On the morning of January 25th, students from F13 and F14 in Ho Chi Minh City, as part of the Pay It Forward program under the S.E.E.D training framework, came together to participate in a fundraising pitching session - a place where community project ideas were shared with seriousness, responsibility, and the familiar “Pay It Forward” spirit of VietSeeds.   

The session was honored by the presence of mentors: Mr. Tran Dang Khoa, Mr. Nguyen Duc Cong, and Ms. Le Hai Duong, along with alumnus Nguyen Tan Thanh, who took the time to listen, provide feedback, and pose valuable questions to the project groups.  

With the participation of groups LIGHTER, Be a Bee, Green Puzzle, SIS, ECOHOPE, SEEDUP and Donate a Book, the pitching session brought various colors and perspectives. Each project originated from its own concerns but shared a common goal: the desire to create positive impacts for the community. In their presentations, the groups introduced their project ideas, shared the stories behind their founding, the goals they aimed for, as well as clear and transparent plans for using the funds. Well-prepared presentations helped the students gain more confidence when calling for companionship and support from the mentors and alumni. 

Not only is this a fundraising pitching session, but it is also an opportunity for the Seeds to practice presentation thinking, persuasive ability, as well as learn how to face practical rebuttal questions. After each sharing session, the groups received detailed comments and feedback from the seniors, helping the projects to be viewed more comprehensively and gain additional direction for continuous improvement. 

VietSeeds would like to express gratitude to the accompanying seniors as well as all the students who have devoted much passion to their projects. Their proactiveness, sense of responsibility, and desire to contribute to the community are what make the Pay It Forward program meaningful. Hopefully, with the lessons learned from this pitching session, the projects will continue to be refined and ready for the next implementation steps, spreading the VietSeeds spirit to further communities.