About Us
Who We Are
SANSE was founded in 2016 by a group of high school students in Hanoi. We are a non-profit, student-led organization promoting long-term, sustainable development for the impoverished, ethnic minority community of Bản Liền commune in Lào Cai province.
The focus of our work is on improving access to education, investing in human capital in order to break the poverty cycle. However, investments do not yield returns overnight; thus, our approach to development is that of long-term partnership to the community that we aid. Our long-term goal is to expand our reach towards many other communities with circumstances similar to Ban Lien, helping to improve the quality of life for the underprivileged ethnic minorities across rural Vietnam.
Ban Lien
Ever since our founding in 2016, our charitable work has been for Ban Lien commune, a village in Bac Ha District, Lao Cai province. It is an isolated ethnic Tay village nestled in the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. The challenging geography and isolation from the economic center of Vietnam has caused communities such as Ban Lien to become underdeveloped, lacking access to the factors that allow them to escape the poverty cycle.
Mission & Vision
SANSE's mission is to promote sustainable growth of impoverished, geographically challenged, agriculturally-dependent regions in Vietnam; foster an understanding and connection between urban and rural communities, and promote the local educational systems in place as a tool to assist the sustainable growth of rural regions in Vietnam.
We envision a future where the underprivileged communities across Vietnam have built a robust educational infrastructure, lasting relationships with other communities, and a sustainable economic model - factors that would lead to their long-term development and prosperity.
The Road to school
We are fueled by the initiative of our high school student members; because of this, our core activities are guided by the things we understand best: education and youth. We believe that supporting education for the local children will help build a solid foundation for the future of Ban Lien.
Building Bridges
Our guiding ethos is “san se” - to share. We approach Ban Lien as friends of the community and a reliable partner for the locals, sharing our resources and perspectives while also learning from their own local perspective. This results in a strong partnership that fosters true development while preserving local traditions.
A Youthful Perspective
We are driven by the initiative of our high school student members. Because of this, our core activities are guided by the things closest to us: education and youth. We believe that supporting education for the local children will help build a solid foundation for the future of Ban Lien.