Hello, we’re Neil and Donna, both 72, from Australia.

For the past 10 years, we’ve spent much of our time living in Hoi An, Vietnam, a place and community we’ve come to deeply love. Over the years, we’ve grown close to many local families living in small rural villages — humble, hardworking people whose resilience, grace, and sense of community inspire us every day.

The Situation

Recently, Central Vietnam has been struck by three powerful typhoons in quick succession, bringing severe flooding and destruction.

While the main tourist areas recover quickly, it’s a very different story in the small farming villages along the Thu Bon River. When the upstream hydro dams release water during storms, these communities can be flooded with little warning — sometimes up to 3 metres deep.

For many villagers, their homes, food reserves, rice plots, and gardens have all been destroyed. With no crops and no income, even putting food on the table has become a daily struggle.

What We’re Doing

Through our small Christian church in Hoi An, we’ve been visiting affected villages to provide essential food and clean water relief to the most vulnerable — especially the elderly and families in deep hardship.

Each food pack includes:

• 10kg of rice

• Cooking oil

• Flour

• Noodles

• Other basic non-perishables

• Bottled drinking water

Each pack costs around 400,000 VND (A$23).

So far, using our own resources, we’ve been able to fund and distribute 600 packs.

Our Goal

The need is enormous and ongoing. We’re hoping to raise enough to provide another 1,000 packs — that’s A$23,000.

Every donation, big or small, will go directly to those in need.

There are no admin costs (other than GoFundMe fees).

All food is purchased locally, ensuring fair prices and supporting local suppliers.

How We Ensure Accountability

We have a simple and effective local system that ensures help only reaches genuine cases:

1. A request for aid comes from a local village, usually through a local pastor.

2. If funds are available, a trusted village representative identifies households truly in need and issues pickup tickets.

3. Based on these tickets, food is purchased and packed at a local pickup point.

4. Villagers present their tickets to collect their food packs.

This way, there’s no waste, no duplication, and full transparency.

A Personal Word

It’s humbling to stand face-to-face with people who have lost so much yet still show gratitude and dignity. Their motto could be:

“Persevere or perish — and they choose to persevere.”

Please help if you can.

Every dollar makes a real difference to a family that truly needs it.

With heartfelt thanks,

Neil & Donna

Hoi An, Vietnam