3.3.2. Health outreach programmes

Local communities

Patients in need of blood transfusions; the local community; students and staff who donated blood

On January 13, 2025, the UEH Student Association partnered with the Ho Chi Minh City Humanitarian Blood Donation Center to organize the 52nd Voluntary Blood Donation Festival, combining awareness-raising on the value of blood donation with mobilizing donors to supply blood for emergency care and treatment.

UEH students take part in the 52nd Voluntary Blood Donation Festival

169 blood donations, with 237 units of blood collected, helping replenish blood supplies for emergency care and patient treatment.

• VND 8,450,000 was contributed to the “Điểm sáng tương lai” (Bright Future) scholarship fund, combining blood donation with support for students in difficult circumstances.
• Throughout 2025, the UEH Youth Union and Student Association organized 06 voluntary blood donation drives, maintaining regular blood donation activities for the community.
• The activity helped raise awareness of voluntary blood donation and encouraged a spirit of sharing and community responsibility among UEH students, lecturers and staff.

Public evidence: UEH Portal, “52nd Voluntary Blood Donation Festival: ‘Giọt Hồng Tuổi Trẻ’ – Sharing Love”, January 16, 2025; UEH Portal, “UEH Youth Union and Student Association accompany learners on the journey to implement UEH’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals”, February 8, 2026.

Local communities

Patients in need of blood transfusions; students, learners, faculty and staff of UEH Mekong

On October 29, 2025, the UEH Mekong Youth Union and Trade Union organized the annual voluntary blood donation drive, handling registration and pre-donation health checks and supporting the blood collection process.

UEH Mekong students and staff donate blood

• More than 200 people donated blood, including students, learners, faculty and staff of UEH Mekong.
• The activity enabled the UEH Mekong community to contribute directly to community health through voluntary blood donation, helping address blood shortages in emergency care and treatment.
• In addition to this second drive, UEH Mekong organized another blood donation drive during Youth Month (March 2025), with around 250 Youth Union members registering and more than 100 units of blood collected.

Public evidence: UEH Mekong Portal, “UEH Mekong organizes its second voluntary blood donation drive of 2025”, November 4, 2025; UEH Mekong Portal, “UEH Mekong Youth Union and Student Association: 10 highlights of 2025 and key activities for 2026”, February 15, 2026.

Local communities; Disadvantaged people

Pupils, children and residents in the localities where the campaign took place

In July 2025, the UEH Youth Union and Student Association carried out activities to improve community living conditions: contributing a drinking water purifier to Chanh An A Primary School; building playgrounds from recycled materials; providing waste bins; and improving play spaces for children.

UEH volunteers build the water purifier and playgrounds for children during the 2025 Economics Student Volunteer Campaign

• The drinking-water purifier at Chanh An A Primary School was completed and handed over to the school for use during Phase 1 of the campaign (ending July 19, 2025), giving pupils daily access to safe drinking water. The campaign also built 5 playgrounds from recycled materials and provided waste bins, improving environmental sanitation and play spaces for children.
• These works were part of the response to the peak day “Volunteering Together to Build New Rural Areas”, among 13 key works in Vinh Long with a total budget of VND 827,000,000.
• By the end of Phase 1 (July 19, 2025), 272 volunteers had taken part in delivering the works in Vinh Long Province.
• The activities helped improve the learning and living environment of local pupils and children by upgrading facilities for drinking water, play and hygiene.

Public evidence: UEH Portal, “2025 Economics Student Volunteer Campaign: Simultaneous groundbreaking of works in response to the peak day ‘Volunteering Together to Build New Rural Areas’”, July 15, 2025; UEH Portal, “Closing ceremony of the 2025 Economics Student Volunteer Campaign – Vinh Long Province front”, July 21, 2025.

