how we address

poVerty In VIetnammendIng communItIes

one stItch at a tIme

About usThe Mending Communities Initiative was conceived from our desire and

need to provide a sustainable solution to poverty. Having fed and helped the poorest

of Vietnam’s communities for the past 10 years, the Friends of Hue Foundation has

learned that the most effective way for us to fight poverty is to empower impoverished

communities to become self-reliant through skill development and gaining access to the

world’s market.

Under this principle of empowerment and self-reliance,

we’ve partnered with Fashion for Freedom, a social enterprise,

to launch “Mending Communities One Stitch at a Time”

Initiative. We recognize that although poor and lacking in

many resources, the Vietnamese people do not lack talent

or skills. This Initiative will harness local skills in embroidery,

needlecraft, and other artisanship; furthermore, we will

connect village artisans to markets of the world by promoting

and selling their creations through an e-commerce platform.

The Friends of Hue Foundation’s “Mending Communities One

Stitch at a Time” Initiative is based on our belief that if you give a

man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach him how to stitch

you feed him for a lifetime. We will provide long-term, sustainable

solutions for the disadvantaged—not only in Hue, but eventually

throughout Vietnam—so that any-one wanting to be financially

self-reliant to supporting themselves and their families can do so

with dignity and pride.

our mission is to provide sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty and empower self-reliance for all poor communities in Vietnam.

Time. Talent. Treasure. With the help of a large network of

volunteers, interns and staff, the Friends of Hue

Foundation is committed to providing a sustainable

solution to alleviating poverty by empowering the

poor with the skills needed to succeed in the 21st

century. Together, we can alleviate poverty one stitch

at a time and heal communities throughout Vietnam!

Join Us!

FHF ARTISAN CENTER

MASTER ARTISAN

ARTISAN

ARTISAN’S FAMILY

COMMUNITY

In the last decade, over 40,000 people have been

impacted by our network of development programs

in health, education, and economic self-reliance.

Friends of hue Foundation The aim of the Friends of Hue Foundation is

to provide care and sustenance to orphaned

children in Central Vietnam in addition to long-

term assistance in economic

self-sufficiency, health care,

education, and

emergency

relief for victims

of natural disasters

in Thua Thien Hue

and nearby areas in Central Vietnam.

VisionMy dream is to make CARING fashionable. Former Corp. Finance/M&AGal now fashion designer of things beautiful; I came to this business almost accidentally after creating a small line for a fashion showfundraising event to assist a friend save a trade-school designated for the handicapped in Vietnam. We were able to salvage both schooland the creativity that once possessed me as an artist. I am firm on the basis that high fashion can be socially and ecologically responsible. Part of the reasons why I had forsaken a steady paycheck was a deep need to do more than the mere act of over-consumption. Instead of adhering to a corporate obligation to only the shareholders, now it’s my corporate policy torespond as stakeholders of human communities.

Thus, Fashion for Freedom was started based on this belief. This social enterprise will bring high-quality Vietnamese and other Asian fashion designs and accessories to custom-ers worldwide through a design-it-yourself, e-commerce business model. Fashion for Freedom will collaborate with the Friends of Hue Foundation by donating its technical and business skills along with a minimum of 20% profit towards Artisan Centers to promote Vietnamese culture, empower individuals, and provide a sustainable solution to reduce poverty throughout Vietnam.”

— Lanvy NguyenCo-founder and President

This initiative fights poverty by:

(1) Skills Development

(2) Sales Development

(3) Infrastructure Development

For:p the impoverished communities,

this is a chance for a renewed life.

p the customers, we bring socially responsible shopping to your finger-tips as well as a design application by which your Ao Dai is designed by You!!

p our Vietnamese communities, this is the first initiative that attempts to both preserve vietnamese heritage and impoverished people with one effort.

Our e-Commerce platform connects the buyer to the artisan. The funding created will raise capital to:

p Expand the school

p Make available micro-lending for those ready to strike on their own

p Create Match-Saving program to assist domestically abused mothers

Our Artisan Center teaches skilled locals to become

skilled craftsmen by employing master artisans to

elevate product quality and standards.

We ensure artisans’ products are properly developed,

promoted, and globally distributed so to assure the flow

of trade gets back to the doorsteps of our craftsmen.

our Initiative

de•MINE re•PLANT re•BUILD

a campaign to rebuild hope for Vietnam

PENNY CAMPAIGN

Friends of Hue Foundation in collaboration with Roots of Peace www.rootsofpeace.orgwww.friendsofhue.org

E-mail: info@friendsofhue.org Website: www.friendsofhue.org

Or our U.S. P.O. Box: Friends of Hue Foundation P.O. Box 1823 San Jose, CA 95109 (408) 623-0211 Vietnam Office: 45 Le Viet Luong Khu Quy Hoach Kiem Hue, Phuong Xuan Phu Thanh Pho Hue, Vietnam