Pathways to prosperity

Saigon Children’s Charity CIO

Think Human Fund

Mission & History

Since our establishment in 1992, we have been committed to breaking down barriers that prevent children from accessing education—whether due to poverty, geography, lack of knowledge, or disability.

Saigon Children aims to remove educational barriers through four key programmes: the Child Development Scholarship Programme, School Building Programme, Getting Ready for Work Programme, and Special Needs Education Programme, creating a comprehensive network of support for children across Vietnam. By investing in education, we empower children and their families to break free from the cycle of poverty and create a brighter future for themselves and their communities.

To date, we have awarded over 47,000 scholarships, provided vocational training to more than 26,000 youth, constructed 624 classrooms, and supported approximately 10,000 children with disabilities, caregivers and teachers.

Country Information

Vietnam, a lower middle-income country with a poverty rate of just under 4% in 2023, has made strides in expanding access to education. This project will be based in Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s largest metropolitan area with approximately 9 million residents. In recent years, local authorities have introduced policies to support disadvantaged students, yet financial barriers remain a significant challenge.

Despite improvements in university rankings, Vietnam continues to have one of the lowest university admission rates in Southeast Asia. Students from low-income backgrounds are underrepresented in higher education, while those from wealthier families make up a disproportionate share of enrollments. At the same time, universities are increasingly reliant on tuition fees, shifting the financial burden onto students and their families. With government contributions declining, rising education costs risk widening the gap between privileged and disadvantaged students. Addressing these challenges is essential to ensuring that higher education remains accessible to all.

The Need

Our beneficiaries are young people living in poverty who struggle to afford higher education and opt to attend vocational colleges. However, significant challenges persist, particularly for final-year students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who face a high risk of graduating late. This issue arises from several factors, including missing compulsory graduation requirements, such as English and computer skill certifications, and the inability to pass classes or complete all required credits on time.

Many of these students, due to financial difficulties, are forced to take on multiple part-time jobs to support themselves and their families. This lack of financial means often leads them to enroll in fewer courses per semester, compelling them to work more hours while neglecting their studies. As a result, they are unable to graduate on time, which hinders their ability to secure full-time employment and leaves them trapped in low-paying part-time jobs.

The Project We Fund

Support for final-year students includes financial assistance covering tuition costs, ensuring they can prioritize their studies without financial burdens. Scholarships for these students offer more substantial aid due to the higher costs of advanced training. Additionally, urgent assistance for basic needs, free English classes with TOEIC certification, life skills workshops, and psycho-social counseling will be provided.

Students will also receive support in job searching through Saigon Children’s extensive network of employers looking for technically skilled individuals, along with ongoing monitoring to ensure job placements meet their needs for a livable wage and standard benefits.

The Result

We track the impact of our program through tangible results achieved by our students. This includes the number of students who receive both financial and non-financial support, as well as the number of students who successfully complete their vocational training courses.

Additionally, we monitor the outcomes for these students in the workforce, specifically looking at the number who obtain stable and suitable jobs, with a focus on securing income starting from $174 per month following their completion of vocational training. These metrics provide a clear picture of the program’s effectiveness in enhancing students’ educational and employment prospects.

2025 Midterm Report

Saigon Children’s Charity CIO highlights significant achievements in their report. The program directly supports 46 vocational training students and benefits 92 family members indirectly, emphasizing its community impact. Key accomplishments include conducting home visits for recruitment, organizing life skills training sessions on “Time Management Skills” and “Customer Service Skills,” hosting a TOEIC test preparation class, providing scholarships for tuition payments, and monitoring academic progress.

Testimonies

“My hometown is in Loc Ninh, a mountainous village. It is a poor rural area where many ethnic minorities live. My family’s main sources of income are raising cattle and growing pepper plants, but due to having only a small piece of land, just over 900 square meters, our monthly income is less than 3 million VND. Both of my parents are farmers, so it’s been very hard for them to support the education of all three of us siblings.

