As 2022 begins, Blue Dragon takes a moment to look back on the year and how much has happened.
In the face of Vietnam’s worst outbreak of COVID-19 so far and our increased efforts to combat human trafficking, we had the privilege of being interviewed on several great podcasts.
Each episode dives into different aspects of Blue Dragon’s story, major events, the challenges of fighting human trafficking and our mission to protect Vietnamese children and families in crisis. If you’re looking for some inspiration and hope for the new year, these links are the place to start!
One Bowl of Rice
One Bowl of Rice’s Gus Arianto believes everyone is a leader. Gus interviews Michael about not only Blue Dragon’s work, but also the structure of the foundation and what drives us to keep going. They discuss the hardships endured by Vietnamese children and how Blue Dragon ensures safety, care and empowerment for children and staff alike.
Philanthropod with Celia Hirsh
A podcast by the Australian International Development Network, Philanthropod’s host Celia interviews Michael about Blue Dragon’s mission, the obstacles he has overcome and what’s in store for the future. They also discuss how extreme poverty affects a child, and how Blue Dragon protects them from exploitation.
The Tell Tale
High school student Kaela Goldsmith chats with Kim Miller, Blue Dragon’s Schools & Partnerships Coordinator, about Blue Dragon’s work and how Kim got involved. Topics include Blue Dragon’s history, response to challenges like the pandemic and how students can make a difference.
Vietnam Weekly
On the inaugural episode of the Vietnam Weekly podcast, American journalist Mike Tartarski chats with Michael about human trafficking. Michael reflects on how the pandemic has changed the face of this crime in Vietnam.
Life Line with Dinh-Long Pham
French-Vietnamese community-builder Dinh-Long Pham discusses with Michael how he started Blue Dragon. Highlighting stories from Michael’s childhood, his travels and how Blue Dragon moves forward during the challenges we face, this in-depth episode is perfect to learn more about Blue Dragon’s work helping children off the streets and protecting survivors of human-trafficking in Vietnam.
Labor of Loss – The Trafficker Next Door
On the sixth episode of Labor of Loss, a podcast on forced labour and human trafficking in Aisa, experts dive into the topic of forced marriage. Blue Dragon anti-human trafficking expert Luong Le shares her her experience of working with survivors of trafficking and discusses the instrumental role of rescues. This podcast is by the USAID Asia Counter Trafficking in Persons Project and Freedom Collaborative.
Am4teens x Love146
Jenni and Reema at Am4teens chat with Blue Dragon’s founder Michael about our work to fight human trafficking in Vietnam. Michael goes into detail about how Blue Dragon started working in this field and why it’s intrinsically linked to the difficulties street children face in Vietnam. He also answers questions on how teens around the world can get involved.
A Vietnam Podcast – Seven Million Bikes
On Niall Mackay’s A Vietnam Podcast, Michael shares what life in Vietnam was like when he arrived 20 years ago. From teaching English to street kids to establishing an NGO helping thousands break the cycle of poverty across the country, Michael shares some fascinating moments in his journey of founding and leading Blue Dragon.
Citizen44 with Mark Arinsberg
American expat Mark Arinsberg chats with Michael about Blue Dragon’s work to fight the exploitation of children in Vietnam. They discuss in detail Blue Dragon’s legal work, creating community education against human trafficking and how restrictions during an outbreak in Vietnam in 2021 put Vietnamese families in crisis.
ComebaCK with Conor Kelly
How do individuals deal with adversity and make a comeback? That’s Conor Kelly’s main thesis on his podcast. Conor interviewed Michael about how he came to Vietnam, some of Blue Dragon’s early work and why our work is so instrumental to the fight against poverty. They also discuss the incredible resilience of the people of Vietnam.
