Disadvantaged students feel the love of charity endeavour

Mark Reeves - Golf course development director, BRG Group

I am so happy to contribute to this event and see the students get our support.

Of course, all of these sponsors are contributing to the tournament, raising funds, and sending it to students, who need a lot of help.

It is great that we all join together to do good things, and I am happy to see leaders of major companies in the country gathering for the event.

For this meaningful fund, BRG Group will commit to giving sponsorship every year.

Vietnam is one of the most attractive places to come and play golf. Numerous world-class hotels and golf courses are already available here. I am sure that Vietnam is already considered probably the number one golf tourism destination now in Southeast Asia.

Le Khac Hiep - Vice chairman, Vingroup

We are honoured and proud to have accompanied Swing for the Kids from its first days with an unchanged donation level of VND500 million ($21,000) and still consistently commit to going with the event for a long time.

I believe that when organising such an annual tournament, the only purpose is to raise as much money as possible to hand over to impoverished students. The Swing for the Kids golf tournament and schoolarship fund share the same ideas as our Thien Tam Fund, which we give directly to students in remote, mountainous areas.

We also express solidarity with the tournament as the organising board’s devotion and transparency.

Normally, the organising board of other charity funds often deduct approximately 10 per cent of the donation as the managing fee, for example as travelling fees for scholarship award trips. However, as this situation does not occur here, VIR can donate even more money to the fund.

Thus, Vingroup, golfers, and sponsors can all be assured that their kind-hearted contributions will arrive at the destinations that need them.

Pham Minh Thu - General manager Pegasus International College Vietnam

This is the 10th year that we have been a gold sponsor for this event, as well as providing assistance to students related to training in the hotel and restaurant industry, as a foundation for them to start working after graduation.

Besides offering funds, we help train skills and give advice to students in terms of jobs in the future. This summer, we have already organised 10 such training courses.

Thanks to VIR, we can easily approach more students that need help, and give them a hand to easily start a job. We are proud to collaborate with VIR to give students both financial support and working skills and knowledge, so they can find job opportunities easily. We will also work with various partners to open up more opportunities for students.

Despite difficulties in the economy and business, we still pledge to maintain our contribution and scholarships, and want to deliver even more to students.

Tran Kim Nga - Chief executive Vietnam Beverage

Over past years, we have heard about the impact that the VIR Swing for the Kids tournament has had on poor but excellent students in the country, while also helping to upgrade numerous training and education facilities in cities and provinces nationwide. For these reasons, we highly appreciate this event.

I had an opportunity to take part in charity scholarship award trips to mountainous and remote areas, and we felt that this is a truly philanthropic activity, and neither the organisers nor the sponsors care about benefits or reputation.

Along with thoughtful organisation, we highly appreciate the organising board’s effort to study carefully the difficult situations in remote areas. The transparency in the usage of charity money makes us fully feel secure that the sponsors’ total donations are used for the right purpose.

In sponsoring the golf tournament, we do not have any special expectations. We only wish to contribute to enlarging the charity arm to help disadvantaged children achieve their dreams of studying further.

Dang Thi Ngoc Han - Ao dai designer, Miss Vietnam 2010

I just joined the tournament for a few years ago but I can see its support for students who are in difficulties or in far-reaching areas. I have taken part in many charity activities and tournaments, but Swing for the Kids is one of the most meaningful.

I cannot provide support as much as large corporations, but I will contribute as much as possible. This year, in order to promote the traditional ao dai dress of Vietnam, I will present dresses made by myself to golfers that win in all categories. We can offer traditional attire for men and women, or for businesspeople to give to their loved ones. I hope that the traditional dress will become more popular in every business activity as a result.

Moreover, I will provide pure water to the event in October, a product of my company. I vow to accompany Swing for the Kids for the long term.

Chao Lo May - Student, Academy of Policy and Development

This is the second time I have received a scholarship from VIR. Last year, I sent half of the amount to my parents, and the remainder was spent on my living expenses. This time, I will spend it on an English course because I need a foreign language certificate before graduation.

My family is poor but my parents have tried to pay some of the tuition, and I have done part-time jobs in supermarkets and shops, washing dishes at restaurants, or being a baristas.

I usually spend very frugally, and about $100 only per month is enough for all food and my living expenses. During my 12 years in school, I received a lot of certificates of merit for good academic achievements, but Swing for the Kids is the very first fund to give me financial support, which has impressed me a lot. I will continue to work hard to become a good and useful person in society.

Pham Van Tung - Student University of Transport and Communications

It is the first time I have been awarded with a scholarship and I am so grateful to be supported with such a large amount of money. I can now pay for part of my tuition and living expenses.

It is meaningful support for me because I was born into a very poor family. My father is often weak and he lost his ability to work because of epilepsy. The family depends mainly on my elderly mother.

The family circumstance is the motivation that forced students like me to make a double or even triple effort to get a good academic result. I always remind myself that studying well is the only way to escape poverty.

Getting this scholarship is the result of my efforts to study hard since I arrived at university. I will try my best to continue this path over the upcoming years.