From the UN Stage to Vietnam’s Villages: A Legacy of Global Giving

Our board of directors and volunteers have carried the banner of compassion across the world — from charitable missions in Haiti, Tanzania, and Vietnam to addressing the world’s most pressing issues at the UN General Assembly. These profound global experiences fueled a singular vision to establish the Hong Lien Foundation, dedicated to directly uplifting the minority and most vulnerable populations of Vietnam. We bring a world of experience locally to serve. Be a part of our international volunteer programs 2026 in Vietnam.

African delegate at the U.N. General Assembly.
Ngoc Bich Le on a speaking panel at the U.N. Health Care Initiative.

United Nations general assembly — New York 2019

  • Ngoc Bich Le joined a meaningful discussion at the United Nations General Assembly with representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) and various Ministries of Health.

    The conversation centered on creating the right conditions to achieve Universal Health Coverage, ensuring that every person, no matter where they live, can access essential care.

    At the time, as President of Global Ultrasound, Philips, Bich shared how handheld ultrasound devices placed in the hands of midwives could transform maternal health in remote and underserved communities.

    This belief that innovation and compassion together can save lives continues to inspire the work of the Hong Lien Foundation today. From advancing healthcare access to empowering local providers, we carry forward the same commitment to equity, dignity, and hope for all.

Tanzanian children holding water jugs on their heads.

Health and Hope Foundation — Tanzania 2023

  • Chi Thong and Ngoc Bich joined a mission trip to Tanzania with the Health and Hope Foundation, where a small team of dedicated volunteers and medical professionals brought essential healthcare to a remote Maasai village. There, amidst the red earth and open skies, they witnessed the extraordinary impact a dozen compassionate hands could make—providing care, comfort, and hope to people who otherwise had no access to medical services. Read more

    Seeing firsthand how healthcare could restore hope and dignity ignited something deeper. That moment became the spark for a new vision. It led them to ask: Could this same model of care bring hope to communities in Vietnam?

    Inspired by Loree Bolin, Founder of the Health and Hope Foundation, she shared her wisdom and experience, guiding a journey of health and hope for all.


Atkins International Youth — Haiti 2012

  • Atkins International Youth Foundation (AIYF), founded by Joseph Atkins, has built school areas, provided a deep, safe water well for a community, and fed thousands of meals to Haitian children.

    According to the foundation’s website, The AIYF Baja Objectives are to provide quality education in Haiti that encompasses an approved curriculum. Educate pupils and parents with personal hygiene procedures and basic health care. Implement an agricultural program to help students and their families learn how to grow their own food.

    With gratitude to Donna Steiner and her affiliation with AIYF, Chi Thong was able to learn and experience firsthand the act of charity and the chance to help the people of Haiti. Now he brings the same hope to Vietnam.

Chi Thong with sugarcane farmers in Haiti
Haitian children looking at laptop demonstration.
mal-nourish Haitian child squatting on the dirt floor.
supporting a family in Haiti
a Haitian woman bending over to care for crop of corns.
3 Haitian children on a mule caring water.

Fueled by Compassion: A Pilot Program for Nutrition

Tri Le holding  in a rice field in Central Vietnam
Monastery in Hue, Vietnam.
  • Many elderly women in Vietnam who are widows or lack family support have found a home and community at Từ Hiếu monastery and other local ones.

    Previously, these women often subsisted on just one daily meal of rice and salty fermented tofu. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors like Tri Le, who funded our pilot food and education program in Huế, Vietnam, we are helping these women meet their daily nutritional requirements.

    We are committed to providing nourishment and dignity to those who need it most.

May 2025 | A Journey of Awakening

Read More →

elderly women being fed in hospital in Hue, Vietnam.
single mothers receiving donated money and aid in Vietnam.
outside of the monastery in Hue, Vietnam.
Vietnamese elderly women getting food aid and being thankful.
Hong Lien Foundation team giving aids to single mothers.
single mothers and elderly men receiving donated non-perishable food.