Awards and Recognition
We have had the privilege and honor of receiving positive feedback on our projects from the very beginning.
Below we share some highlights which have motivated us to work even harder.
On December 29, 2024, in Bac Ha district, Lao Cai province, SAO BIEN proudly stood among ten outstanding groups to receive the National Vounteer Award 2024 - one of the most prestigious prizes honoring exceptional contributions to the community.
The award ceremony was part of he 2024 National Volunteer Day, a meaningful event celebrating the success of the 9th National Congress of the Vietnam Youth Federation (2024-2029 term).
In March 2024, SAO BIEN and Vietnamese fashion company K&G Vietnam Investment Joint Stock Company, ARISTINO brand, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enter a strategic partnership dedicated to support children in need in Vietnam by promoting children's access to education and improving general conditions in schooling infrastructure .
In January 2024, Austria's Ambassador in Hanoi joined the opening ceremony at Pa Ca primary school in Song Ma district, Son La province, where SAO BIEN - with the generous support of Club 0.7% - built a kitchen and dining room for more than 400 children.
Also, a short report was published on the Austrian Embassy's Website.
In 2023, once again one of our projects was funded by the United Nations Women’s Guild (UNWG). This time, the UNWG supported the construction of a kindergarten in Nghe An province.
We were proud to be the only Austrian-based organization and the only project located Asia among the 9 project selected by the committee.
In 2022, Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) reports about the opening of New Wave Learning Center.
In 2023, regional papers Wiener Bezirksblatt (Meidling) and BezirksZeitung (Meidling) shared stories on SAO BIEN's activities in South East Asia.
Wiener Bezirksblatt (Meidling), see page 6
Bezirks Zeitung (Meiding), also here
In 2023, Austrian Ambassador Dr. Hans-Peter Glanzer joined the opening ceremony of SAO BIEN's project in Ha Giang and a short report was published on the Embassy's Website.
In 2022, more articles on SAO BIEN have been published in Austrian and Vietnamese newspapers.
GSI NEWS (Austria)
Quân đội nhân dân (People's Army, Vietnam)
At the occasion of Sao Bien’s fifth anniversary (2021), the organisation received heartwarming congratulations from Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien, Vietnamese Ambassador in Vienna.
In 2020, regional Laotian television channel Lunuag Prabang TV reported about the opening of Sao Bien’s school in Dok Lau, Laos.
Liz Mitchell, lead singer of legendary Boney M, praises Sao Bien (2019).
In 2019, once again one of our projects was funded by the United Nations Women’s Guild (UNWG). This time, the UNWG supported our project in Tuyen Quang province.
Given the high numbers of applications (around 1000) and the low numbers of selected projects (around 30), these donations represent highlights in Sao Bien’s short history.
In 2018, a regional channel of Vietnam Television (VTV) reported about the school opening in Thanh Hoa.
In 2018 one of our projects in Ha Giang province has been funded by the United Nations Women’s Guild (UNWG).
We highly appreciate that the Austrian Ambassador, Mr. Thomas Schuller-Götzburg, joined the opening ceremony.
Every year, TIME Magazine publishes a list of 'The 30 Most Influential Teens'. In 2017, Vienna high school student Rayouf Alhumedhi made it on the list after her successful initiative to introduce a new emoji with a headscarf. In this video statement, Rayouf emphasizes the importance of small organizations like Sao Bien to make the world a better place.
Sao Bien has been featured in several articles in Austrian and Vietnamese newspapers, among them an article in Austria’s most popular newspaper (Kronen Zeitung).
2018 Oi Vietnam
https://oivietnam.com/tag/sao-bien/
2017 Vietnam News
https://vietnamnews.vn/life-style/expat-corner/375703/starfish-inspires-school-charity.html
2017 Asia Life
https://www.asialifemagazine.com/vietnam/sao-bien-room-education/
In June 2017, SOS Saigon and partners organized a roof top party in Ho Chi Minh City in favour of SAO BIEN.
Around 300 guests had a fun night and contributed to the construction of a kindergarten in Yen Bai province.
In 2017, Sao Bien received the Audience Award of Europe’s oldest prize for Social Innovation (Sozialmarie).
We also received encouraging endorsement letters from Ambassadors from Austria, Vietnam and Laos and from Dr. Peter Jankowitsch, former Austrian Foreign Minister and President of the Austrian Vietnam Association.
