Vivi Vu – a media neutralist with a passion for art and the environment – shares why she founded GIVE SUSTAINABLE.

GIVE Sustainable began with a simple drawing that changed everything for me.

In 2019, my 5-year-old daughter, Genevieve, drew a colorful parrotfish, a beautiful creature with a beak-like mouth that feeds on dead coral and produces white sand. This small artwork sparked a curiosity in her that only continued to grow—she wanted to know everything about the ocean and its creatures. Watching her love for the ocean come to life made me realize that art has a unique power to connect young minds to nature. That drawing showed me that creativity could be the bridge to inspire others to love and protect our planet.

As I watched Genevieve’s curiosity deepen, I realized that art is a powerful language.

It can help children understand the environment in a playful and engaging way.

I saw that art could be more than just a form of expression—it could be a way to teach important values without being too preachy. This understanding laid the foundation for GIVE Sustainable. We committed ourselves to using art as a tool to nurture environmental awareness, especially for younger children who are just beginning to express themselves.

With this mission in mind, our team began visiting local communities along Vietnam’s coastline, where many families live close to water yet lack awareness about the importance of protecting clean water. We introduced art workshops to these communities, giving children a way to connect with and care for the ocean through creating and drawing.

We found that drawing was the perfect way to share our message with young children, especially those under six, who are still learning to read or write. Through art, we connect with these children and help them understand how important it is to protect our ocean.”

As GIVE Sustainable grows, we’re welcoming more generations and backgrounds into our community, from teenagers taking gap years to underprivileged women finding purpose in creating eco-friendly art. In our ‘Apprentice’ program, adolescents mentor 10-year-old ‘Starfish’ leaders, who then pass on their knowledge by teaching younger children to draw. And it doesn’t stop there—local women transform these children’s drawings into beautifully embroidered, eco-friendly gifts. This approach brings together people of all ages, fostering a diverse community of environmental advocates.

I believe that only through arts and education the torch to protect our planet will be passed on.