Children with autism are keen to participate a Mid-Autumn Festival on September 13 held at HCM City’s Hồ Xuân Hương Sport Club. —  VNS Photo Gia Lộc

HCM CITY — More than 300 children with autism and 500 parents, caregivers and teachers participated in a Mid-Autumn Festival on Friday afternoon.

The event was hosted by Saigon Children’s Charity (saigonchildren) and the Vietnam Autism Network, with funds sponsored by CapitaLand’s philanthropic arm, the CapitaLand Hope Foundation.

The event was designed to help children step out of their comfort zones, connect with friends, learn new skills and enhance their community engagement.

Festival activities included art performances, lantern making, mooncake making, dragon dance and lantern parade.

These activities helped to enhance interpersonal skills for children with autism.

The children put on impressive performances as a gift for their parents and teachers and were excited to learn how to make colorful lanterns and mooncakes for the first time.

Parents, caregivers and teachers viewed this community event as an opportunity for them to share their experience, tips and methods for interacting with the children.

The programme was fully sponsored by funds raised from the "Step Up For Autism" campaign in April 2019 by saigonchildren in partnership with CapitaLand Vietnam, while other funds are to be allocated for future Early Intervention classes for children with autism, which are targeted to begin in January .

All contributions are part of the “Unlocking Hope” campaign dedicated to CapitaLand’s CSR efforts in Việt Nam. — VNS