About us

Be Better Foundation (formerly Tony Foundation), a Vietnamese non-profit social enterprise, was established by Mr. Tran Van Tinh (Tony Tinh) in March 2022.

Tony himself experienced hardships during his childhood, as he had to work for a living after school. Therefore, he has harbored the mission to help children and the elderly who are in difficult circumstances get support and opportunities for a better life. With the Be Better Foundation, he hopes to connect more philanthropists and spread the kind intention to help more disadvantaged people.

In any circumstance, when we look back at what we have, compared to those who do not have what we have, we will see that we are much luckier than many people. Although we own no house, at least we do not live on the streets. Our children do not have everything like the children of the rich, but at least they have food and warm clothes. We always feel happier when we focus on what we have instead of what we do not have. When we focus on what we have, compared to those humbler and less fortunate than us, we will find our life as a privilege, and we will see how blessed we are.

With that awareness, we can consider paying back this life a little bit by being grateful for what we have and practicing compassion. Being grateful for life and what we have will make us feel that this life is more meaningful than we thought.

In scientific research, genuine and lasting happiness comes from giving, making sacrifices, and helping others. Giving and being grateful for life help people’s lives be profoundly satisfying in mind, more peaceful, and easier to overcome adversities. Giving and helping also help build meaningful relationships in society. Giving and helping also set an example for those around us, for our children and grandchildren to follow, to learn how to have a humane, loving way of life. Giving to help others is the noblest act of all religions. According to Buddha’s and Jesus’s teachings, sharing and reaching out to help others are some of the noblest acts of a human being, the closest way back to God and one’s true self.

When to give

It is never the right time because life is impermanent, and nothing lasts forever. Everything depends on uncountable conditions. It is never the right time to give. When we have a few hundred thousand dollars more or a few million dollars more, we will donate, and then we will say that when we have a little more, we will help again and again. There is no right time to give; it is only this moment today when we can still do something meaningful.

How much is enough

It does not matter how much you give. It is essential to share with a good heart. It could be 50 USD or 100 USD or only 1% of your monthly income. Giving is like pooling into a long-term savings account with a little bit every month, but in the long run, its results are outstanding. In this case, your 50-100 USD per month can change the fate of a poor student.

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The Story of Be Better

Tony Tinh - Be Better Foundation

The seeds of the Be Better Foundation were sown in the early 1980s, in the town of Cai Von, Bình Minh District (now Bình Minh Town), Vinh Long Province, the birthplace of Mr. Tran Van Tinh (Tony Tinh), the foundation’s founder.

Mr. Tinh’s parents were among the poorest of the poor. His mother’s education extended only to the third grade, while his father, having only eavesdropped on classes, attained basic literacy. Their primary occupations consisted of manual labor and petty trade.

When Tony was eight, his father suffered a fall from a tree and became paralyzed on one side of his body. From that point on, Tony began to take on responsibilities. The entire family lived frugally to ensure that he and his siblings could attend school. Despite working hard from a young age, none of his siblings dropped out of school, as providing education for their children was their parents’ lifelong dream and purpose.

Even when facing hardship, Tony’s parents engaged in volunteer work, helping neighbors and strangers in dire situations. In 2008, when Tony’s life improved, he began participating in various charitable activities with his parents. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, while meditating, he reflected on how fortunate he was compared to millions of others in society; he realized he had been blessed abundantly. From a boy selling lottery tickets and pig feed, he had now achieved a comfortable life, while millions suffered. Consequently, he decided to sell his large house, move to an apartment, and use the proceeds to support his company through the pandemic and establish the Tony Foundation to assist many families affected by COVID-19.

In early 2022, Tony committed to dedicating one-third of his life and income to charity until the end of his days, formally renaming his personal foundation to the Be Better Foundation.

Our Beliefs

We believe that everything in life has its cause. A good seed can yield many sweet fruits. We trust that the law of influence significantly impacts the lives of all humanity. A kind act can inspire others to do good as well. Changing the mindset and knowledge of the younger generation can alter the future of individuals and many generations to come.

We believe in the goodness of humanity. Though every society has its share of negativity and evil, we are confident that goodness, righteousness, and truth will always prevail over evil.

We believe that giving time, effort, and money to help others is never in vain. In return, we gain love, compassion, kindness, and inner peace and happiness, which allows us to find the profound meaning of life. Helping others is also a way to help ourselves to do good. A friendly heart and a kind spirit lead to a peaceful, meaningful life, allowing us to live fully.

The quantity of what we give is not what matters most; what is important is the good intention behind it. Life is impermanent, and nothing lasts forever. Everything is dependent on circumstances. There will never be a perfect time to give; the right time is now, when we can still do something meaningful.

Our objectives

The Be Better Foundation believes the only way to change one’s life is through knowledge and the right mindset. Charity work involves doing many things. However, since our resources are limited, we can only focus on 9th-grade and 12th-grade students, helping them to choose the best direction for their future when they are at a crossroads.

