World Vision Senior Leader awarded Friendship Medal from the President of Vietnam

Vietnam’s Government bestows the Friendship Medal upon Mr. Edward Danielraj Selvanayagam, Senior Operations Director of World Vision International, today for his significant contributions towards poverty alleviation in Vietnam through implementation of programmes and projects that aim to improve life quality of poor children and communities.

This event takes place on the occasion of his visit to Vietnam to introduce World Vision Vietnam’s newly appointed and first-ever Vietnamese National Director, Mrs. Tran Thu Huyen, to Government and NGO partners on behalf of World Vision International’s East Asia Region Leadership Team.
This is the first time ever a representative of World Vision International in Vietnam has received such honorable award.

Attending the ceremony are Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) Chairman, Mr. Vu Xuan Hong, and leaders and officials of the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee (PACCOM).


Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) Chairman, Mr. Vu Xuan Hong (right), gives the award to Mr. Edward Danielraj Selvanayagam (left).


This ceremony takes place on the occasion of Mr Selvanayagam's visit to Vietnam to introduce World Vision Vietnam’s newly appointed and first-ever Vietnamese National Director, Mrs. Tran Thu Huyen (third, left), to Government and NGO partners.

“I feel honoured, yet humbled,” shared Mr. Edward Danielraj Selvanayagam, “to receive this medal. I am thankful to the children and poor communities in Vietnam for giving me the opportunity to serve them and to World Vision staff for supporting me during the past years. I dedicate this award to the children in Vietnam. I strongly hope that the partnership among Vietnam’s Government and World Vision International, other international organizations and donors will grow ever more steadfast, so that we will be able to make more impacts on children’s lives. ”

In the position of National Director of World Vision International in Vietnam, Mr. Edward Danielraj Selvanayagam relentlessly exerted himself to expand humanitarian aid to Vietnam. Annual project budget, from an average of 4-6 million US dollars during mid-2000s, has increased to 21 million US dollars in 2015.

In 2015 particularly, approximately three million Vietnamese children have benefited, directly and indirectly, from World Vision-implemented programmes and projects. As of today, World Vision is operating 40 Area Development Programmes and 16 special projects in 15 provinces across the country. For the past 25 years, cumulative aid supported to Vietnam through World Vision International has reached roughly 300 million US dollars.

* Friendship Medal from the President is awarded to foreign individuals or organisations that make significant contributions towards establishing, strengthening and developing the close friendship between Vietnam and other nations.

Text: Tran My Hang, Pham Thu Trang
Photos: Nguyen Kim Ngan