There are moments on every COPI trip that stay with you. Small exchanges, quiet gratitude, or the way a child lights up when you call them by name.

This September, members of COPI’s U.S. board traveled to Vietnam to join our in-country manager, Nhuyen Phu, and the Vietnamese COPI team. Together, they spent time in classrooms and schoolyards, talking with students and meeting with teachers, local leaders, and past scholarship recipients.

The result? A deeper connection to the work you make possible.

Here’s a glimpse into what they experienced.

Smiling student and COPI board member Lori Trumbo making peace signs together inside a school in Vietnam.

September 10 – Vinh Long: Scholarships and Space to Grow

In Vinh Long, 36 students received their COPI scholarships—along with large packets filled with every notebook they’ll need for the school year. For many families, this kind of support means one less burden. One more reason to keep their kids in school.

The school also shared a hopeful request: funding for four new classrooms. As the student population grows, space is tight. These classrooms would give more children a place to learn without overcrowding—and a chance to dream bigger.

This trip also laid the groundwork for future efforts in the region. Just a few weeks later, COPI returned to Vinh Long to deliver 10,000 custom-designed notebooks to 500 students—each one printed with practical hygiene reminders to support health and learning throughout the school year.

September 12 – Phu Yen: Support That Goes the Distance

At three schools in Phu Yen, the COPI team helped distribute scholarships and bicycles. For kids who walk miles each day to school, that bicycle isn’t just a gift—it’s freedom. It’s a path to their future.

Some of the students here have received COPI support for over a decade. One 11th grader told the COPI team he’d been receiving help since grade school. He said it didn’t just cover expenses—it gave him a reason to keep going.

We also welcomed back Uyen, a former scholarship recipient and recent college graduate.

Young woman, Uyen, speaking at a podium during a COPI-supported school event in Vietnam.

She spoke to the younger students, encouraging them not to give up—no matter what. Her story is one of perseverance, and a beautiful reminder that this work comes full circle.

September 13 – Clean Water, Better Classrooms

That same week, the team visited several schools where new water filtration systems had recently been installed. Until now, most relied on wells with unpredictable quality. With clean, reliable drinking water, students can stay healthier and more focused. It’s a quiet change—but a powerful one.

Here’s a look at one of the freshly updated classrooms and the water filtration systems now serving students every day.

Refurbished Vietnamese classroom funded by COPI, featuring fresh blue walls, clean tile floors, ceiling fans, and a chalkboard with lesson notes.
Exterior view of a rural Vietnamese school with a shaded courtyard, volleyball net, and banner reading “A Role Model in Ethics and Creativity.”
Front of a two-story yellow school building in Vietnam, with a student standing on the porch and trees lining the background.
Stainless steel water filtration unit funded by COPI, installed in a Vietnamese school to provide clean, safe drinking water for students.

Later, the team toured a school where COPI funded interior updates to four classrooms. Fresh paint, new lighting, ceiling fans, and sturdy tiles—it wasn’t flashy, but the difference was obvious. The rooms felt brighter. More cared for. More ready to welcome young minds.

September 17 – A Clearer View for Hmong and Dao Women

In the northern mountain town of Sa Pa, the COPI team distributed reading glasses to Hmong and Dao women—many of them artisans who create intricate needlework by hand.

Lori Trumbo and a group of Red Dao and Hmong women in traditional clothing smile and examine donated reading glasses during a COPI visit in Sa Pa, Vietnam.
COPI team members distribute reading glasses to seated Red Dao women artisans inside the Sa Pa market; the women examine the glasses with curiosity and smiles.
Lori Trumbo and a Vietnamese volunteer distribute reading glasses to a group of Hmong and Dao women gathered around them in an indoor market space in Sa Pa.
A COPI volunteer distributes reading glasses to women selling hand-embroidered textiles on the sidewalk in Sa Pa, with colorful fabrics laid out on display.

Some work upstairs in the local market, others sell on the street. All of them depend on strong vision to continue their craft.

Watching them try on the glasses and light up—it wasn’t just about seeing clearly.

It was about being seen.

September 18 – A New Beginning in Sa Pa

The final stop on the trip was a joyful one: the grand opening of a new kindergarten in Sa Pa, funded through COPI’s partnership with local leaders and community support. The four-classroom building stood bright and ready, full of potential.

The celebration brought together families, school staff, and local officials. For the children, it was a day of laughter and excitement. For us, it was a glimpse into the future—a future your generosity helped build.

Scenes from the joyful Sa Pa kindergarten opening celebration:

Young children seated outdoors on bright green chairs under colorful pennant banners during the grand opening of the COPI-funded kindergarten in Sa Pa, Vietnam.
Close-up of four young boys sitting in plastic chairs at the Sa Pa kindergarten event, with serious expressions as they wait for the ceremony to begin.
Children dressed in casual and traditional clothing sit with a teacher at the Sa Pa kindergarten opening, with mountains visible in the background.
Group of students seated in rows outdoors, facing forward during the opening ceremony of their new kindergarten in Sa Pa.
Vietnamese woman in a yellow áo dài speaks at a podium on stage during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for COPI’s newly constructed kindergarten in Sa Pa
Children chat and play while seated outside during the COPI-funded kindergarten grand opening, surrounded by trees, mountains, and colorful flags.

More Than Numbers

We could tell you how many scholarships were given, how many classrooms were upgraded, or how many pairs of glasses were handed out. But the real story is in the people.

Like Toan, a college graduate who came back just to say thank you.

Toan, a former COPI scholarship recipient and recent college graduate, speaks at a school ceremony in Vietnam, standing behind a podium overflowing with colorful flowers.

Or the student who said what helped most wasn’t the money—it was knowing someone believed in him.

A student and COPI scholarship recipient speaks at a podium decorated with flowers, sharing how the support helped him stay in school and keep going when it was difficult.

Or Uyen, (pictured above) who stood in front of a crowd of kids and said, “I’ve been where you are. And you can make it.”

This Is What Your Support Does

Because of you, students stay in school. Families feel less alone. Classrooms feel like safe places to grow.

And children in some of the most remote parts of Vietnam get the chance to learn, thrive, and pass it on.

If you’re inspired to keep this work going, even a small monthly gift—$10, $20, whatever feels right—goes a long way in providing scholarships, clean water, and safe classrooms for students across Vietnam.

Donate online through Paypal

Or mail a check to:
Children of Peace International
P.O. Box 900054
Sandy, UT 84093

This work is led more and more by COPI’s Vietnamese team on the ground—local leaders, educators, and former scholarship recipients now shaping the future for the next generation.