Rohan's Story
Rohan Samara’s life began in the shadow of war. As a baby, he was evacuated from Vietnam in 1975 during Operation Babylift, a humanitarian mission that rescued thousands of orphaned and displaced children. Severely malnourished and packed into a cardboard box, Rohan was flown to Australia and adopted by a Canberra family. Though he grew up surrounded by love, the mystery of his origins remained a defining part of his identity.
His search for answers led him back to Vietnam decades later, where he visited the orphanage he once lived in and met a nun who remembered him. Through DNA testing and international outreach, Rohan eventually connected with a fourth cousin—another adoptee—marking his first meeting with a blood relative in nearly 50 years. This emotional milestone deepened his commitment to helping others on similar journeys.
Rohan’s personal story has evolved into a mission of service. He founded Sowing Seeds of Hope, a charity that supports vulnerable communities in Vietnam. The organization provides essentials like food, clothing, and medical supplies, and helps reconnect families separated by war through DNA testing and outreach. In 2025, Rohan joined fellow adoptees on a 260-kilometre cycling fundraiser across Vietnam, raising $30,000 and distributing hundreds of care packages to families in need.
Through his work, Rohan bridges past and present—honouring his roots while creating opportunities for others to heal, reconnect, and thrive. His story is one of resilience, compassion, and the enduring power of hope.
While searching for his birth parents in Vietnam, Anne and Rohan travelled to Cambodia and it was there that Rohan discovered that although he was found in a box in Vietnam, he in fact looks Cambodian. Roh’s journey continues today as he learns more about his background and the history and culture that shaped him.
Over the years, Rohan and Anne have organised charity trips to raise funds to support people living in poverty by delivering food parcels, building infrastructure, supporting education initiatives, and providing essential food supplies.
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How Sowing Seeds of Hope began....
In 2024 a group of like-minded compassionate people joined a 2-week trip to Cambodia. 18 people who knew others or didn’t know a soul, all came together with the same purpose, to make a difference.
Participants on the tour experienced first-hand the benefits of building toilets and showers and the difference it makes to villages, their families and especially children. Participants also visited not for profit schools where children, without these schools cannot access education. They prepared food and served it the children and there is always a bit left over to take home.
During a trip to see the elephants, the group chatted about turning this great initiative into a charity. So, there we began the task of getting a board together, writing the constitution, applying for incorporation, registration with the ACNC and deductible gift recipient status. The name Sowing Seeds of Hope was chosen because Hope is Roh’s adopted mothers name and we aim to sow the seeds in a practical and meaningful way and give back hope.
“Hope grows when we choose to give back,” says Rohan. “Sowing Seeds of Hope is about turning compassion into action.”
