Skilled Volunteers Help Empower Vietnam Nonprofits

Jacqueline Lee is an InTheField Traveler with GlobalGiving who is visiting our partners’ projects throughout Southeast Asia. Her “Postcard” from the visit in Vietnam:

Friday, March 31, I visited the center of all of LIN's impact work. After my arrival to Ho Chi Minh City, my first project site visit was LIN Center for Community Development. I was greeted immediately upon arrival by LIN founder, Dana, and her volunteer coordinator and office manager, Truc. 

Dana and Truc shared with me LIN's successes, current projects, goals, and challenges. There were 3 main projects we spoke about: (1)Matching skilled volunteers to local grassroot non-profits, (2) Capacity building for the organizations, (3) and philanthropy advising service for donors. LIN's programs are providing a service that did not exist and filling a gap that was needed to support and connect local non-profits. LIN's programs were also helpng create strategic thinking to the idea of giving and philanthropy that is newly developing in Vietnam.

As for long-term planning, LIN shared they just had a team come in to help create a new 5-year plan to reach their goal of becoming the resource center for non-profts and private sector on philanthropy. For measuring and evaluating, Truc explained LN's monthly evaluation provided to volunteers and non profits for feedback on LIN's work. They are also collecting impact stories to share volunteer experiences.

After, I toured the office and met the rest of the staff - head of capacity biliding, head of donor management, and the accountant. What I did not know was that their clean, welcoming and professional office space was provided by a local restaurant which reduced many costs. LIN Center for Community Development is meeting the needs of the community by providing a service that did not exist and creating a bridge to bring valuable resources to local non-profits doing impact work for the people and society of Vietnam.