Viet was nine years old when ChildFund Vietnam started sponsorship in his small village in Bac Kan province in the country’s northeast.

He remembers his parents struggling to grow enough rice and fruit on their farm to provide for the family.

His village – Don Phong, home to more than 2,300 people – had limited access to healthcare services and few schools. The schools available lacked basic resources such as books and sporting equipment, and classrooms were overcrowded with students, hindering their ability to learn effectively. Teachers had little training and opportunity to develop their skills.

However, over the 12 years ChildFund Vietnam has operated its sponsorship program in Don Phong, life for Viet, his family and his village drastically changed.

Viet was sponsored by James, an Australian in Sydney, at the age of 11 and this ensured his parents were able to feed the family as well as keep him and his brother in school.

Between 2004 and 2017, ChildFund’s Australian sponsors helped build a health centre and schools in Don Phong, implemented sanitation facilities in homes, introduced child rights and protection activities, and helped families learn about financial management and modern agricultural techniques to improve their livelihoods.