Ever since I was a child, I heard my parents say that their lives were filled with hardship because they didn’t have much education. That’s why I’ve always wanted to keep studying, hoping that education would help me escape poverty.

However, my path to school hasn’t been as smooth as it is for many others. After finishing grade 9, my father developed a serious heart condition due to a damaged heart valve and was no longer able to work. Around the same time, my mother was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and needed money for treatment. As a result, I had to stop going to school for several years to work and help support my family.

At the end of 2021, after the pandemic had subsided, I decided to move to Ho Chi Minh City to find a job and pursue my dream of returning to school. As a result, by October 2024, I had completed a vocational training program and continued on to a college-level program. Initially, I planned to study in the evenings and on weekends, using the remaining time to find a job that aligned with my field of study. I hoped to be able to both study and work to support myself and pay for my tuition. However, things were not as easy as I had imagined. Finding a job that matched my major, aligned with my strengths, and fit my class schedule was extremely difficult. Meanwhile, rent, daily living expenses, and especially tuition fees continued to weigh heavily on my shoulders. If I were late paying my tuition, my grades would be locked, and I would be forced to retake the course – something I feared most and desperately wanted to avoid.

Faced with this situation, I had to set aside my desire to work in the right field. I signed up to work as a ride-hailing driver to earn a flexible income that would fit around my study schedule. However, the income from this job was unstable. I tried to save every penny, but it still wasn’t enough to pay my tuition on time. The anxiety in me grew each day.

At that very moment, I received a notice from the school about a scholarship program for underprivileged students sponsored by Saigon Children’s Charity CIO (saigonchildren). I immediately applied and was fortunate to receive a scholarship worth more than 10 million VND. That amount might not be much to some people, but to me at that time, it was a true lifeline. Thanks to it, I was able to pay my tuition and continue my education with less of the burden weighing on me. In addition to financial support, saigonchildren also regularly organise soft skills classes and English test preparation courses. I took the TOEIC exam and achieved the score required by the school.

With all the love and companionship, saigonchildren offer students like us, they made me believe that there are always good things in life. The knowledge and skills I gained are truly valuable assets that help me and many others feel more confident as we enter today’s competitive and demanding job market.

In June 2025, I am extremely happy to have just found a part-time job in my field of study (working in electric vehicle engineering at VinFast).

I sincerely thank saigonchildren and the sponsor for supporting and accompanying me, as well as many other students in difficult circumstances. I promise not to give up on my dreams and will continue to study hard and improve myself so that in the future, I can support myself, help my family, and contribute to society.” -Nguyen Kim Long, 25 years old-

Tran Gia Lac Thuy, 20 years old Thuy’s family, a low-income household, faces significant financial challenges, with her father paralyzed from a stroke and her mother recovering from a leg injury, leaving her unable to work. Since enrolling at Ly Tu Trong College, Thuy resides with her elderly grandmother and works as a cashier to fund her education, while also sending money home for her parents’ needs. Despite her efforts, tuition fees remained a concern until saigonchildren provided a scholarship. Thuy expressed her gratitude, describing the scholarship as a vital source of hope and motivation, enabling her to continue her studies, enhance her skills, and confidently pursue her diploma.

Truong Yen Nhi, a 20-year-old student faced a challenging upbringing after her parents divorced when she was two. Raised by her grandmother in Tien Giang, she later moved to Binh Duong to live with her aunt while attending Ly Tu Trong College. Nhi commutes 40 kilometers daily using multiple buses, paying for fares and school supplies with her income from a part-time job at a wedding restaurant, while her aunt sells lottery tickets to make ends meet. Despite their efforts, financial strain left Nhi behind on tuition. Her outlook changed when saigonchildren offered tuition support and opportunities for TOEIC and life skills classes. Nhi expressed her gratitude, highlighting the scholarship as a beacon of hope for students like her striving to overcome hardship.