Vietnam has undergone rapid development over the past decade, but it still lags behind many of its Southeast Asian neighbors. There are many ways that volunteers can get involved and make a real and profound difference, not least through helping with projects that care for mentally and physically disabled children.

The stigma linked to mental illness and physical deformity is a problem all over the world, but its repercussions are especially strong in Vietnam. There are relatively few programs in place to care for people suffering from development illnesses, such as cerebral palsy, autism, Down Syndrome, and Japanese encephalitis. These programs that are in place are too often under-supported.