Phan Thanh Nhan took part in several charitable campaigns as a university student. After graduating in 2008, Nhan and 6 of his friends established the Open Group to help people that are abused, discriminated or generally have a hard life.
Now the group has 120 members and have been able to build a house. The group help people solve their problems, find work and live an independent life.
At first, most of the people using the shelter were from the LGBT community but as word spread about their compassionate approach, more people in different situations and from varied backgrounds have made use of the home.
Nhan and his friends successfully persuaded a grandfather to open the door again after throwing out his grandson because of his sexuality. They also helped a pregnant woman and her small child return to her parents' house in Bac Giang Province. She ran away with the child from an abusive husband but was cheated out of all of her money by someone she thought was a friend.
Nhan is devoted to the group and does everything he can to support people. Tuan Anh, who stayed at the home said he thought Nhan had pawned his own motorbike for a short period so that they had money to buy food.
"At first, the group hoped to help as many desperate people as possible. But now we hope to receive less cases because everyone, especially gay people, should be loved and could live in their own homes instead of here," Nhan said.
