When 14-year-old Melbourne student Williem Duong laces up for his fifth Blue Dragon Marathon Walk this September, he won’t be alone. From Brisbane to Sydney to Tasmania, Australians, led by the travel industry, are stepping up for a global cause.
The Intrepid Foundation is again partnering with Vietnam’s Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation on its annual Blue Dragon Marathon Walk fundraiser to end human trafficking on Sunday, September 14, 2025.
This year, Blue Dragon will mark 21 years as a not-for-profit organisation providing rescue care, shelter, legal advocacy, and support to victims of human trafficking.
14-year-old student Williem Duong first joined the walk in 2021 during Melbourne’s COVID lockdowns, when he and his siblings donated their Christmas money to help children in Vietnam. Since then, the Year 9 student has raised over A$7,000 for the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation.
“We don’t really talk about human trafficking or slavery here in Australia because it’s not something most of us will experience. But in Vietnam, it’s a real issue that affects thousands of young people,” said Duong.
After visiting Blue Dragon’s Hanoi headquarters with his family last year, he came face-to-face with the impact of his efforts.
“Meeting the kids there and seeing how different their lives were was eye opening. It made me even more motivated to keep walking and raising money,” he reflected .
This September, Williem will run a half-marathon alongside Do Duy Vi, Co-CEO of Blue Dragon and a former street kid who was once a shoeshine boy before meeting founder Michael Brosowski. Today, Vi helps lead Blue Dragon’s mission, which supports more than 40,000 people affected by human trafficking every year.
How is the travel industry walking the talk?
Since 2018, The Blue Dragon Walk has been The Intrepid Foundation’s flagship fundraising event. It has raised more than A$1.5 million, attracted over 5,000 walkers globally, and helped change more than 51,900 lives.
Intrepid Travel Co-founder Darrell Wade will complete his sixth marathon in six years in 2025, joined by CEO James Thornton and Blue Dragon founder Michael Brosowski, this time walking together in New York City.
“At a simple level, the dollars raised are critical for Blue Dragon to continue its work. Without them, rescues and prevention slow down. What makes this walk so powerful is that just $500 can rescue someone from trafficking. It’s not often you can have such a dramatic, direct impact on a person’s life,” said Wade.
The Intrepid Foundation covers all administration costs, so 100% of donations go directly to the cause
What’s the impact in dollars and change?
The Blue Dragon Walk isn’t just about walking—it’s about hope in motion. Each kilometre helps Blue Dragon in Vietnam rescue children and families from human trafficking, provide psychological care, keep children in school, and empower communities through training and micro-business support.
- $150 keeps a child in school for a year
- $350 helps a family start a livestock business
- $500 reunites a trafficking survivor with their family and supports their recovery
Ready to lace up for good?
Here’s your invitation to join the cause and make your own impact.
Join other fundraisers on organised walks in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hanoi, London, Singapore and Bangkok or complete your own walk anywhere in the world.
Choose a distance that challenges you. Join a team, or make your own way. Set your fundraising goals and then go the distance for Blue Dragon. And if September 14, 2025, doesn’t work for you, you can host your own walk!
- Form a team with your agency or company
- Join local walks in Brisbane, Sydney or Tasmania—or create your own
- Walk your way on 14 September—3km, 10km, 21km or 42km
- Register today at bluedragonwalk.org