Disadvantaged people; Local communities

Families of people with meritorious services to the nation, disadvantaged pupils and children, street children, and children in shelters, open houses and SOS Children’s Village Go Vap

From December 6, 2024 to January 16, 2025, the UEH Youth Union and Student Association carried out the 17th Spring Volunteer Campaign in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Phuoc, Tien Giang and Ben Tre to support people in difficult circumstances during Tết. As part of the “Tết Gratitude – Spring Volunteering” programme from January 6 to 20, 2025, the UEH Mekong Youth Union and Student Association organized “Tết at the SOS Village” for 70 children living at the SOS Children’s Village, who are orphaned, abandoned or unable to live with their families. The programme combined recreational activities with disease prevention education and proper handwashing guidance; student volunteers shared personal hygiene knowledge directly, ran interactive activities and helped the children build everyday disease prevention habits.

UEH volunteers organize activities and present gifts to children and visit residents during the 17th Spring Volunteer Campaign 2025

• 32 volunteer teams with 531 volunteers took part.
• Presented 8,136 gifts to disadvantaged children, street children and children in shelters and open houses; 380 bánh tét (traditional sticky rice cakes); 136 gifts (VND 77.15 million) to families of people with meritorious services; and 240 scholarships (VND 137.2 million) to disadvantaged pupils.
• Total resources mobilized reached VND 1.14 billion.

Public evidence: UEH Youth, “Review of the 17th Spring Volunteer Campaign 2025 – The aspiration to contribute leads to practical actions”, January 27, 2025; UEH Portal, “UEH Youth Union and Student Association accompany learners on the journey to implement UEH’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals”, February 8, 2026.

Disadvantaged people

Households in difficult circumstances, children and other supported groups in the locality

As part of the “Tết Gratitude – Spring Volunteering” programme from January 6 to 20, 2025, the UEH Mekong Youth Union and Student Association organized “Tết at the SOS Village”, combining recreational activities with disease prevention education and proper handwashing guidance for 70 disadvantaged children. Student volunteers shared personal hygiene knowledge directly, ran interactive activities and helped the children build everyday disease prevention habits.

UEH Mekong students present gifts and support residents during the Tết Gratitude – Spring Volunteering 2025 programme

70 children at the SOS Village took part in community activities that included personal hygiene and disease prevention education. The programme helped raise awareness of hygiene and health among children in need of support.

• Supported the material and emotional well-being of disadvantaged groups in the locality through visits, essential supplies for older people and assistance for people in difficult circumstances.
• Mobilized more than VND 52,700,000 (37 Youth Union chapters took part in the “Piggy Bank” fundraiser) to carry out charitable activities, strengthening resources for supporting the local community.

Public evidence: UEH Mekong Portal, “UEH Mekong Youth Union and Student Association organize the Tết Gratitude – Spring Volunteering 2025 programme”, February 3, 2025.

Disadvantaged people

Children, older people and other residents cared for at the Vinh Long Provincial Social Work Center

In 2025, the International Business Club of UEH Mekong carried out a charity programme preparing meals and presenting gifts at the Vinh Long Provincial Social Work Center, supporting the daily life and well-being of groups in need of care.

Preparing and presenting meals in the Bếp Trẻ – Lửa Xanh programme

• More than 60 meals with gifts were prepared and presented to older people and children at the Vinh Long Provincial Social Work Center in 2025.
• The activity spread the spirit of volunteering and social responsibility among UEH Mekong students through preparing and delivering meals for the local community.

Public evidence: UEH Mekong Portal, “UEH Mekong Youth Union and Student Association: 10 highlights of 2025 and key activities for 2026”, February 15, 2026.

Disadvantaged people

Children in disadvantaged rural areas

In 2025, the UEH Health and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (HAPRI) implemented a Vietnam–Australia cooperation project funded by the Australian Alumni Grants Fund, aiming to improve nutrition for rural children and to link research evidence with policy dialogue on nutrition and food security. Activities included:

• Nutrition care practices in the first 1,000 days of life (pregnant women and children under 2).
• Guidance on preparing nutritious meals from safe, locally available farm produce.
• Skills in measuring and tracking growth charts and detecting early signs of malnutrition.