Our most important objective is ensuring children who are studious yet in especially difficult circumstances can receive formal schooling. “Especially difficult circumstances” are circumstances of the children such as being orphans, coming from poor households in remote areas, belonging to ethnic minority groups, or living in a family where the adults cannot make ends meet. The Foundation helps these children in two ways, which are:

1. Material support: With the “Change the Future” scholarship, we help students cover tuition fees to go to school. There are two types of scholarships:

One-time encouraging scholarships: These are granted one time to poor students.
Long-term scholarships: These scholarships target junior and senior high school and university students in especially difficult circumstances. Besides being destitute, these students are on the verge of dropping out because of their compelling circumstances. For instance, the students do not have relatives to rely on, nor can they cover the tuition fees or other basic living expenses.

2. Intellectual support: Through the Mentorship program, we provide students with not only the precious life lessons and experiences we have but also the proper mindset to become good, successful, and positive people in the future.

This program is for poor 9th-grade, 12th-grade, and university students.

The founders and volunteers of the Be Better Foundation are business owners and experts in different fields. Therefore, we can equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and experience to help them to become successful citizens who can lead meaningful lives and contribute to society. We organize the mentorship program for these students in our seminars.

Mission of Be Better Foundation

A person’s life can be changed with just one opportunity. A helping hand extended at the right time can not only lift someone up but also transform an entire generation. Be Better Foundation was established with the mission of creating real opportunities for children facing extreme hardships—those who have resilience, a thirst for knowledge, and a desire to rise above their circumstances to become valuable contributors to society.

We believe that when one person changes, their entire family, community, and even society can change as well. Therefore, Be Better Foundation goes beyond financial support—it also nurtures mindset development, builds character, and instills a sense of responsibility, helping children step into the world with gratitude and a spirit of contribution.

SOCIAL IMPACT

A prosperous society is not measured only by skyscrapers or economic charts but is also built upon love, support, and the sharing between people.

Be Better Foundation aims to create a generation that is not only talented but also compassionate—a generation that overcomes adversity and is willing to help others in the future.

When a child receives a good education and has the opportunity to develop, their entire family can escape poverty, and future generations will no longer suffer the same disadvantages.

Each scholarship, each word of encouragement, and each opportunity given does not just change an individual—it can transform a family, a community, and even an entire nation.

COMMITMENT & LONG-TERM GOALS

Every 10 years, Be Better Foundation commits to changing the lives of at least 200 children, giving them the chance to study and develop themselves to reach a brighter future.
By 2045, we aim to support 400 children, creating a network of young individuals with knowledge, determination, and ethical values, ready to contribute to society.
By 2060, we strive to help 1,000 children change their lives, fostering a generation that knows how to love, give back, and spread positive values to others.

THE MEANING OF GIVING

We believe that giving is the best way to receive. When we help others, we do not just offer them an opportunity—we create a continuous flow of kindness, compassion, and love.

Happiness does not come from what we receive, but from what we give.

You may accumulate many achievements in life, but the greatest meaning does not lie in what you have, but in what you share. When you help someone, you do not only change their life but also inspire them to continue spreading that kindness to others.

True happiness is not about having more than others—it is about giving others hope, faith, and motivation to live a better life.

Operating principles

Be Better Foundation undertakes that the finances are transparent through annual audits by a third party. Financial statements are public and transparent to donors, sponsors, contributors.
The founders and volunteers do not receive salaries from the Be Better Foundation.
When attending charity trips, attendees and volunteers share travel and personal expenses. The Foundation budget is not allowed to be used.
Charitable activities must not be exploited for the promotion or advertisement of any individual or organization.

Forms of receiving support

Financial support from benefactors:

Tony Tinh, the founder of IMM Group, has committed to contributing 20% of his company’s annual profit to the foundation. His co-founder has also committed to contributing 10% of his dividends from IMM.
Voluntary, non-binding contributions from Tony Tinh’s friends, customers, and partners.
Contributions from the community.

Voluntary work:

Volunteers can contribute their time, effort, etc., depending on their abilities and desire.

The process of assessing cases in need

Awareness of a situation arises through media, community networks, or by happenstance.
The Foundation receives the information.
The operating committee/volunteers conduct field surveys to assess and verify the circumstances of the students.
Students undergo a written examination assessing their critical thinking, aspirations, academic standing, future orientation, attitude, and ethics.
Students participate in individual interviews.
The operating committee convenes to evaluate the results of the written examination and the interviews.
A decision is reached to provide partial (50%), full (100%), or incentive (25%) funding.
Students sign a commitment to continue their studies and adhere to academic, ethical, and attitudinal standards for continued funding in subsequent years.
Sponsorship implementation is confirmed by the school/local authorities.

Board of Operations

The Board of Operations consists of independent volunteers, most of whom do not receive a salary or only receive a basic minimum salary. They dedicate their time to assist the Foundation in various operational tasks. Additionally, they often contribute both financially and with their efforts, leveraging their specialized expertise.