February 2013 - Shidler College of Business - University of Hawaii

VEMBA in the Community
The distribution of wheelchairs built and distributed by the KFE
factory focuses on providing wheelchairs to individuals who
will, through the use of a wheelchair, provide sustainability for
themselves and their families through independent mobility,
opportunities for employment and financial security.
On November 17th, Kids First Enterprise presented
the fifth annual “Arts for Mobility” art exhibition
and concert, featuring child prodigy violinist Do
Phuong Nhi from Hanoi, the Hanoi Chamber orchestra and
performances by members of the music department at
Saigon South International School. VEMBA-HCMC’10 was
a Silver Sponsor for the event raising enough money for
30 wheelchairs. Thanh helped to get a sponsorship from
University of Hawaii and we had members from Cohorts 3
and 5 also donate funds for wheelchairs. With everyone
contributions and attendance, UH VEMBA was well
represented at the event.
Kids First Enterprise (KFE) was established in 2002 as
a social business and developed a factory in Dong Ha
Town, Quang Tri Province, one of the poorest provinces in
Vietnam, to manufacture wheelchairs and other mobility
products. The factory itself provides practical employment
to numerous disabled and disadvantaged people as well
as providing a reliable business enterprise to this region
of Vietnam. Though KFE is a social business, the profits
from product manufacturing, local and international sales
are used to support projects and programs throughout
Vietnam that are designed to support the sustainability
of business enterprises and to promote positive social
and economic development, much like a charity. The
distribution of wheelchairs built and distributed by the KFE
factory focuses on providing wheelchairs to individuals
who will, through the use of a wheelchair, provide
sustainability for themselves and their families through
independent mobility, opportunities for employment and
financial security.
Kids First Enterprise’s goal in 2013 is to give the “Gift
of Mobility” to 200 poor and disabled so that many of
them can get a productive job, have valuable community
inclusion, self reliance and economic independence. The
Arts for Mobility concert raised enough funds for 150
wheelchairs, so Kids First Enterprise is already well on its
way to meeting its goal.
Thank you very much for helping to make this very worthy
cause so successful!
Happy holidays to everyone!
By Shannon Hopkins, VEMBA-HCMC’ 10
Director of Operations for KFE
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 - FEBRUARY 2013 | 19