For VNG, a private tech company with 21 years of experience, community support has been a long-established commitment. Six years after its inception, VNG established the Dream Maker Foundation (DMF), and over the course of 15 years, the foundation has launched numerous charitable and community-focused initiatives. So far, it has contributed more than VND110 billion to community programs, aligning with VNG’s mission to “develop technology and people for a better life.”
Repairing homes for families in need
In April, the Dream Maker Foundation conducted a field survey in Vinh Binh Bac Commune, Vinh Thuan District, Kien Giang Province, in response to the prime minister’s appeal to eliminate makeshift housing nationwide.
Vinh Thuan remains one of the most housing-insecure areas in the Mekong Delta. Foundation representatives visited families recommended by local authorities, listened to their challenges, and witnessed firsthand the poor conditions—damaged tin roofs, leaning bamboo walls, and flooded dirt floors. These unsafe homes pose serious risks, especially during the rainy season.
After evaluating the cases, the foundation and local officials selected ten of the most vulnerable families to receive support. These new homes offer not just a safe place to live but also renewed hope for a better future.
Supporting education
Beyond housing, the foundation also focuses on improving education for students in remote and mountainous areas. In April, it completed a clean water project at Sa Tong Semi-boarding Primary School No. 2 in Muong Cha District, Dien Bien Province—one of the most disadvantaged communes in the region. Previously, water shortages, especially during the dry season, made daily life and hygiene extremely difficult for students and teachers.
To address this, the foundation funded a new well, upgraded a 20-cubic-meter water tank, and installed over 320 meters of piping and wiring. The project cost nearly VND67 million.
Earlier in February, the foundation teamed up with the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund to hand over new classrooms, restrooms, furniture, and teaching tools to Sa Tong Kindergarten No. 2, also in Muong Cha. It contributed more than VND280 million to learning materials and furniture. The school also received three classrooms, one staff room, and sanitation facilities worth over VND700 million.
In 2024, the foundation continued working with trusted partners. In cooperation with the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund, it awarded over 170 scholarships to underprivileged students in the island districts of Tien Giang and Ben Tre. To help lower infant mortality rates, it also provided VND2.3 billion to support specialized pediatric training for doctors.
With support from the UpRace 2023 project, the foundation and the Vietnam Association for the Support of People with Disabilities and Orphans awarded nearly 1,100 scholarships to disadvantaged students with disabilities or without parents. They also supported sustainable livelihoods for nearly 90 people with disabilities from poor or near-poor households.
Digital tools for mass mobilization
VNG also promotes charitable engagement through its own digital products. For example, ZaloPay—while primarily a cashless payment platform—includes a built-in donation feature, making it easy for users to contribute to social causes.
In 2024, the ZaloPay donation platform facilitated over 125,000 contributions, raising VND5.2 billion for various charity projects. One standout campaign, “Support for People Affected by Typhoon Yagi,” was organized with Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper and raised over VND2 billion in just three days from more than 25,000 donations.
In December, ZaloPay partnered with the HCMC Labor Federation, Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper, and the Khuyet Trang Foundation to launch the “Helping Each Other Return Home” initiative. This program raised more than VND600 million through ZaloPay’s donation portal before mid-January 2025. The funds supported travel costs for over 400 low-income workers and 100 elderly, pregnant women, and children under the Khuyet Trang Foundation’s care to safely return to their hometowns for Lunar New Year.
VNG also leads UpRace, Vietnam’s most impactful community running event, launched in 2018. This unique project combines a digital platform with the running movement and charity efforts, offering a creative new model for public engagement.
Thanks to its tech-based structure, UpRace has overcome many traditional race limitations—such as geography, schedule, and organization costs—and grown into a large-scale social movement. Over the past six years, UpRace has become a valuable bridge connecting businesses and individuals to charitable causes.
Since its launch, UpRace has recorded over 632 million participations, logged 25 million kilometers run, and raised nearly VND32 billion for social impact partners.
