Our Founders

Improve Their Lives was founded by Mark Kosir and Thai Luu, shaped by their shared belief that meaningful change often starts with small, practical actions.

Their inspiration comes from their travel and firsthand experiences seeing how limited access to basic resources can affect children and families. Prior to Improve Their Lives, Mark founded #BringASmile to Cambodia, a project focused on teaching English to local children to help improve their long-term opportunities.

Mark was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, by immigrant European parents. Thai was born in Vietnam and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1991, settling first in Chatham, Ontario before moving to Toronto. Both were raised by hardworking parents who juggled multiple manufacturing and hospitality jobs to make ends meet, instilling values of perseverance, generosity, and appreciation from an early age.

Outside of their professional careers, Mark and Thai have consistently sought ways to support communities experiencing poverty - whether by buying a meal, helping a family with groceries, or bringing school supplies and essentials to orphanages and shelters during their travels. These experiences shaped their belief that help should be practical, respectful, and direct.

That belief is also why Improve Their Lives operates with a clear commitment to transparency. 100% of public donations are directed to the cause. All administrative and operating costs are personally covered by them so donors can donate with confidence, knowing their support is used exactly as intended.

For Mark and Thai, this isn’t about scale or recognition - it’s about doing the right thing, responsibly.