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Jess Warren investigates the growth of philanthropic work in Ho Chi Minh City, tracking down the people working hard to better the lives of others. Additional reporting by Chloe Owen. Photos by Angeli Castillo.
16 AsiaLIFE HCMC
any of us want to do good. Whether that’s doing something to make someone’s day a little easier, or dropping some change into a charity collector’s pot. But for some of us, this isn’t enough. There’s a growing number of people within the expat and local communities who are collaborating to sow the seeds of philanthropy across the country. As a result, altruism is flourishing in new ways within and beyond Ho Chi Minh City. Canadian-born Ben Mawdsley embodies this desire to do more and help improve people’s lives. Starting small, he encouraged the students who attended his free Sunday English class to find solutions to issues within their hometowns. For Ben, the desire to help comes from a moral responsibility. He pointed out that “we’ve been born in comfortable conditions; we have a responsibility to those that are less well off, and [Vietnam] is a place where you can make a real difference”. As a result he has created Audium, a community group of locals and expats who are working to better the lives of others within Vietnam. Nicknamed the ‘Audium Army’, the forum operates to network and support each other with their efforts to create positive change. Now running huge food drives to orphanages in the surrounding areas of Ho Chi Minh City, Audium collects donations of food and supplies, and delivers these much-needed goods to children who are in need. Currently, Ben’s approach comes from his desire to help others, and to see the difference he can personally create. Originally self-funded, but now supported by sponsors, Ben’s honest and unwavering attitude to wanting to help those in need is exemplified in his charity work. Audium’s next step is to take their charitable desire and work towards creating sustainable, long-term change. Focusing on the skills that can be developed in these young people, Ben’s five-year plan involves opening a completely skills-based school. His plan is to equip those that attend with the hard and soft skills that will help them through life. Listing the facilities he wants to include, such as “a dojo, a kitchen, a garden, and classrooms”, Ben’s vision is to provide the skills for his students so they can venture off into the world. Whether that is gaining a job here in Vietnam, or going to
work or study abroad. Growing from simple charitable acts, to a long-term and sustained approach to philanthropy, Ben exemplifies how people’s desire to help others can grow into something bigger than they initially imagined.
Charity or Philanthropy?
Philanthropy is a word thrown about within the charitable and corporate worlds, and yet it has a variety of applications. Philanthropy is much more than a charitable act, and it goes further and is far more rewarding than reaching into your pocket and dishing out money. Instead, it is the altruistic efforts that individuals and organisations take to improve human welfare. Philanthropy is an ancient idea, dating back to Plato, the Greek philosopher who wrote in the mid-fourth century BCE. Plato’s will left his farm to his family, with instructions that the proceeds be used to fund the academy Plato founded, this was the beginnings of philanthropic work, as the money helped to keep the academy running. Yet philanthropy has now grown beyond simply a monetary donation. By donating your time, voice, reputation and effort, this can often provide greater help than any monetary value, as the impacts are longer-term and more sustainable, all for the benefit of social welfare. Where charity can often be seen as temporary monetary assistance, such as donating to the World Wildlife Fund, philanthropy has a more sustained approach, considering the needs of a community group or environmental project, and donating time and energy to the cause. For Ben, it is evident to see how he is transitioning Audium from simple acts of kindness, to a philanthropic institute that develops the skills of disadvantaged youth across the country.
Make a Small Difference
Ann Maasbol, a Danish expat based in Ho Chi Minh City has taken a similar approach to Ben, as her work with Make a Small Difference (MASD) focuses on children who have had an unfortunate start to life. “We decided to mainly work with one daycare shelter for children in the Mekong Delta by introduction of a friend, who has family in the area of Tra Vinh,” explained Ann.
