Sunflower Mission, Vietnam
About Sunflower Mission
Mona Partner Since 2007
Founded in 2002, Sunflower Mission is a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to education in rural Vietnam. The organization provides scholarships, builds and renovates schools, and cultivates leadership among both Vietnamese and Vietnamese-American youth.
To date, Sunflower Mission has built 63 schools comprising 194 classrooms, awarded over 27,000 scholarships, and supported the graduation of more than 800 college students across fields such as medicine, engineering, and education.
The sunflower, resilient and bright, symbolizes hope, strength, and growth. Sunflower Mission believes that, with the proper educational nourishment, children and communities across Vietnam will flourish in the same way.
The Challenge
Children in rural Vietnam often live in poverty and face limited access to quality education. Many walk long distances to unsafe or makeshift schools, and without support, they risk dropping out or entering cycles of hardship and exploitation.
Recognizing this urgent need, the founders of Sunflower Mission committed to creating sustainable, community-based educational opportunities that would empower children and transform lives.
The Solution: Sunflower Programs
Access to Education
Sunflower Mission identifies rural communities most in need and works hand in hand with local leaders to construct safe, well-equipped schools that meet long-term community needs. Each project is a true collaboration, the community typically contributes the land, utilities, and furniture, while Sunflower Mission provides the building and commits to future major repairs when needed.
These new facilities replace unsafe or makeshift classrooms and create a safe, dignified, and inspiring environment where children can learn for a full school day.
Scholarships
Sunflower Mission offers three core scholarship programs:
- DAO-LE Scholarship: Provides K–12 scholarships to children with significant financial need, covering school fees, meals, clothing, and supplies.
- Sponsor-A-Student (SAS) Scholarship: Connects donors with individual college students from low-income backgrounds, many of whom are former K–12 recipients.
- Le So Memorial Scholarship of Excellence (LSMSE): Provides full tuition annually to high-achieving college students in STEM, business, education, and medical fields, emphasizing both excellence and character.
New school opens in 2025
In June 2025, Sunflower Mission celebrated the completion of the Hung Loi 2 School in a rural mountain commune serving 300 children in grades K–5. The school replaced unsafe wooden classrooms with a bright, modern facility featuring a library, computer room, playground, and fully equipped restrooms.
How we help
Mona has partnered with Sunflower Mission since 2007, supporting both school construction and scholarship programs across rural Vietnam. Through this partnership, Mona has funded the construction of 10 schools, that now serve approximately 1,620 students annually. In addition, over 6,100 students have received Mona-funded scholarships.
Take a look into the lives of three Sunflower Mission scholarship alumni as they pursue PhDs in the U.S.
2024 Achievements
- 1,320 students educated
- Long Thanh 2 School constructed, serving
310 children through
10 classrooms, a library, computer lab, playground, and restrooms
2025 Plans - $80,000
- Construct 4 classrooms, a computer room, a library, bathrooms, and a playground at the Hung Loi 2 Primary School.
- The school will serve 315 ethnic minority students, 80% of whom live in poverty and many of whom struggle with literacy
- Construction will eliminate the current use of makeshift, unsafe classrooms
Stories
To learn more about our recent visit to Vietnam with Sunflower Mission and the impact of their work, read our recent blog post below!
June 2024 - Sunflower Mission’s annual Work Camp is an opportunity for supporters to see, hear, and experience the foundation's work, first-hand. Every year, the work camp group travels together to Vietnam. Individuals have the opportunity to assist with light construction, student mentoring, completion ceremonies, and many other engaging activities. In addition to structured group time, leisure and group-building activities are scheduled.
This year, the Work Camp's 20th anniversary, volunteers put the finishing touches on the new Mona-funded Long Thanh 2 School in Kiag Giang province and celebrated its opening with the local community. The school has 10 classrooms, a library, computer lab, restrooms, and a playground. It will serve 310 students immediately with capacity to grow to 490 students with a future expansion.
Scholarship Recipients
The following is told by someone who reguarly visits the schools and the students we support in Vietnam:
"A scholarship recipient spoke words of gratitude and shared how Sunflower Mission has impacted him: confidence, knowledge, inspiration. He was so shy and scared but, over the years, he grew through the nurturing and love we provided in addition to funds. He entered into a public speaking contest in Singapore and won first prize. No Vietnamese has ever won this prize. He felt so much pride and gained so much confidence."
"A former scholarship recipient graduating in 2016 was employed by Intel. She was just named Intel employee of the year (among 17 out of 1000 employees)! She of course is now part of SM’s leadership team in Vietnam."
2021 Update
"We are also very proud to announce that in July we will be welcoming to the U.S. Kha Doan to study math in a 5 year PhD program at Auburn University starting this fall! Kha is one of our most prestigious Le So Memorial Scholarship of Excellence recipients who received a full scholarship to Auburn. It's an American dream to see a student from another country with a humble background come to America and have this life changing opportunity. He wouldn't have had this opportunity without the generosity from donors like Mona Foundation. Thank you for all you do to change lives." - Sunflower Mission Team
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