Sunflower Mission, Vietnam

About Sunflower Mission

Mona Partner Since 2007

Founded in 2002, Sunflower Mission provides access to K-12 education to marginalized children living in the remote villages of Vietnam who would otherwise fall into lives of crime, abuse, and human trafficking. To date, Sunflower Mission has built 188 classrooms in rural areas and provided scholarship to support the education of more than 20,000 students. Access to a basic education opens the door for these children to have a dignified and productive future and to contribute to the transformation of their villages.

The sunflower, resilient and bright, always grows towards the sun and symbolizes strength, hope, and growth. Sunflower Mission hopes that with the proper educational nourishment, Vietnam and its students will also grow.

The Challenge

The children of rural Vietnam are immersed in the cycle of poverty and hopelessness and lack access to education. Without help, thousands of children fall into lives of crime, abuse, and human trafficking. On witnessing these conditions, the founders of Sunflower Mission felt they had to take substantial action. Sunflower Mission was formed for the sole purpose of providing opportunities for these children. By providing the means to a basic education, the doors are open for them to have a dignified and productive future.

The Solution: Sunflower Programs

Access to Education

Sunflower Mission efficiently builds new schools in the rural areas of Vietnam at a cost of about $8,500 per classroom. They also build and maintain relationships with in-country contractors who do the building, and with the teachers, administrators, and local community who carry on the school's educational activities. Because of Sunflower’s familiarity with the country and their hands-on involvement, they have ensured quality construction and completed every project they’ve started on time and within budget.

Scholarships

Sunflower Mission has funded over 20,000 scholarships for children in remote areas of Vietnam. To date, 525 of their scholarship students have graduated from college.

To ensure that K-12 scholarships are received and directly benefit the students in these remote localities, the Sunflower staff based in Vietnam travel to each school, often enduring incredible hardship to minimize expenses and maximize the dollars, to personally deliver the scholarships to the students.

New school opens in Kien Giang

In June 2024, Sunflower Mission's 20th Anniversary Workcamp volunteers put on the finishing touches and celebrated the completion of Long Thanh 2 School. The new school has 10-classrooms, a computer lab, library, playground, and restrooms, providing access to education for 310 students. See more photos below.

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2024 Work Camp group at Long Thanh 2 School, celebrating the 20th workcamp anniversary and Mona's 25th anniversary.

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2024 workcamp volunteers arriving at Long Thanh 2 school by boat.

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2024 workcamp volunteers arriving at Long Thanh 2 school.

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Ribbon cutting ceremony at opening of Long Thanh 2 school in Kien Giang, June 2024.

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Sunflower Mission founder Duy-Loan Le presents plaque at Long Thanh 2 school honoring Mona Foundation.

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2024 Workcamp volunteers painting classroom walls at Long Thanh 2 school (Kian Giang).

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Students and workcamp volunteer at Long Thanh 2 School (Kien Giang).

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Students at Long Thanh 2 School (Kien Giang).

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2024 Workcamp volunteers painting classroom walls at Long Thanh 2 school (Kian Giang).

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Students using new computers in STEAM classroom, Long Thanh 2 school, Kian Giang

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Volunteer painting the STEAM classroom, Long Thanh 2 school, Kian Giang

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Students and 2024 workcamp volunteers at Long Thanh 2 school in Kian Giang.

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Sunflower Work Camp volunteers at Long Thanh 2 school, June 2024.

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How we help

Mona has partnered with Sunflower Mission since 2007 and provides funds for scholarships and classroom construction. Since its founding in 2002, Sunflower Mission has build 188 classrooms and supported the education of more than 20,000 students in remote villages of Vietnam.

Sunflower Mission celebrated its 20th anniversary in October 2022. Watch highlights from their celebration below.

2023 Achievements

2,153 students are benefiting from either access to education or scholarships provided by Sunflower Mission
Health and Hygiene Initiative trained 35 teachers to assist in keeping students healthy so they can continue to attend school

2024 Needs - $110,000

Construction of a 10-classroom school with computer lab, library, playground, and restrooms in Kian Giang Province, serving 310 students with potential to grow to 490 students.

Support Sunflower's 2024 Needs

Updates

June 2024 - Sunflower Mission’s annual Work Camp is an opportunity for supporters to see, hear, and experience the foundation's work, first-hand. Every year, the work camp group travels together to Vietnam. Individuals have the opportunity to assist with light construction, student mentoring, completion ceremonies, and many other engaging activities. In addition to structured group time, leisure and group-building activities are scheduled.

This year, the Work Camp's 20th anniversary, volunteers put the finishing touches on the new Mona-funded Long Thanh 2 School in Kiag Giang province and celebrated its opening with the local community. The school has 10 classrooms, a library, computer lab, restrooms, and a playground. It will serve 310 students immediately with capacity to grow to 490 students with a future expansion.

Scholarship Recipients

The following is told by someone who reguarly visits the schools and the students we support in Vietnam:

"A scholarship recipient spoke words of gratitude and shared how Sunflower Mission has impacted him: confidence, knowledge, inspiration. He was so shy and scared but, over the years, he grew through the nurturing and love we provided in addition to funds. He entered into a public speaking contest in Singapore and won first prize. No Vietnamese has ever won this prize. He felt so much pride and gained so much confidence."

"A former scholarship recipient graduating in 2016 was employed by Intel. She was just named Intel employee of the year (among 17 out of 1000 employees)! She of course is now part of SM’s leadership team in Vietnam."

2021 Update

"We are also very proud to announce that in July we will be welcoming to the U.S. Kha Doan to study math in a 5 year PhD program at Auburn University starting this fall! Kha is one of our most prestigious Le So Memorial Scholarship of Excellence recipients who received a full scholarship to Auburn. It's an American dream to see a student from another country with a humble background come to America and have this life changing opportunity. He wouldn't have had this opportunity without the generosity from donors like Mona Foundation. Thank you for all you do to change lives." - Sunflower Mission Team