The starting points of Gives Starters - when simple things bring about big impacts.

“The more successful, the more we need to contribute to society” - From the early days, KMS has been committed to creating a positive impact on our community and inspiring KMSers to do the same. As KMSers' volunteer hours are reaching the incredible milestone of 20,500 volunteer hours, let's get to know our 5 Gives Starters! Read their stories, all unique yet united by a common goal: spreading positivity.

KMS Gives for Starter is a program that encourages KMSers to initiate their own community projects. KMSers can actively propose any causes to support in the community, which will then be backed by KMS Gives to execute the projects successfully. 

Lam Tran - “I’m happy when I see others happy.” 

Inspired by Quang Linh Vlogs - a renowned YouTuber with heartwarming videos documenting his philanthropic journey in remote areas, I aspire to spread positivity, contribute to the community, and bring laughter and joy to others. I’m happy when I see others happy, and I hope that everyone will join me in spreading happiness to those around us.

During my badminton sessions, I often noticed people using and discarding a significant number of plastic bottles. This prompted me to initiate a plastic bottle collection movement called “Not Just Plastics” to encourage people to practice waste sorting and recycling. The bottles collected for “Not Just Plastics” will be recycled and converted to sustainable floorings as well as warm socks for the underprivileged children. When I first started collecting plastic bottles from my colleagues, I had to manually squeeze and wash each bottle individually. As I approached my 100th bottle, other KMSers, perhaps noticing my dedication, jumped in to assist me, much to my surprise. Reflecting on that moment, I believe I might have ignited a spark of inspiration in them to join me in this journey. I'm not entirely certain, but one thing is for sure: the nickname “Lâm Ve Chai” (Lâm the Bottle Collector) will stick with me for a long time!

Giang Nguyen - “I believe that small actions can bring big impacts!”

From a young age, I was one of the most enthusiastic Kế Hoạch Nhỏ project “warrior” in my class. When I was a little older, my family and I often went to remote areas and hospitals to donate to those in need. During these trips, I had a chance to broaden my knowledge and gained a deeper understanding of life, learning to be more empathetic and compassionate.

When I visited Ha Giang and saw the lack of warm clothes for the underprivileged children, imagining them shivering in the cold, I was eager to do something to help. So, when I received the invitation, “Do you want to be a Gives Starter, JoJo?”, I immediately nodded. “Protecting the environment + caring for children” was a perfect combination for me! With the Bottle2Sock project, I collected loads of plastic bottles in exchange for warm socks, and among them were quite a few plastic bottles through the collaboration with Trail Nhặt - an annual forest cleaning project by Gives. When I saw fellow Givers “rolling up their sleeves'” and enthusiastically participating in cleaning and contributing, I felt happy because I enjoy the feeling of working together to achieve goals and spread positive energy. 

I believe that small actions can bring a big impact! I'm also actively growing my hair to donate to the Vietnam Breast Cancer Network soon!

Thiet Huynh - “Moreover, through my volunteer experiences, I have also been inspired by the way of thinking, resilience, and determination of the ones in need.”

Growing up in challenging circumstances, I have a strong sense of empathy for those facing similar struggles. After receiving a full scholarship and graduating from PNV (Passerelles Numériques Vietnam), I felt a drive to give back to my community. I realized that if I couldn't provide material support, I could offer emotional support, and this was the reason for my journey into giving back.

Through Gives, I had the chance to become a Starter for PNV Mentorship, where I bridge the gap between PNV and KMSers to assist students facing academic and life skills challenges. I aim to be a mentor along the students’ side, providing inspiration and motivation, just as others had done for me in the past.

I don't view giving back as giving opportunities; rather, I believe that the ones in need are giving back to me – giving me the opportunity to learn and contribute to their growth. Moreover, through my volunteer experiences, I have also been inspired by the way of thinking, resilience, and determination of the ones in need.

Vy Le - “If you give with the expectation of receiving something in return, it becomes a transaction.”

My desire to give stems from my family, especially my mother. Without being told, my family is always ready to help others in need. I want to follow my family's footsteps by giving without expecting anything in return. If you give with the expectation of receiving something in return, it becomes a transaction.

Throughout the projects I have been involved in, I have always been impressed by how short trips can inspire children and students so much. During a trip to Hue last year, when I was able to hand over gifts and listen to the stories of the students, some of them opened up and shared a lot about their lives with us, which touched me deeply. It turned out that my occasional complaints were nothing compared to the hardships they were facing.

Through these trips, I also learned more about the interesting aspects of my colleagues around me. I was also inspired by their perspectives and approaches to giving.

Huy Luong - “I joined Gives with the hope of spreading the small joy of doing something meaningful for young people, families in need, and especially my children.”

My family and I have received help when we were in need, so I also want to support and help those in similar situations. In my student days, I started by donating blood, but because of my high blood pressure... I couldn't donate blood. Then I tried again with the first blood donation program at KMS Da Nang, this time the doctor also said I had high blood pressure, but I was determined to donate anyway.

I joined Gives with the hope of spreading the small joy of doing something meaningful for young people, families, and especially my children. I always aim to participate in programs that bring sustainable values. There are certainly some difficulties in balancing my current job and participating in volunteer projects, but for me it's the joy of being at KMS.

My colleagues and I have joined hands in recent Gives projects, and we also hope to spread this spirit to many more KMSers. I hope that more and more meaningful programs will be implemented to spread help to more people.

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Here, at KMS, we believe everyone has an unrevealed side or unexplored depth.

And Humans of KMS is the project dedicated to letting their untold stories be told.

Read, be inspired & feel the culture of KMS!