Victoria Bell, 23

Plymouth, England

Victoria Bell, or just Vikki has been looking for experience and to use the knowledge and skills within her field of interest. And when she moved to Hanoi, found East Meets West and the LIB campaign she decided to slow down for a little while and test her journalism ability in this voluntary work.

Vikki’s thoughtfulness, creativeness has been a great helping hand in building the LIB websites and articles. To her feeling compassionate with disabled people and able to help them is “such a rewarding way to learn about the country and its people”.

Stephanie Wang, 28

Los Angeles, USA

Stephanie Wang is a Chinese-American Graphic Designer who has been looking for life-changing experiences when travelling throughout Asia. She has been teaching English to people from young Tibetan monks to Vietnamese children, but she found herself most useful in designing for East Meets West Foundation as a volunteer for LIB campaign. She remarks “EMW helps me learn not only about Vietnam but also myself as a designer.” 

Vu Thu Thuy

21, Hanoi

Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.

One of the first volunteer of LIB campaign and probably the longest-working active contributor, Thuy knows almost anything about what a volunteer should do to help the campaign reach its goals. She has been cooperating with the project team in many fields, from targeting to managing database. Currently, Thuy is a 3^rd year student at the Diplomatic Academy. Thuy has shared to us one of the reasons that keeps her working as a volunteer with LIB: “I really like LIB and everything about it, as well as what I have been doing and the feeling that I am a part of the campaign.”

Chris Alan Hess

San Francisco, USA

Chris graduated from the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare and he has had various experience in NGOs and social work. Chris Hess worked as a volunteer for the Life is Beautiful Campaign in November and December, 2010 with editing and social networking. Additionally, he also volunteered with homeless disabled children in the Ba Vi shelter. Though short, the US volunteer felt that his trip to Vietnam was one of the most memorable ones: “My experience living in Hanoi has been extraordinary and unforgettable, and Vietnam has become one of my favorite countries in the world. Among the Vietnamese people, I found tremendous desire to connect, which I believe is helping our countries move forward as friends and partners”.

William Akridge

29, USA, Business Management from Georgia Institute of Technology and MA in Education from the UC Davis

William began his voluntary work with LIB as an editor. But his work also involves providing guidance to Vietnamese volunteers of how to collect information and writing PWDs’ profiles. His working style, which focuses on efficiency and the final result, is admired by many of his colleagues.  "To work in the service of others is the true reward." said Will.