On June 19, 2024, the Singapore International Foundation (SIF), a non-profit organization connecting Singapore and global communities to enable collaboration and stimulate positive change, launched the Southeast Asia Partnership for Adaptation through Water (SEAPAW) project in cooperation with the World Economic Forum (WEF). The initiative is aimed at galvanizing collective action to tackle pressing challenges posed by climate change in Southeast Asia and represents a multi-stakeholder regional platform to address the critical challenges of climate change, with a focus on water-related issues.

“We look forward to working with stakeholders in Vietnam on climate adaptation, and we will provide updates on its developments following its launch,” Ms. Corinna Chan, Chief Executive Officer of SIF, told VnEconomy.

Long-term relationship

In addition to the SEAPAW initiative, the SIF will also continue to support programs and initiatives that are enabled by partners, volunteers, and international friends. Such specialist programs are designed to contribute to long-term sustainable development in Asia. Using a Train-the-Trainer approach, teams of Singapore International Volunteers undertake regular overseas missions to exchange knowledge and skills with their professional counterparts across the region. This builds capabilities and capacity at the individual and organizational levels, which helps introduce sustainable positive change in overseas communities.

The SIF has a long and close history of collaboration with Vietnam. Since 1994, it has brought together the citizens of both countries to work together on various initiatives in Vietnam with the aim of facilitating people-to-people engagements.

It has partnered with various institutions and individuals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to contribute to developments in the fields of healthcare, education, youth development, and culture.

In healthcare and education, SIF’s specialist programs drive contributions to positive and sustainable development in Asia. Through these programs, Singapore International Volunteers and Vietnamese counterparts share skills, knowledge, and expertise to effect positive change while fostering greater intercultural understanding.

For example, from 2010 to 2017, the SIF worked with the National College for Education in Hanoi in the field of Special Needs Education. This collaboration supported significant upgrades in skills and knowledge at the Faculty of Special Education in implementing early intervention and rehabilitation services for children with disabilities. It also saw the establishment of a special education resource center. Over 460 educators from Special Education (SPED) schools in Hanoi received training, enabling them to support thousands of Vietnamese children with special needs. Following the completion of the project, Singapore International Volunteers continued to work with the Ho Chi Minh City University of Education on Teaching and Learning for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (2019-present), further extending the impact of the project to strengthen capacity building.

In youth development, the ASEAN Youth Fellowship is an SIF leadership development program that aims to grow a network of young leaders across ASEAN’s 3P (public, private, and people) sectors. Since 2018, 17 emerging leaders from Vietnam have actively participated in the program and contributed to building a strong network of young ASEAN leaders. These young ASEAN leaders are encouraged to influence positive change in the region through the sharing of experiences, networking, and developing friendships.

Additionally, the Young Social Entrepreneurs (YSE) program has sought to equip and enable a network of change-makers to develop or grow social enterprises to strengthen their capacity to resolve social issues sustainably in respective countries. Over the years, the program has seen the active participation of social entrepreneurs operating in or from Vietnam. One notable achievement was the social enterprise Cricket One, led by Nam Dang and Bicky Nguyen in 2018. This winning team set out to ensure global food security by developing a sustainable ecosystem for rearing and sustaining crickets as an alternative source of protein.

The SIF also held the Journalist Visit Program (JVP) in June 2024 to provide opportunities for people across borders to work together and build greater mutual understanding and ties in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam.

“These collaborations have allowed participants in Vietnam and Singapore to deepen our mutual understanding of each other and form lasting friendships,” said Ms. Chan. “This is in line with the vision of the SIF to build a better world.”

She affirmed that the SIF remains open to working with more organizations in Vietnam in endeavors where it can meaningfully contribute through its expertise and volunteer contributions and where the organizations can provide access to support local communities.

Choosing Vietnam

In selecting countries in which to develop collaborations, the SIF works closely with agencies and ground communities to understand and match emerging needs with the expertise that volunteers are able to contribute, Ms. Chan explained.

In these cross-border collaborations, the Vietnam-Singapore Friendship Association (VSFA) has been a strong host partner. “We have worked together on previous projects dating back to 2017,” she said. “The level of trust both organizations share enables us to build an effective partnership in various projects.”

In 2022, the SIF team was honored to receive a Medal for Peace and Friendship among Nations from the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) in recognition of the SIF’s significant contributions to promoting cooperation between Singapore and Vietnam, including the deepening of ties and friendship at the people-to-people level.

She said the SIF’s mission is to lift up lives and create greater understanding between Singaporeans and global communities through shared ideas, skills, and experiences. “Many of SIF’s projects in Vietnam are ongoing and other new projects have the potential to provide opportunities for collaboration between Vietnam and Singapore,” she added. “Such collaborations not only support local communities but also provide opportunities for our people to foster mutual respect and deepen ties and trust.”

Through its engagements, SIF has been able to strengthen mutual understanding, ties, and trust between global communities at the people-to-people level. “Our collaborations in Vietnam have demonstrated the value of international cooperation through reciprocity, and this has been beneficial to local communities in both Vietnam and Singapore,” she said. “The support and partnership will enable us to build a better world together. As ASEAN neighbors, we are encouraged by a sense of mutual respect and learning between both countries and look forward to more areas of collaboration.”