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Reborn as a Vietnamese

Rad Kivette’s youth was tied to America in the 1970s - a period when anti-Vietnam War protests erupted across university campuses. As a student at the University of North Carolina, he took to the streets with friends, chanting slogans against bombs raining down on a country halfway across the globe.

“We were not just shouting. We read and studied Vietnamese history and culture to understand the suffering of its people. During the marches, I often wore a green beret with a gold star, like Cuban revolutionary hero Che Guevara. Of course, we could never compare to the pain of the Vietnamese, but that was my way of expressing solidarity and respect,” he recalled.

Rad Kivette, Chief Executive Officer and Head of the Representative Office of VCF in Vietnam.

Time went by, and Rad Kivette achieved success in the US textile industry. But after 15 years in management, in 1992, he decided to sell everything and take a new path toward sustainable development and international humanitarian work.

His first trip to Vietnam in 2000 became a turning point. Arriving in Hanoi, he felt both excitement and anxiety: would the Vietnamese accept an American from the country that had once caused them so much suffering? But his worries quickly faded when he was welcomed with warmth and sincerity. “Miraculously, they opened their arms to us. I felt their generosity even though behind them lay irreparable losses,” he said.

On that trip, a memory in Bac Ha (Lao Cai) became the “catalyst” for his decision to dedicate the rest of his life to Vietnam. There was the young doctor who volunteered to work in a district hospital, giving up the chance of a comfortable city life to serve poor communities. Her spirit made him realize the Vietnamese value of “not for oneself, but for the country.” There was also the elderly man who refused payment for the last roll of film he sold, considering it a gesture of thanks to a foreigner who had come to help his people. That night, at around 2:30 a.m., he awoke with a clear feeling: his life would be bound to Vietnam.

In 2004, Rad Kivette fully moved to work in Vietnam. He called this “a rebirth as a Vietnamese” and wished to “become more ‘Vietnamese’ each day.”

Rad Kivette with children supported by VCF.

The decision to stay in Vietnam was not easy for others to understand. He admitted that many relatives and friends were shocked, some even unable to accept it: “For most Americans, traveling to another country is easy to grasp, but someone with a stable income selling all possessions to live in a developing nation, dedicating himself to donations and a still-limited healthcare system, would be seen as unusual.”

His dedication to Vietnam strained, even broke, some old relationships. But it also strengthened the bonds that remained and nurtured new friendships. “I have never regretted it. I believe when you follow your heart to do something extraordinary, you must be strong enough to keep going - even if you must go alone,” he confided.

Growing with Vietnam

In Vietnam, Rad Kivette poured his heart into humanitarian projects. He traveled across northern provinces, from Hanoi and Thai Binh to Lao Cai, to conduct surveys, listen to real needs, and connect resources. With the philosophy that “healthy children and empowered women are the key to sustainable community development,” he and VinaCapital Foundation (VCF) created numerous humanitarian programs across 32 provinces and cities.

One of the most notable is the “Heartbeat Vietnam” program, which provides about 1,000 free heart surgeries each year for poor children. Over nearly 20 years, more than 11,600 children have been saved, with hundreds of families receiving nutrition, transportation, and scholarship support so their children could continue schooling.

Rad Kivette (far right) with children who received free heart surgeries under the “Heartbeat Vietnam” program.

Alongside this is “Critical Response” - a program in partnership with the Ministry of Health to reduce infant mortality and improve neonatal care in provincial and district hospitals nationwide. Since 2010, 1,964 healthcare workers have been certified in Pediatric Emergency Resuscitation, 705 medical devices and emergency kits have been donated, and 58,157 newborns have benefited from new skills and equipment.

Beyond healthcare, VCF also runs the “Brighter Path” program - full scholarships for ethnic minority girls from disadvantaged families with outstanding academic achievements. Nearly 3,000 students have been supported, hundreds of them completing high school and university. After-school girls’ clubs not only teach STEM and leadership skills but also empower them to break gender bias in their communities. He called this the “heart” of all activities, because today’s girls will be tomorrow’s agents of community change.

Rad Kivette and VCF have also been present in critical moments for communities through initiatives such as the “For Central Vietnam” campaign in 2020, which helped rebuild the healthcare system in Nam Tra My district (formerly Quang Nam, now Da Nang city); the “Breathing for Vietnam” program during the Covid-19 pandemic, which provided dozens of ventilators and emergency equipment; and a $267,000 relief package for flood-hit communities after Typhoon Yagi in 2024.

At 78, he still tirelessly travels to remote and mountainous areas to initiate new projects. His vision extends beyond healthcare and education today, toward the future: advancing STEM education, bringing modern technology to children in remote areas, and ensuring that “no child is left behind.”

He assessed that in recent years, Vietnam has secured a strong position internationally and has contributed greatly to global development. He believed that in the coming decades, Vietnam would not only receive international aid but also rise to become a country that helps friends around the world still facing hardship. “To be integrated and to devote myself entirely to that journey is one of the greatest privileges of my life,” he affirmed.

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