Vietnamese ‘boat people’ come together to raise funds for MOAS

Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) is search and rescue NGO that has saved over 10,000 people in the Mediterranean in just one year.

Join us in a fight to save lives!

Since launching a year ago, MOAS has significantly contributed to saving lives

More than 10,000 men, women and children in distress have been rescued at sea by Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), as it marked one year from its first rescue on August 30th.


More than 2,500 died at sea in 2015, an all-time record

As many as 20,000 people may have lost their lives in the sea trying to reach Europe’ shores on unsafe boats


Now MOAS needs our help to continue its mission

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About #I care because project

On 9th September 2015 Duc Nguyen, Emmy Award winning documentary director of Bolinao 52 and a team of volunteers launched a hashtag and fundraising campaign (#ICAREBECAUSE) to raise awareness and much needed donations for life saving charity MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station).

By end of 2015 as many as 30,000 lives may have been lost in the Mediterranean, ‘the world’s deadliest migrant crossing’ according to IOM. In July and August 2015 alone an estimated 900 have died from drowning, asphyxia and dehydration in the Central Mediterranean region. MOAS was set up to mitigate this loss of life and rescue those in peril using a 40 meters vessel, two RHIBS, extensive UAV capabilities and a specialist search and rescue team.

Why #ICAREBECAUSE?

Duc Nguyen, one of millions of refugee who fled Vietnam across the South China Sea following the end of the war in 1975, says:

“In Vietnam we have a saying: ‘Ăn trái nhớ kẻ trồng cây.’ It means, when eating the fruit, think of the person who planted the tree. Now as we are established in the land of freedom, it is important to give others the same chance at survival that we were granted and metaphorically plant a new tree of life. For those of us that belong to the Vietnamese overseas community, we share a moral obligation and social responsibility to support this mission.”

“As someone who was saved at sea and went to contribute to society, Duc Nguyen couldn’t be a better ambassador for MOAS’ humanitarian action. His sensitivity towards the refugee crisis at Europe’s doorstep resonates perfectly with the reason why Christopher and Regina Catrambone, the MOAS founders, set up the NGO: they felt they should not be bystanders. We are extremely thankful to Duc and his production company, Right Here in My Pocket, for helping MOAS raise awareness about this global issue”

MOAS Director Martin Xuereb

Nobody deserves to die at sea

This is a time of mass migration. More than 60 million people are fleeing their homes. A huge portion of these are minors. Many are risking their lives in treacherous conditions. As the world grapples with this phenomenon, we must remember the obligations we set for ourselves during other times of mass strife. Everybody has a right to life, which is why MOAS will continue to save lives at sea in the world’s most dangerous border crossing,

How you can help today

If you want to make one or even regular donations to MOAS please click donate button and choose your country/currency to get tax benefits specific to you

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Become Fundraising Activist for MOAS

Think of what makes you want to get involved. Do you have a personal link to the issue? Is there an experience you’d like to share? Your statement can be a true representation of your own motivations; so don’t over think it, just go with your gut.

Create #ICareBecause Video

Getting involved is as easy as a recording yourself on video completing the phrase “I care because…” and tagging us on your social media platforms. Watch our videos to see examples of other people’s statements and simply upload and tag on Twitter (moas_eu) and Facebook (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) #ICAREBCAUSE #MOAS.

Create Fundraising campaign

Our hash tag campaign is designed to raise awareness and humanise the debate surrounding migration in the Mediterranean, but this just isn’t enough. It costs MOAS around €500,000/ month to operate at sea. In the 7 months of at-sea missions they have conducted to date over 10,000 people have been rescued and now we desperately need the help of the general public to help us fundraise to continue our missions.

Please consider ways in which you too can fundraise for MOAS. For more information and ideas, download our fundraising kit here.