• 600–800 participants attended awareness sessions and in-depth training.
• 300–500 children per disadvantaged commune had health monitoring records set up according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards.
• In-depth counseling: around 150–200 children identified as underweight or stunted.
• Emergency nutrition support: 150 to more than 400 children with severe malnutrition at project sites.
• Indirect support through schools: improving the quality of school lunches for all pupils at schools with 300–1,000 children per school.

Public evidence: UEH Portal, “HAPRI – Connecting knowledge and practice for sustainable agriculture and food security”, January 30, 2026.

Local communities

The local community, running enthusiasts, and amateur and professional athletes from within and outside the province

On April 27, 2025, UEH (co-organizer and main sponsor) worked with the Vinh Long Provincial People’s Committee, the Vinh Long Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (lead organizer) and other provincial departments to organize the “Vinh Long Half Marathon 2025 – Journey of the Mekong Heart” as part of the 2025 Vinh Long Culture, Sports and Tourism Week. The race featured four categories – men’s and women’s 21 km half marathon, men’s 10 km and women’s 5 km – giving professional and amateur athletes the opportunity to run, exercise and spread an active lifestyle in the community.

Runners take part in the Vinh Long Half Marathon 2025

• More than 2,100 athletes from within and outside the province took part, giving the community access to a large-scale sporting event.
• The race promoted running, encouraged physical exercise and spread the message of healthy, positive living in the local community.

Public evidence: UEH Mekong Portal, “Closing of the ‘Vinh Long Half Marathon 2025 – Journey of the Mekong Heart’: An emotional finish filled with pride and love in the historic days of April”, April 27, 2025.

Disadvantaged people

Residents of provinces in Central Vietnam and the Central Highlands affected by floods

• In October 2025, the UEH Trade Union called on faculty and staff to donate to people in flood-affected areas. On November 25, 2025, a UEH delegation delivered the funds in person through the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees of Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong provinces and Nam Nha Trang Ward, helping residents recover from the damage and stabilize their lives.

UEH delivers funds to localities affected by the 2025 floods

• On December 5, 2025, the UEH Mekong Youth Union and Student Association partnered with Viettel Vinh Long to hold a film screening and fundraiser for flood-affected people.

The UEH Mekong Youth Union and Student Association raise donations for people affected by the floods

• UEH delivered a total of VND 850,000,000: VND 200 million each to Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong provinces, and VND 50 million to Nam Nha Trang Ward (Khanh Hoa).
• Faculty and staff contributed more than VND 500,000,000 through the UEH Trade Union (according to the Trade Union’s 2025 review).
• UEH Mekong raised VND 12,543,995 along with notebooks, school bags and clothing.

Public evidence: UEH Portal, “UEH delivers funds to Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong provinces to help localities recover from natural disasters”, November 26, 2025; UEH Trade Union website, “8 highlights of the UEH Trade Union in 2025”, February 3, 2026; UEH Mekong Portal, “UEH Mekong Youth Union and Student Association partner with Viettel Vinh Long to screen the film ‘Mưa đỏ’ and raise donations for flood-affected people in Central Vietnam and the Central Highlands”, December 9, 2025.

Local communities; Disadvantaged people

Upper secondary school students, children aged 10–18 and their parents, older people and people with disabilities in Ho Chi Minh City

• 322 upper secondary school students used the traffic safety learning platform.
• 381 child–parent pairs were surveyed and 88 walking routes were assessed; children rated walkability lower than their parents and lower than the objective assessment.
• The research proposed multifunctional sidewalks, universal design and policy recommendations on traffic safety education for the city government.

