietnam,serving about 2000 school children. 4/ Environmental Education via short television programs. VHI partners with independent TV producers to disseminate educational programs promoting family healthcare, labor safety, and to raise awareness about environmental protection. 5/ Provide annual grants for 3 Mastroes of "Ca Hue" (a traditionial singing and performing art of Hue in central Vietnam) to teach young orphans and street children to become professional artists in "Ca Hue". To date, 7 students are very promising stars. In the near future, VHI will start a complementary program to teach traditional musical instruments to more students as they have shown strong interest and abilities to learn and perform . These children are either orphans or street children who are gathered and lodged and cared for under one roof, The School for Professional Training for Orphans in Hue. The school is operated by the Hue local authority, and VHI collaborates with the schol to provide training in performing arts.