Founding story
Growing up in Da Lat, Tran Phung Nghi observed the city’s economic progress and the issues arising from plastic pollution, which significantly affected the quality of life for her fellow citizens. Instead of waiting for someone to do something for Da Lat, a mountainous area, she decided take matters into my her hands. Recycle Dalat was thus born, in an effort to contribute to a cleaner, greener and prettier Da Lat.
Additionally, Tran Phung Nghi is an alumna of the Fall 2022 YSEALI Academic Fellowship exchange program held in Hawaii and grantee of Yseali 2023 Seeds for the future, which further enriched her knowledge and expertise.
In 2 years, Recycle Dalat secured prestigious grants totaling $18,000 from YSEALI Seeds for the Future and the Climate Change Reality Project. Recycle Dalat has received numerous accomplishments and gained recognition from both domestic and international organizations, national news and TV shows.
Recycle Dalat team
Recycle Dalat then grew internationally after Nghi‘s participation at the YSEALI Fall 2022 Academic Fellowship Programme to Hawaii. There, Nghi met Lee, Hnin and Aung and discovered our shared interests in tackling environmental problems. We also worked with Hanh, Nghi’s mentor who is a well-connected individual in Vietnam, to scale our project significantly. Each of us brought our unique strengths and perspectives to the project, and we realised that many of our countries share similar environmental problems. This further motivates us to work to make Recycle Dalat go international. Together, we are a united team of young talents from Southeast Asia, determined to drive impact with a project created by and for Southeast Asians.
Recycle Dalat then grew internationally after Nghi‘s participation at the YSEALI Fall 2022 Academic Fellowship Programme to Hawaii. There, Nghi met Lee, Hnin and Aung and discovered our shared interests in tackling environmental problems. We also worked with Hanh, Nghi’s mentor who is a well-connected individual in Vietnam, to scale our project significantly. Each of us brought our unique strengths and perspectives to the project, and we realised that many of our countries share similar environmental problems. This further motivates us to work to make Recycle Dalat go international. Together, we are a united team of young talents from Southeast Asia, determined to drive impact with a project created by and for Southeast Asians.
Nguyen Sieu Hanh is the founder and managing director of Joy Foundation. He is a fellow leader in the Obama Foundation – Asia Pacific Regions, also the first Vietnamese winner of the World Summit Youth Award, by developing IT projects serving the UN Millennium Development Goals. He was also honored by the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union for his contribution to the Vietnamese society.
Hnin Wut Yee, a delegate in notable programs like YSEALI 2022 Academic Fellowship in Hawaii, We-peer Mentorship, Green Lead by Youth, and Youth Ecosperity Week Dialogue in Singapore, actively enriches her understanding of environmental issues. Engaging in climate projects and speaking on environmental matters, she aspires to excel as an amazing green leader.
Aung Pyae Khant, a BA English (communication) student in Thailand, is a dedicated community volunteer from Myanmar. As a 2022 Youth Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academic Fellow, he studied Environmental Issues in Honolulu. Passionate about raising awareness, especially on topics like plastic pollution, he collaborates with YSEALI alumni on impactful community projects.
Our volunteers
