Sydney (VNA) – The “Double the Love – 2025” fundraising campaign, jointly organised by the Vietnamese–Australian Scholars and Experts Association (VASEA) and the Australasia Social Impact Foundation (ASIF Foundation), has officially concluded with a total of 74,065.68 AUD (nearly 49,000 USD) raised to support communities affected by recent storms and floods in Vietnam.
The charity, registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), launched the campaign after Vietnam was struck by two severe typhoons, Bualoi and Matmo, in late September 2025, causing widespread damage across northern and central provinces.
Inspired by their love for the homeland, VASEA and ASIF adopted the message “From Heart to Heart” as the symbol of the campaign. For every dollar raised by VASEA from the community, ASIF Foundation matched it dollar-for-dollar AUD, doubling the impact and spreading kindness among Vietnamese in Australia and international friends.
Attending the ceremony were former Ambassador Goledzinowski, Senior Advisor to VASEA Nguyen Nhue Ha, Representative of the ASIF Foundation Executive Board, representatives of associations and groups involved in the fundraising campaign, the Vietnamese Students’ Association in New South Wales, and Vietnamese expatriates in Sydney.
All donations raised by ASIF and VASEA were transferred to the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front through the Consulate General of Vietnam in Australia and publicly reported to the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.
At the handover ceremony, Consul General Nguyen Thanh Tung emphasised that the campaign reflected the compassion and social responsibility of intellectuals, professionals, entrepreneurs, and other outstanding representatives of the Vietnamese community in Australia.
He noted that in difficult times, the Vietnamese spirit of mutual support and solidarity: "The intact leaves protect the torn ones", shines through, becoming a unifying force for the community and a shared source of national pride.
ASIF Foundation representative Nguyen Nhue Ha said that during the most challenging moments, ASIF deeply felt the strength of love and solidarity from the Vietnamese community in Australia and international friends.
She affirmed that the campaign demonstrated that kindness transcends borders, helping people in Vietnam restore their lives. Within a short time, the campaign raised 74,065.68 AUD, a remarkable result that showcases the community’s deep attachment and solidarity with their compatriots at home.
VASEA President Professor Nghiem Duc Long conveyed his sincere gratitude to the Vietnamese community in Australia for placing their trust in the “Double the Love” campaign.
He extended appreciation to the Australian Government, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and Australian diplomatic missions in Vietnam. He also thanked Andrew Goledzinowski, former Australian Ambassador to Vietnam (2022–2024 term), for his continued support of VASEA since its establishment in August 2023.
Long reaffirmed VASEA’s determination to complete ongoing community projects, such as the VietNEST initiative, and to launch new ones, particularly in scientific and technological cooperation, emission reduction, and climate resilience between Australia and Vietnam.
Talking with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents in Sydney, Goledzinowski said he was moved to see the Vietnamese community in Australia uniting to help people in their homeland. He said that the partnership between Australia and Vietnam continues to flourish, stressing that Australia stands ready to support Vietnam in times of natural disaster, reflecting the strong friendship between the two nations. He expressed confidence that through science, technology, and deeper cooperation, Australia and Vietnam will strengthen their resilience against future challenges.
Meanwhile, Associate Professor Dr Duong Thi Hong Lien, who is currently working at the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance at Curtin University, Vice President of VASEA, and Deputy Chair of the Gender Equality Committee at the United Nations Association of Australia (Western Australia Division) shared her delight at the enthusiastic response of the Vietnamese community in Perth, where she lives. Lien said the Vietnamese spirit of compassion and solidarity remains her greatest motivation for community service.
For her part, Hong Jackson, Chairwoman of the Vietnamese Women’s Association in Western Australia, affirmed that every Vietnamese person, no matter where they live, carries in their heart a love for their homeland. Learning that people in Vietnam were facing hardship, the Vietnamese community in Western Australia simply wished to share the loss and send a message of kindness and unity.
The fundraising event not only provided material support but also served as a symbol of solidarity, compassion, and the proactive spirit of the Vietnamese community living, studying, and working in Australia. Through such meaningful acts, overseas Vietnamese continue to highlight the image of a compassionate, resilient people who always look toward their beloved homeland./.