Public evidence: Le, H.N., Cuenen, A., Trinh, T.A. et al. (2025), “Investigating the predictors of adolescent learners’ continuance intention to engage with a gamified e-learning platform about traffic safety in Vietnam”, Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, Vol. 109, pp. 1229–1245; Le, T.H.A., Truong, Q.N., Trinh, T.A. et al. (2025), “Child-friendly walkability for well-being in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: an integrated approach from objective and subjective perspectives”, Cities & Health (Taylor & Francis), published online 2025; Pham, N.H., Le, P.T., Trinh, T.A. (2025), “An Exploratory Study on Barriers to Walking among Pedestrians in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Findings from Photo-Elicitation Focus Group Discussions”, Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol. 16, Article PP4149.

Disadvantaged people

Parents of children receiving treatment at Children’s Hospital 2

On October 26, 2025, Bee Volunteer, a volunteer project of students in the Western Sydney University Vietnam programme at the UEH.ISB School of Excellence, worked with the Phu Nhuan Ward charity kitchen to prepare and hand-deliver meals to parents of children receiving treatment at Children’s Hospital 2, providing meals and emotional support to families during their children’s treatment.

Students of the Western Sydney University Vietnam programme at the UEH.ISB School of Excellence during a volunteer activity in 2025

• Provided nutritional support and eased the daily burden on families with hospitalized children, spreading the spirit of sharing of UEH.ISB students to the community.

Public evidence: Western Sydney University Vietnam Fanpage, “BEE VOLUNTEER | CHARITY MEAL DISTRIBUTION | HAPPINESS BEGINS WITH SIMPLE THINGS”, November 10, 2025.

Local communities; Disadvantaged people

Children and pupils of My An A Primary School, Nhon Phu Commune; pupils in difficult circumstances

On the afternoon of October 1, 2025, at My An A Primary School, Nhon Phu Commune, Vinh Long Province, the UEH Mekong Youth Union and Student Association, together with the My An A Youth Union Executive Committee, organized the “Vui hội trăng rằm” programme for local children as part of Phase 2 of the 2025 Economics Student Volunteer Campaign, to support the children’s emotional well-being and bring them a joyful Mid-Autumn Festival. The programme featured folk games, an evening of performances by UEH Mekong students, Mid-Autumn gifts and scholarships.

Children receive Mid-Autumn gifts at the “Vui hội trăng rằm” programme 2025

• 35 UEH Mekong Youth Union members and student volunteers took part; more than 540 pupils of My An A Primary School attended.
• Presented 532 gifts (mooncakes and electronic lanterns) to 532 children and 10 scholarships to pupils in difficult circumstances, funded by UEH Mekong and donations from members of the staff Youth Union chapter.

Public evidence: UEH Mekong Portal, “UEH Mekong organizes the Vui hội trăng rằm programme 2025”, October 10, 2025.

Migrant communities; Disadvantaged people

Children of migrant families without household registration, children without birth certificates and other disadvantaged children

• Founded in 2022 by students of the Western Sydney University programme at UEH, with the participation of students from the UEH.ISB School of Excellence. In 2025 (Season 10), the project maintained two free classes in Ho Chi Minh City: the Hoa Hao class (166 Phan Anh Street, Phu Thanh Ward) with reading and writing sessions, and the Rach Ong class (Neighborhood 3 Cultural House, Alley 1041 Tran Xuan Soan Street, Tan Hung Ward) with group activities and life skills sessions.
• The programme targets disadvantaged children, including children of migrant families facing barriers related to household registration or birth certificates, providing a safe space for activities, supporting social connection, building self-confidence and improving emotional well-being.
• In addition to the classes, the volunteer team organizes fundraising activities, workshops and volunteer training to sustain the project.

“Nét Chữ Trao Em” volunteers with the children at the certificate ceremony, Season 10, 2025

• Maintained 02 free classes in 2025: the Hoa Hao class teaching reading and writing, and the Rach Ong class running group activities and life skills sessions that help the children grow in confidence.
• In 2025, the two classes held a total of 215 sessions with around 80–90 children taking part.

Public evidence: Life at Western Sydney Vietnam Fanpage, “Nét Chữ Trao Em Season 10 – Looking back on the 2025 journey with Nét Chữ Trao Em”, February 13, 2026.