As if we were never apart
Showcase Library
12/12/2024 10:25
Implementing agencies
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Category
PROJECT
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Date time
FROM 2007 TO PRENSENT
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Field
REDUCED INEQUALITIES
"As if We Were Never Apart" (NCHCCCL) is a charitable initiative focused on searching for and reuniting lost family members, which includes a television program of the same name that first aired in December 2007. NCHCCCL became the only hope at that time for individuals who had lost contact with their families and were unable to search for them on their own or with assistance. NCHCCCL created a scientific process for handling information, conducting searches, and connecting people, all for free, with the support of the community. Over the past 17 years, NCHCCCL has not only reunited 3,000 large Vietnamese families, helping tens of thousands of people reconnect with their loved ones and trace their roots, but it has also aired 180 television episodes about stories of separation and reunion, showcasing humanity, and the life stories of people within the historical, cultural, and social context of Vietnam over the last 80 years. The program celebrates the noble values of the Vietnamese people and contributes to national reconciliation.
Part 1
Starting background of the project
The idea for a television program aimed at reuniting family members was conceived in 2000, driven by the needs of Vietnamese society at that time. From the long struggles against colonial and imperial forces, followed by continuous wars for peace and territorial defense, to the subsequent economic hardships causing massive migration for survival, Vietnam became one of the countries with the highest number of separations in the world. Almost every family had at least a few missing or lost members.
At that time, the search for one's roots or lost family members had only two options: one was to search independently, which was like "looking for a needle in a haystack," and the other was to place small 100-word advertisements in the media for a fee. However, these ads only appeared within the scope of that specific media outlet and lacked a dedicated team to process information or receive feedback, so the effectiveness of reconnecting family members was nearly zero. Across the country, only the Vietnam Red Cross was assigned the responsibility of reunifying families, but in practice, it had no proactive activities in this field. Private detective services were just beginning to emerge, but they were completely out of reach for migrants who were separated from their families.
In this context, journalist Thu Uyên proposed that VTV create a reality television program to connect separated families. However, it wasn't until seven years later that "As if We Were Never Apart" (NCHCCCL) came to life. This was due to VTV not having a mandate for such a search initiative, and the project could only be implemented once the government introduced a policy for socializing the media.
Part 2
Project innovation/ invention
The efforts to reunite separated families have established a systematic, seamless process consisting of the following stages:
- Receiving and processing information
- Searching for missing persons
- Television program production
- Community outreach
Each step is meticulously designed for optimal efficiency and scalability. For instance, initial information reception methods included traditional mail, website, email, telephone, and in-office submissions. Over time, these expanded to include platforms like Facebook Fanpage and Zalo to adapt to the evolving digital era.
The first innovation of As If We Were Never Apart (NCHCCCL) in search efforts was the application of logical reasoning and remote communication, enabling many cases to be resolved without the need for on-site searches. The second innovation was the creation and maintenance of comprehensive records and flexible file systems, which allowed searches to be conducted by themes or clusters rather than individual cases. These creative methods enabled NCHCCCL to delve deeply into each story, successfully resolving seemingly impossible cases while minimizing costs.
The core of this reunification initiative lies in its methodical search processes—strict enough to ensure accuracy but flexible enough to achieve the best outcomes in every scenario. This approach ensures that every search request is immediately processed and handled in the most effective direction. By leveraging scientific processes, NCHCCCL is not dependent on online networks for connections. Instead, it specializes in addressing challenging cases with limited information. This systematic approach also facilitates rapid expansion when conditions allow, supported by standardized employee training.
Over 17 years, NCHCCCL has accumulated invaluable assets: Database, Experience, Expertise. These assets reinforce the scientific foundation of NCHCCCL's operations, shorten search times, and expand its capacity for locating people and producing impactful television stories.
NCHCCCL's programs have painted vivid portraits of Vietnam's people and landscapes across various historical periods. Its unique television format, centered on gaining the trust of participants from all sides of a separation, ensures authenticity and thorough, verified storytelling. From its very first episode, NCHCCCL aired as a live recording, delivering an unfiltered realism that deeply resonated with millions of viewers.
Over the years, NCHCCCL has become the subject or primary resource for numerous academic studies, doctoral dissertations, and master's theses both domestically and internationally. For example: Hằng Lê-Tormala's doctoral dissertation at the University of Kansas, later published as the book Postwar Journeys: American and Vietnamese Transnational Peace Efforts since 1975 (2020), Nguyễn Thu Giang's doctoral dissertation and related research at the University of Queensland, including Collective Wound, Private Healing: Reality Television and National Reconciliation in Post-reform Vietnam (2015).
Part 3
Goals and vision of the project
Goals
The establishment of As If We Were Never Apart (NCHCCCL) has allowed countless individuals experiencing separation to express their pain and longing for reunion with their families, loved ones, and homeland. Over 17 years, the number of requests for assistance from NCHCCCL has not decreased; in fact, it continues to rise. This growing demand motivates the NCHCCCL team to overcome all challenges and persist in their mission of free-of-charge family search and reunion efforts while sharing the heartfelt stories they encounter to inspire and unite communities.
Vision
Currently, limited funding restricts NCHCCCL's operational pace, necessitating a small workforce. To improve speed and efficiency while leveraging its experience, database, and reputation, NCHCCCL aspires to expand its team to 25–30 members (from the current 14). This expansion would enable the organization to double its monthly results, increasing successful searches from 6–15 reunions to 20–30, and to produce two one-hour documentaries or television programs monthly (compared to the current one show per month).
