Godmothers sponsor an orphan in Quảng Trị Province. — Photo ktdt.vn

QUẢNG NGÃI — Although without regular family homes, orphans in Quảng Ngãi Province are still protected and loved by their 'godmothers.'

Dreams of a bright future are being nurtured by the Godmother programme launched by the Việt Nam Women's Union in the central province.

The godmothers are opening their arms with love and becoming the spiritual support for orphans and disadvantaged children.

Phạm Thị Lý Luận, 12, in Trường An Village, Ba Thành Commune of Ba Tơ District, is one of many disadvantaged children in the province getting assistance from the programme.

Born without knowing who her father was, a few years later, Luận lost her mother, who died from a lightning strike while working in the fields.

For many years, the girl lived with her poor grandmother. Every day, Luận’s grandmother had to do many manual jobs to feed her.

Since last year, Luận and her grandmother’s life has been less difficult when the Godmother Programme offered them a monthly stipend of nearly VNĐ200,000 (US$8).

Although the money is not much, the programme’s members regularly visit and monitor Luận’s health and situation.

Luận’s grandmother said: “No matter how poor I am, I have to try to raise my grandchild because she has no other relatives.”

“I am old and weak, fortunately, there is the Godmother Programme to help. If not, I probably would not have enough money to send her to school."

Another child who is supported by the programme is Nguyễn Thị Thanh Tuyền, 9, in Đức Chánh Commune of Mộ Đức District.

Tuyền’s mother died from COVID-19. Her father often goes out to sea fishing for a long time, returning only a few times a year. Most of the time, she lives with her grandparents, who are old and poor.

The girl lives with the pain of losing her mother and missing her father.

Sympathising with her situation, since earlier this year, the district’s women’s union has sponsored Tuyền.

Along with a monthly subsidy of VNĐ300,000 ($13), the union’s members take turns to visit and help her do homework.

“Tuyền is like our child. We try our best to help her overcome the pain and continue going to school,” said Nguyễn Thị Minh Trang, the union’s chairwoman.

“The current monthly support amount is too small. We also want to connect with more sponsors to make Tuyền's and her grandparents’ life less difficult.”

Đinh Thị Bảo Quyên, 7, in Long Hiệp Commune of Minh Long District, has received support from the programme for more than a year. She became an orphan when she was 4 years old.

Along with the monthly subsidy, the women in the commune also regularly donate books, school materials, milk and cakes.

Đinh Thị Bó, vice chairwoman of the Long Hiệp Women’s Union, said that before sponsoring children under challenging circumstances, the union checked and reviewed the specific circumstances of the children.

In the case of Quyên, the union will sponsor her until she finishes 5th grade.

Since earlier this year, Minh Long District’s union has sponsored eight children.

Đinh Thị Nghiêng, vice chairwoman of Minh Long’s women’s union, said that there were many children in difficult circumstances but because the people here were still poor, the financial support was modest.

“But we have many ways of supporting such as offering a monthly stipend, buying study materials, donating rice and food, visiting, tutoring and teaching cooking,” she said.

The fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic left serious consequences, especially for children.

Many children suddenly became orphans. The pain of losing parents is a big shock. Nothing can make up for it.

In addition, there are also many cases of disadvantaged children, such as their parents or caregivers losing their ability to work.

The Godmother Programme launched by the Việt Nam Women's Union aims to support and raise orphans due to the pandemic and children in difficult circumstances, helping ease their pain and loss.

The programme started in Quảng Ngãi Province in November last year.

Currently, 280 out of 1,510 orphans in the province are sponsored by the programme.

The children are provided monthly financial support until adulthood. In addition, they are also given books, school supplies, milk and clothes.

So far, the total amount of money raised for the children is about VNĐ400 million ($17,000).

Huỳnh Thị Sương, vice chairwoman of the provincial women’s union, said that the fund for the programme was mainly from scrap collection and the contribution of members and sponsors.

"The programme not only offers financial assistance, care, and encouragement but also helps unlucky children continue to fulfil their dreams on the path of study to become valuable people for society as well as complete the programme’s goal of taking care of orphans and ensuring no child is left behind," Sương said. — VNS