Kawa Wandi and his wife had planned to travel the world, but the gorgeous city of Hoi An inspired them to replant their roots in central Vietnam.

"I have been to many places in the world, such as Bali, Thailand, and South Korea, but when I came to Hoi An, I felt like resting," said Swedish national Wandi.

"This place has become our second hometown."

"I just returned with a bunch of beautiful photos and memories of the place where we clubbed together to provide a structure to supply fresh water to the people of the Co Tu ethnic group in Tay Giang District, Quang Nam Province."

Supporting the community

Wandi and his wife spend much of their time doing volunteer and charity projects around Hoi An, most recently spending a morning repainting a playground by the lake in Cam Ha Park.

"One day in 2020, I drove by the lake in the afternoon and found the landscape to be so poetic, but only a few children were playing nearby," he recollected.

"They were using wooden sticks for their game instead of real toys. 

"I wanted to help them."

Wandi then told his wife, Nishte, about the park and the couple decided to donate playground equipment and work with authorities to give it a much-needed makeover.

As word of their plan spread across the community, local youth groups vocalized their support. 

Soon enough, a new playground, complete with see-saw steps and a swing set, was built in Cam Ha Park, much to the curiosity and excitement of the local children. 

The couple made sure each piece of playground equipment was painted in a smattering of bright colors.

At first, the playground in Cam Ha Park bustled with children and the sound of laughter from dawn till dusk. 

After two years, however, it fell into a state of disrepair. 

Refusing to give up on his and his wife’s dream of helping the community, the Wandis returned to the playground and spent VND20,000,000 (US$851) painting and repairing any damage.

"I feel very satisfied when I pass by [the park] and see the children running around and climbing," Wandi said.

"Despite only costing a small amount of money, my gift has helped them."

Fighting COVID-19

Despite the pandemic having been under control for nearly a year, many Hoi An residents still remember Wandi and his magnificent beard riding on a motorcycle through the streets of the city through the pandemic, delivering boxes of hot food to frontline workers.

Though photos of Wandi carrying out his good deeds went viral on Vietnamese social media, many people do not realize that the Swedish national’s charity is his way of giving back to the city that showed him the same kindness and hospitality.

Wandi and his wife, along with their three children, packed their bags in 2017 with plans to see the world and live a nomadic lifestyle.

Initially, they planned to spend just two or three months in each stop on their journey, but when COVID-19 struck Vietnam in 2020, the family found themselves in a unique situation. 

They were foreigners simply visiting Hoi An at the time, but the family felt the local community cared for them as if they were one of their own.

"It's really rare to find a place that has the same things to offer as Hoi An," Wandi said.

"The city seems to combine everything. It has rural and urban areas, a river, and the sea.

"We fell in love with the city the first time we came here and it is hard for us to leave."

He did his best to take care of Hoi An during the pandemic. 

Nearly anytime there was an urgent need, Wandi showed up to help, including bringing food and water to people in isolation centers and providing those in need with clothes, rice, and food paid for with his own money. 

In fact, he became so well known that a small group of locals began joining him in his efforts to help.

Wandi also reached out to his friends in Sweden for help and, together, they set up a foundation to bring donations to Hoi An from around the world. 

Such donations have since been put toward libraries for schools in nearby mountains, building fresh water access points, and visiting underprivileged communities in the central province of Quang Tri.

Labeled a ‘hero’

Wandi’s efforts to help Hoi An throughout the pandemic caught the attention of local authorities and, in 2020, he was invited to participate in a ceremony held to honor those who made significant contributions to the city’s fight against COVID-19.  

At the event, Wandi was shocked by just how appreciative Hoi An was of his work.

All in all, Wandi helped facilitate around US$50,000 in donations to buy supplies for those in need and provide fresh water to those without access. 

About 80 percent of those donations actually came from the personal savings of the Wandi family.

Unfortunately, when the Wandis took a family vacation to Da Lat, a resort town in Vietnam's Central Highlands region, in April 2022, their home in Hoi An had a break-in. 

The Hoi An community, who had been so appreciative of the family, took to social media to call on authorities to hunt down the burglars, but all efforts were unsuccessful.

Still Wandi and his family were grateful for everyone’s help.

"Even though we lost many things, I received so much love. I love Hoi An and all the people here," Wandi wrote on Facebook.

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