For over a decade, Anh Chi Em (ACE), a small Vietnamese NGO has quietly supported rural communities in Vietnam with clean water, disaster relief, and school tuition. Without fanfare. Without a comms team.

But this year, Happiness Saigon and ACE launched the NGO’s most ambitious mission yet – raising funds to build the first 21 permanent homes in in 2026 – the starting point of a much larger goal to construct 1,555 houses for families in need. The challenge? Staying true to its values of modesty, sincerity, and hands-on action while inspiring mass participation.

ACE didn’t launch a campaign. It placed bricks across Saigon – silent, sturdy, and stamped with a call to act. No slogans, no posters, no hashtags. Just real bricks, quietly inviting people to build something real: 

• Action Bricks were carried by ACE members on runs through the streets, drawing attention from passersby and starting conversations. 
• Hope Bricks were placed at school gates, construction sites, and residential areas, stamped with a call to help build the first 21 homes. 
• Amplifier Bricks appeared in cafés, gyms, and learning centres – spaces where socially aware individuals could see the cause and take part. 

Every brick pointed people to a dedicated microsite, where they could contribute and watch the progress of the houses being built in real-time.

 “We believe that instead of talking about kindness, we should practise it and let that speak louder than any campaign,” stated Colin Dixon, founder of ACE. “A brick is nothing on its own. But once you act with it, people notice and ask questions. And that’s when the story begins to spread.”

The funding project, The Brick of Will, captured attention, not through staged drama, but through sincerity. Within just one week, donations rose by 126%, and major brands such as Audi Vietnam joined the effort by placing the brick at its flagship showroom. 

“We’re not trying to manufacture emotion,” added Alan Cerutti, CEO of creative partner, Happiness Saigon. “We’re simply creating space for a genuine story to be seen and felt.”

In an age of manufactured virality, Happiness Saigon and ACE showed that sincerity still works. No influencers. No headlines. Just an honest NGO doing the work, and letting that truth speak for itself. The bricks are not just metaphors – they are behaviour triggers. Each one shows up in real life, sparks a tangible response, and turns passive awareness into hands-on contribution. With limited resources, ACE scaled its message through the most basic building material. No expensive media plans needed, just a symbol that people could see, touch, and act upon.