In Vietnam, REI works alongside hospitals, universities, and community organizations to invest in leaders who shape their fields. By equipping professionals to share what they know with others, we help spark ripple effects of growth and development throughout the country. Our work centers on building people – whole people – who in turn build their nation.​
​Through both our resident team and visiting professionals, REI supports training in agriculture, business, education, medicine and social work. Since 1992, more than 600 professionals have traveled to Vietnam on over 1,400 trips, offering mentoring and partnership that strengthens communities for the long term.
My first trip to Hanoi, as part of a REI short-term team, was spring 2008. It was my first time in Vietnam. I remember well the smell, food, people, noise, and organized chaos of traffic. It was similar and yet very different from Cambodia and Thailand, where I had just been before stepping off the plane in Hanoi that spring.
Working Together to See Lasting Change
I often get this question: “In Vietnam, REI has been partnering with various medical and business partners for over 20 years. Do the short-term teams make an impact both professionally and personally, seeing lives transformed in Vietnam?” The answer is a resounding yes!
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We have combined both elements of professional development and relational, heartfelt connections with the Vietnamese, our staff and the volunteers for long-term growth and partnerships on both sides.