NCHCCCL is also ready to gift its television program format, assist in establishing search-and-reunion teams, and support the initial operations of charitable reunification initiatives in other countries with significant separation issues. For example, NCHCCCL has successfully supported Cambodia in creating and operating It's Not a Dream on Bayon TV since 2011, which continues to run effectively today.
Additionally, NCHCCCL is open to collaborating on feasible projects and initiatives within its field of expertise, partnering with capable organizations to implement these ideas in a spirit of goodwill, aiming for long-term community benefits.
Part 4
Implementation - Scope - Cost of the project
NCHCCCL began its operations in mid-2007, with the first reunion program broadcast on December 1, 2007, on VTV1. As a current affairs and reality show broadcast live, this program demonstrated the trust VTV placed in journalist Thu Uyên, who spearheaded the initiative.
NCHCCCL's mission is to search for and reunite all Vietnamese citizens, individuals of Vietnamese origin, or those with partial Vietnamese ancestry separated due to various circumstances, excluding criminal cases. Reunions are facilitated only when both parties express a desire to reconnect. Requests for assistance come from all over Vietnam and many other countries worldwide, with search efforts extending to regions like Europe, the Americas, and Africa.
Each month, NCHCCCL airs one episode featuring 2–4 reunions. Notably, the program operates without state funding and has, instead, contributed financially to the station, functioning as a fully socialized program. For its first 12 years, NCHCCCL relied on sponsorship for a single television program to support both search efforts and TV production. Over the past five years, the program has sustained itself entirely on community donations, ranging from large contributions like the 5 billion VND donated by singer Hà Anh Tuấn and his friends, to smaller monthly contributions of 10,000–20,000 VND. These modest yet impactful contributions, referred to as "miraculous loaves of bread," ensure the program's survival while fostering a spirit of generosity and solidarity.
Challenges:
- At its inception 17 years ago, NCHCCCL faced political sensitivities. However, the program's deeply humanistic and compassionate values, showcased through its stories of separation and reunion, gradually overcame these challenges, gaining trust and credibility across diverse political views and social perspectives.
- From the outset, NCHCCCL was designed as a free-of-charge charity program operating independently. It relied entirely on external funding for staffing, equipment, and operational costs. Despite the financial constraints, NCHCCCL successfully aired monthly episodes featuring multiple reunions without using state budgets. For the first 12 years, a single sponsorship covered both the search and production processes. More recently, community contributions have been the primary source of funding. The initiative has creatively cultivated sustainable funding channels while promoting a culture of care for those less fortunate.
- The program's most significant point of pride lies in its dedicated team, despite the challenges of tight budgets and limited expertise. The production team has honed their skills through hands-on experience, reflecting a spirit of volunteerism and excellence. Team members must possess strong logical reasoning, investigative skills, and the ability to empathetically narrate the deeply emotional stories of separation. However, recruitment remains a pressing challenge due to the modest salary structure, ranging from 8.5 million VND to 15 million VND per month. Addressing the financial constraints related to staffing is essential for sustaining and growing the program's impact. Despite these challenges, NCHCCCL continues to thrive, embodying resilience, compassion, and innovation in its mission to reunite families and inspire communities.
Part 5
Achievements
It can be said that As If We Were Never Apart (NCHCCCL) has become a community-driven initiative, sustained by the community itself. The program's outcomes can be tracked through its television broadcasts, as well as on its YouTube channel, Fanpage, TikTok account, all under the same name "Như chưa hề có cuộc chia ly," and on the website haylentieng.vn. With a significant number of followers and subscribers, especially on its Fanpage, NCHCCCL demonstrates its profound impact in evoking humanitarian and compassionate emotions in viewers from all backgrounds—domestic or international, across genders, professions, and age groups. It celebrates the beauty of human fate, the goodness of Vietnamese people, the value of family and blood ties, and the sacredness of homeland, country, and nation.
Over the past 17 years, in the field of searches alone, NCHCCCL has successfully reunited 3,000 individuals with their families. For those who have found their loved ones through NCHCCCL, their lives have turned a new page. Particularly moving are cases where parents, in their final years, have fulfilled their last wish of knowing the fate of and reuniting with a child who had been missing for decades—40, 50, or even 60 years.
On an international level, NCHCCCL has been featured by 12 foreign media outlets, including those in Belarus, Russia's Channel 1, Thailand, Sweden, Finland, Cambodia, and Japan. For instance, NHK Japan dedicated 30 minutes in a special program to highlight NCHCCCL and the "miraculous results" of its efforts. Moreover, NCHCCCL has become the first exported television format and social initiative structure. Notably, it served as the foundation for the reunion program aired on Bayon TV in Cambodia.
Part 6
Model expansion potential
With established processes in place, scaling the NCHCCCL model is feasible. The model is both rigorous and flexible, as evidenced by the development of an adapted version for Cambodia—a country with a vastly different infrastructure where poor road networks contrast sharply with high telecommunications usage. NCHCCCL successfully implemented its adjusted search processes there with notable effectiveness.
At its core, the NCHCCCL model comprises: Goals/Ideals; Feasible search capabilities and skills; Execution processes; Guidelines ensuring legitimacy, non-profit motives, empathy, and confidentiality; Database and tools; Experience; Dedicated personnel. Each of these elements must be fully in place to ensure the model operates ethically and humanely. This is crucial because both search activities and storytelling through visual media are inherently sensitive, involving private lives and subject to data protection and privacy laws.
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