Organisers of the ‘Strengthen Resilience of Vulnerable People in Viet Nam’ project hand over 1,000 gifts to disadvantaged families. 

HCM CITY — Bayer Vietnam, in collaboration with the Women’s Charity Association of HCM City, yesterday donated food and educational equipment to the vulnerable community in HCM City as part of the ‘Strengthen Resilience of Vulnerable People in Viet Nam’ project they initiated in January.

The handover function took place at the Cultural Center of District 11, and was attended by officials from the city administration, the district Women’s Union and WOCA and volunteers from Bayer Vietnam.

Some 300 needy households and children received the donated items.

The pandemic is gradually receding but has left a lasting impact on society. The number of households struggling to put enough food on the table spiked as its economic effects took hold.

The relief package from WOCA and Bayer, consisting of necessities such as rice, noodles, cooking oil, and spices, is expected to help mitigate hunger and hardships facing some communities in need.

The project has also provided 28 electronic tablets to children living in shelters to improve their access to educational materials.

Ingo Brandenburg, managing director of Bayer Vietnam, said: “At Bayer, we want to contribute to [create] a world where everyone has access to enough food and can live a healthy life.

“That is why we collaborate with many trusted partners in non-profit areas to support charitable activities and social projects. Recognising the current societal challenges in Việt Nam, Bayer continues to join hands with WOCA in offering relief measures, including philanthropic giving and volunteering, to disadvantaged groups to urgently reduce their burden and encourage them to stay optimistic and keep moving forward through tough times.

“With this, Bayer Vietnam once again underlines its commitment to contributing to society’s future viability in line with our vision of ‘Health for All, Hunger for None’.”

The ‘Strengthen Resilience of Vulnerable People in Việt Nam’ programme has so far donated 1,000 relief packages comprising essential needs, medical devices, medicines, learning equipment, and cash to vulnerable families in HCM City and Long An and Hậu Giang provinces, helping stabilise their lives and invest in their growth on their own terms.

Nguyễn Thị Huê, the association’s president, said: “WOCA is grateful that the programme has been completed successfully, easing the hardships faced by many families who are struggling to make a living.

“We deeply appreciate Bayer Vietnam’s efforts and contributions to this meaningful project and look forward to continuous collaboration on future community projects.

“Through this project, we hope that the goodwill and commitment of Bayer Vietnam to corporate social responsibility will be acknowledged and emulated by other businesses.”

A better future takes root in strong communities.

In line with its purpose of ‘Science for a better life’, corporate social responsibility at Bayer goes beyond charitable giving and includes its commitments to supporting initiatives that tackle the root cause of public issues and ideas with potential to make a lasting impact for change.

Thus, the company is building partnerships and implementing programmes to not only extend its hand in support, but also to expand its collective reach in building a better world for—and alongside—everyone.

In Việt Nam, Bayer has had a positive impact on the lives of local people through targeted strategic investments in science and education, healthcare, social needs, and community projects.

Besides the charitable project with WOCA, Bayer Vietnam also has a long history of partnerships with the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit to develop and promote the ‘Making Science Make Sense’ programme, a science, technology, engineering and math education initiative aimed at educating, engaging and inspiring the next generation of Vietnamese scientists, engineers, technologists and innovators.

Launched in 2020, ‘Better Farms, Better Lives’ is another initiative led by Bayer to strengthen the resilience of up to 80,000 smallholder farmers, whose livelihoods and welfare have been severely impacted by COVID-19 and climate change, by providing free ‘Better Life Farming’ care packages that are tailored to local needs.

The company has also invested efforts in raising awareness of disease prevention and treatment, and strengthening access to health solutions in local communities through various collaboration programmes and medical partnerships with government healthcare agencies and renowned hospitals across the country. VNS