Grab and its community of users raised more than VND6.6 billion to build bridges in rural Vietnam

Grab worked with the National Fund for Vietnamese Children to raise a total of more than VND 6.6 billion (US$270,000) towards the cause, contributing to the nearly VND 8 billion required for the construction of  the eight bridges across five provinces in Vietnam. The remaining 400 million dong was contributed by the local government. 

The funds came partly from Grab users who contributed donations through the Grab app in Vietnam, and partly from the company itself.

Harnessing Grab’s app for a good cause

Rural development has long been an urgent focus in Vietnam. The government has set out a National Targeted Programme on New Rural Development to close the economic gap between urban and rural areas.

In 2019, Grab Vietnam joined the charge by signing a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Fund for Vietnamese Children to build bridges in remote areas. Such bridges would not only improve children’s access to education, but also support the transport of goods and drive local economic development.

Grab harnessed the power of its app and its collective user base to raise money for the cause. To make contributions as easy as possible, users in Vietnam can choose to allocate their GrabReward points towards the bridge-building initiative or contribute to the fund directly through their in-app e-wallets. GrabReward points are loyalty points Grab users collect on the app. These are normally turned into cash for future purchases on the app, or exchanged for other perks. 

Bridging the way to a better life

By July 2020, the GrabBridge project had raised enough to kickstart construction of the first two bridges, in Vietnam’s Vinh Long province in the Mekong Delta.

The support has continued over the years with bridges built in the provinces of Tien Giang, Ha Giang, Quang Tri, culminating this year with the opening of two final bridges in Nam Ban and Nam Hang, two communes in the mountainous Lai Chau province.

Thanks to Grab users’ enthusiastic support, GrabBridge was able to sponsor more than VND 6.6 billion out of nearly VND 8 billion in construction costs for a total of eight bridges. Most importantly, the project has transformed the lives of thousands of children, students, and people—bridging the way forward for them to pursue growth and new opportunities.

While GrabBridge may have wrapped up for now, Grab’s long-term commitment in Vietnam continues. Under the Grab For Good mission, Grab will carry on working closely with agencies and sectors to implement more community projects. Grab remains committed to contributing meaningful changes to improve people’s quality of life, in Vietnam and beyond.