Our Programs

Founded in 2008 in the United States, The Vietnam Foundation (VNF) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization undertaking the mission of improving the lives of the Vietnamese people through education.

Introduction to Vietnam Open Educational Resources

The Vietnam Open Educational Resources (VOER) program is supported by The Vietnam Foundation. This program aims to create an educational resource repository of Vietnamese people and for Vietnamese people. VOER provides free, high-quality, and up-to-date learning materials for educational purposes.

VOER is an open educational resource with valuable content. Users can access small modules or sets of documents related to a particular subject. The credibility of each piece of content is ensured by the author, usually a lecturer or an expert in the field, and by the peer-review process.

With VOER, users can easily download PDF textbooks that can be read on computers without an internet connection or printed as physical books. Since no copyright fees are involved, the cost of printing books is low, making it affordable for most students. In addition, these resources are accessible for free and can be used for teaching, learning, and research purposes, benefiting the entire community.

VOER is an open educational resource that can be accessed by users worldwide, not just Vietnamese people. Aside from collaborating with universities worldwide to gather updated and high-quality materials for users in Vietnam, VOER also aims to promote Vietnamese history, literature, and culture to the global community. As a result, VOER has become a significant portal for students and teachers inside and outside of Vietnam, with over 80,000 daily visits to the website. The program has also received more than 22,000 knowledge modules contributed by over 10,000 authors.

Introduction to Khan Academy Vietnam

Khan Academy Vietnam (KAV) Program is a non-profit education initiative created through the strategic partnership between The Vietnam Foundation (VNF) and Khan Academy. Khan Academy is a globally renowned online learning platform that is utilized by over 145 million users in 190 countries and is accessible in 51 languages. Large philanthropic foundations, such as the Gates Foundation and Google, support the platform. With over 10,000 lectures, the Khan Academy platform offers high-quality learning content that covers a wide range of subjects, including Mathematics, Computing, Science, Soft Skills, SAT Preparation, and AP programs. The platform caters to the learning needs of students from kindergarten to college across various fields and levels of study.

The objective of Khan Academy Vietnam is to accompany Vietnamese students in their efforts to learn actively and effectively on the Khan Academy platform. This program aims to help students enhance their ability to self-study, develop critical thinking skills, and cultivate progressive qualities. Through the KAV Open School model, an online school used by schools in Vietnam to teach and supervise, and the KAV Open Class, an online class created on the Khan Academy platform by any individual or organization, students across the country can access and utilize Khan Academy’s free educational resources based on their individual needs and goals, whether they are students, teachers, or parents.

The application of Khan Academy in teaching at schools through the KAV Open School model of Khan Academy Vietnam aims to promote a dual objective:

Assisting schools in accomplishing their digital transformation tasks in teaching as per the 131/QD-TTg
Assisting the implementation of the 2018 General Education Program
Enhancing English language education, teaching subjects in English following the 2080/QD-TTg and fostering self-study skills among students during their school years.

By the end of 2022, The KAV Open School model has been introduced to numerous teachers and school principals in the Department of Education and Training of Me Linh District (Hanoi), Departments of Education and Training in Lao Cai, Vinh Phuc, Phu Yen, and Dong Nai provinces. Furthermore, over 30 elementary schools in Me Linh district (Hanoi) and approximately 300 elementary schools throughout Dong Nai province are gradually implementing the model.

For the users, KAV has organized free KAV Open Class models for students from grade 1 to grade 12. These programs, including the Khan Summer School, Khan Tinh Thong Open Class (for elementary and middle school students), and SAT Open Class (for grade 9 and high school students preparing for the SAT exam), have attracted thousands of participants.

All VNF and Khan Academy programs are free for schools, teachers, and students for a lifetime. With the commitment and extensive implementation of KAV program activities, VNF is seeking the support from individuals, organizations, and institutions to fulfill educational objectives and contribute sustainable values for the Vietnamese community.

Introduction to Programs for the Visually Impaired

VNF believes that education can be a powerful tool for improving people’s lives, regardless of their circumstances. With that firm trust, since the organization’s establishment, the founder of VNF, Mr. Pham Duc Trung Kien, has prioritized supporting people who are visually impaired or facing other challenges in their pursuit of education. Through scholarships, equipment sponsorships, and other initiatives, Mr. Pham Duc Trung Kien has accompanied VNF and other organizations to assist hundreds of students and visually impaired individuals in overcoming difficulties and succeeding in life. Currently, here are our three major programs being implemented annually:

1. Audiobook Library

1.1. Support and co-establish Audiobook Library

The Audiobook Library is a website that provides audiobooks for the visually impaired and elderly. VNF co-founded the Audiobook Library to help those with difficulty in reading can easily access knowledge through audiobooks. In addition, VNF has assisted with locations and six recording studios specializing in audiobook production to help the Library provide the best products for the visually impaired.

1.2. Laptop 360 Program

The Laptop 360 Program provides laptops as gifts to visually impaired people. Laptop 360 is a tool that transforms how the visually impaired experience the world, enabling them to easily access the internet and connect with others, learn, work, and positively impact globally. VNF recognizes the value of laptops for visually impaired students. Therefore, we aim to promote the Laptop 360 Program to reach even more underprivileged individuals to help improve their lives.

2. Sunflower Scholarship

2.1. Awarding scholarships to visually impaired students

The Sunflower Scholarship program offers scholarships to visually impaired students admitted to vocational colleges and universities in Ho Chi Minh City. The program started with only four students receiving scholarships but now supports around 40-65 students yearly. The students often come from disadvantaged backgrounds where blindness is an extra burden. Furthermore, many are second or third-generation victims of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. We derive great joy from seeing graduates of our program fulfilling the mission of VNF by performing meaningful actions throughout Vietnam. Many of these graduates have become teachers, leaders of non-governmental organizations, entrepreneurs, performing artists, and even local officials. In addition, since the organization’s establishment, we have helped hundreds of students attend university and graduate with Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees. These students are clear evidence of the transformative power of education in improving lives and perceptions.

2.2. Awarding laptops to visually impaired students with high academic achievements

The Vietnam Foundation awards over 20 laptops yearly to visually impaired students who have achieved high academic performance, providing them with valuable tools for their educational journey.

3. Sponsorship of the Anh Sen Scholarship Fund

VNF has supported and accompanied various scholarship funds, including the Anh Sen Scholarship Fund, which aims to assist visually impaired and disabled students from challenging backgrounds to achieve their goals. The fund has operated for over 20 years, motivating these students to rise in life.