Tet charitable activities nationwide

Northern Ninh Binh province has spent over VND1 billion (US$48,000) on gifts for local policy beneficiaries and war veterans and volunteers, in addition to presents provided by the State President.

On the occasion, poor families, low-income civil workers, families of soldiers stationed on islands and at border areas, and people living in social care centres received gifts worth between VND200,000 and 1.3 million (US$10 to 60) each.

The Women's Union in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho has also given over 350 gifts worth VND300,000 (US$14) each to women from poor backgrounds across the province, along with 50 gift packages containing bags and notebooks to disadvantaged primary students in Thot Not district.

The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh has raised VND12 billion (US$562,000) to provide financial support for disadvantaged households and beneficiary families, VND5 billion (US$234,000) of which came from the state budget with the balance donated by the province, numerous organisations and individuals.

According to the director of the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, VND8 billion (US$375,000) worth of gifts will be handed out to 28,000 local families of war veterans and martyrs, Heroes of the People's Armed Forces, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and Agent Orange/Dioxin victims.

Poor families, especially those living in remote areas and Khmer ethnic minority communities, also received gifts from the provincial People's Committee and Fatherland Front Committee.

The Southwest Steering Committee has presented gifts valued at VND1 million (US$47) to 100 families in the province as part of the programme 'Tet for the poor' and built 15 houses for families of on-duty military men at a total cost of VND600 million (US$28,000).

Meanwhile, central Phu Yen province has requested more than 271 tonnes of rice in governmental aid for the holiday to address food shortages following the long and severe drought that damaged 763 hectares of paddy fields last year.

(Source: Nhandan Online)