Located on the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam is a country of lime-green rice paddies, soaring peaks in the north, and lush jungles in the south. It boarders China to the north and Laos and Cambodia to the west, with a snaking coastline and the South China Sea to the east.

In recent years, Vietnam's economy has grown rapidly and boosted the standard of living for many of its 80 million inhabitants. Motorbikes swarm through both Hanoi, the capital city, and the southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City. Street vendors sell their wares and serve up steaming bowls of Pho with fresh herbs.

However, extreme poverty and serious challenges persist. The economic growth has fueled a disparity of wealth between city and country residents, with 90% of Vietnam's poverty concentrated in rural areas. Few people living in the countryside have access to healthcare or medicine. Twenty-five percent of Vietnam's children are considered malnourished.

The Vietnamese respect education, and the country's literacy rate tops 90%. But by the time children reach age 10, roughly one-third have stopped attending school. Often, they are pulled from the classrooms to help support their relatives, either by working in the fields or by looking after younger siblings while their parents work.

Additionally, Vietnam is prone to natural disasters, like typhoons, floods and droughts. These disasters destroy farmland, homes, and community buildings, setting families back for years.

VRE addresses these issues. Thanks to your support, we take doctors to rural areas and teach preventive care. We build schools, and offer poor families rice stipends to keep their kids out of the fields, and in school. When disaster strikes, we provide rice, cooking oil and blankets to areas overlooked by other relief efforts. We're also embarking on self-sustaining projects.

Together, we can make a difference.

*Sources: Unicef, the World Bank, the United Nations

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