VIA Programs facts for kids
VIA is a special group that helps people from the United States and countries in Asia learn about each other. It's a non-profit organization, which means it doesn't make money for itself. Instead, it uses its funds to run programs. VIA helps people travel to different countries to volunteer and learn. It also brings students from Asia to the U.S. for cultural and educational experiences. VIA started in 1963 and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
How VIA Started
VIA began in 1963. This was a time when many people wanted to connect with other countries. Groups like the Peace Corps were starting up. VIA was created to offer similar chances to volunteer and learn in Asia. It was important that VIA was not connected to the government or any religious group.
The idea for VIA came from Stanford University. Students there started going to Hong Kong to help with projects. In 1966, these efforts became official under the name Volunteers in Asia. During the Vietnam War, VIA also helped people who didn't want to fight. It found them other ways to serve in countries like Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines.
Over the years, VIA grew a lot. It started sending more students from the U.S. to many Asian countries. These included Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
In the 1970s, VIA also began bringing students from Asia to the United States. These programs helped Asian students experience American culture and studies. At first, these were called Trans-Pacific Exchange programs. Later, they became known as VIA’s Stanford Programs because of their link to Stanford University.
VIA and Stanford University
VIA started at Stanford University. For over 40 years, its offices were even on the Stanford campus. But VIA has always been its own separate organization. In 2006, VIA moved its main office to San Francisco. However, it still uses Stanford University to host programs for Asian students. It also finds volunteers there.
What VIA is Called
VIA has had a few different names over time:
| Name | What it was used for | When it was used |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteers in Asia | This was the first official name for early volunteer trips. | 1960s–1970s |
| Volunteers in Asia and Trans-Pacific Exchange | This name showed that VIA now included programs for Asian students coming to the U.S. | 1970s–2000 |
| VIA | This is the name everyone uses now. It became official in 2000. | 2000–present |
| VIA Programs | This is a way to make sure people know it's this specific organization. | Since mid-1990s |
What VIA Does Now
VIA offers many programs for learning and helping others. These are for people from the U.S. and from Asia.
For people living in America, VIA has volunteer programs that last one or two years. It also has shorter summer trips where you can experience a new culture. These programs are in countries like Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. VIA also offers special scholarships. For example, the CJ Huang Fellowship helps with service in China. The Vietnam Community Fellowship focuses on social work in Vietnam.
For students from Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and China, VIA has spring and summer programs in the United States. These programs are often held at Stanford University. They teach about American language and culture. Students can also learn about healthcare, new ideas for helping communities, and community service.
See also
- List of non-governmental organizations in the People's Republic of China
- List of non-governmental organizations in Vietnam
- List of social and non-governmental organisations in Myanmar
- List of non-governmental organizations in Thailand
