The film team, led by Andy Lauer, and several Sahaya volunteers traveled to Vietnam in April 2019 to record the footage.

The documentary is currently in post-production.

BREAKING NEWS: July 2022: Hollywood actor Paul Dano offered to narrate this documentary. Paul Dano is known from movies such as “Little Miss Sunshine” (2006), “There will be blood” (2007), “Cowboys and Aliens” (2011), “12 years a slave” (2013), “Love & Mercy” (2014), “The Batman” (2022), and is in the upcoming Steven Spielberg movie “The Fabelmans“.
We are extremely grateful and humbled for this very generous support.

Join the strong list of Reelaid and Sahaya supporters in supporting this movie about how we are transforming lives in Vietnam!

Sahaya International and ReelAid.org are collaborating once again, this time to produce Sahaya Going Beyond: Vietnam, a documentary chronicling the efforts of the Sahaya Vietnam program to build homes and support access to education in impoverished rural Vietnam.

To date, over 200 simple homes have been built in the Mekong Delta and 247  students have received scholarships from 1st grade on up, all the way to college. Join us in helping to make this documentary, and – by getting your donation matched – make a direct impact on a child or family in Vietnam.

A few years ago, Sahaya International and ReelAid first teamed up to produce the film Sahaya Going Beyond about the early days of Sahaya’s partnership with the people of rural India in their struggle for education, economic opportunity and healthcare, including treatment for children and adults suffering from HIV/AIDS. The film, narrated pro bono by Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons, spotlighted the inspiring transformation of a rural Indian community rising up to shatter the stigma and spread of AIDS, build schools and micro-businesses, and live with greater health, dignity and hope. To view this short documentary online for free, go to www.sahayagoingbeyond.org

The film Sahaya Going Beyond, with its focus on India, took Sahaya International to the next level by widening our ripple effect of “making a difference”. It has proven successful by increasing Sahaya’s visibility and furthering Sahaya’s programs of healthcare, education and socio-economic development in India. Our goal is to do likewise for another powerful wing of our organization:  Sahaya Vietnam.

The Sahaya Vietnam documentary, “Sahaya Vietnam, the Journey Home“, will feature the inspiring journey of people who triumph over despair: families moving from makeshift shelters to a sturdy home and more dignified life; children gaining access to schools, and then thriving; and communities previously isolated, now building much-needed bridges to safely cross rivers. Indeed, the film reveals what we can achieve – supporters, donors and communities across the world – when we join together to overcome obstacles and build a better future.

ReelAid founder/filmmaker Andy Lauer is helming the film. For 12 years ReelAid has made professional videos for nonprofit organizations. ReelAid’s work has covered HIV/AIDS, deaf youth, and women’s health rights among other topics, and has included the talents, pro bono, of Brad Pitt, Adrien Brody, Sidney Poitier and director Peter Berg. Our Sahaya Vietnam documentary will also feature top-notch talent for narration.

Although ReelAid extends many services and equipment for free or at low-cost, making a quality documentary entails many expenses. The budget for the Sahaya Vietnam film is approximately $25,450 plus airfare for three (the film crew); click here for details). To cover these costs, Sahaya is seeking sponsorship from individuals and corporations.
We invite you to join in producing the film and sharing in the heart-filled journey of how people from communities across the globe can work together to create a more dignified life for all.

Andy Lauer and his film team traveled to Vietnam in April 2019 to record the footage. The documentary is currently in post-production. Your support will help to make the final product as good and inspiring as possible. We thank you in advance for any support you can provide.

Sponsorship options are listed below; contributions are tax-deductible (our tax ID is 68-0434770).

Your donation has a double impact as an anonymous donor will match the first $20,000 in contributions with funds for  homes and student scholarships in these programs in Vietnam.

Click here to download the sponsorship form  to mail with your check; or if you donate online via our donation page, you can also e-mail us the information on how you like to be acknowledged at koen@sahaya.org.

If you like to donate with your credit card, go to our donation page here. To assure your contribution goes towards the movie project, enter in the notes field “Vietnam movie”.

Thank you in advance for your support.
Sincerely,

Koen Van Rompay (Founder; Secretary)
Chung Truong, Board member and Sahaya Vietnam coordinator
Ramin Yazdani (President)

Some of the pictures taken on our trip in April 2019 (click on the pictures to see a larger version)