ABOUT US
The Danang Project, Inc. is a 501(c)3 tax exempt international non-governmental organization whose mission is to provide direct aid to the poor and disabled in
Danang City and Quang Nam Province in Vietnam,
many of whom suffer as a direct result of the American use of Agent Orange and other dioxin-based defoliants during the US-Vietnam war.
For Information on OUR TEAM, click here
THE MISSION
Students from US colleges and universities act as the field agents for the Da Nang Project’s activities as they engage in their service learning and internships. Program participants regularly engage with and support the poorest of the poor and those still suffering from the fallout from Agent Orange in Vietnam. Cultural humility, compassion and empathy guide the critical service learning experiences. Service learning sites in Vietnam are based on trust, mutual respect and sustainability. In addition to “being with” others as friends and a shared human experience, students may also provide financial support for schooling children, distributing food and medical supplies, living assistance and sometimes donating a a pig or cow. Our friends in Vietnam determine what they think is best for them and the Da Nang Project works to help them achieve those goals. Many of our participants go on to serve as board members, volunteers, and fundraisers long after their time abroad.
THE EDUCATION
Long before setting foot in Vietnam the preparation for their service learning begins. Faculty led seminars requiring varied readings and documentaries on Vietnam as well as guided seminars on cultural humility, critical theory and the importance of self-reflection provide the scaffolding for the student service in Vietnam. Once in-country, the students are immersed in cultural exchanges, friendship building, academic seminars and intense service learning opportunities with families, orphanages, hospitals, special schools and other sites. Seminars are taught by experts in their field with experience in academia and government. Cultural exchanges are designed to foster learning, fun and authentic engagement that oftentimes leads to life-long friendships between American and Vietnamese students. Faculty led reflections with Vietnamese and American students provide an opportunity to process the multitude of experiences and emotions that service learning may elicit. Through taking risks and reflection, students engage in a process of personal transformation while supporting others in the shared experience.