SEALNet - History

History

Initially founded in 2004 at Stanford University by several Southeast Asian undergraduates under the mentorship of SALI members, SEALNet conducted its first project in the summer of 2005 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The project worked at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union to provide computers and English language learning software to students and with a group of highly motivated high school students to teach them skills of leadership and project design.

In 2007, SEALNet was given a grant by the Singapore MFA as part of the ASEAN 40th anniversary celebrations. By the end of the 2010 project cycle, SEALNet's all-volunteer community has organized over 28 projects across 7 of the 10 ASEAN countries (all except Singapore, Brunei, and Myanmar). There are over 1000 members of SEALNet (high school students, college students and mentor professionals) from around the world.

Members are trained in the twin pillars of service and leadership, which SEALNet believes are critical to effecting social development. One major training event is the annual Service Leadership Training Retreat. The first training retreat was run in 2005 at the Wildwood Retreat in Santa Rosa, California.