HCM CITY — Many underprivileged students with challenging circumstances in Quảng Bình Province and Long An Province have been provided with brand-new bicycles to reduce the travel time to schools as the new school year begins.

Recently, the Council of Quảng Bình Compatriots in HCM City organised the Fujiwa Cup - Thăng Long Fire Prevention and Fighting Tennis Tournament to raise charitable funds in support of the "Bicycles of Love - Going to School Together" programme initiated by the Standing Committee of the Quảng Bình Province Youth Union.

The programme was hosted on August 19, with the participation of relevant authorities.

A total of 102 bicycles, worth over VNĐ150 million, were given to underprivileged students facing difficult circumstances, especially those in districts Lệ Thủy, Tuyên Hoá, Bố Trạch, Minh Hoá, Quảng Ninh, Quảng Trạch; Ba Đồn Town; and Đồng Hới City.

The program has received attention from the public, who joined hands to help disadvantaged children overcome challenges before the new school year.

According to Lê Thị Ngọc Hà, Deputy Secretary of the Standing Committee of the Quảng Bình Province Youth Union, thousands of underprivileged children in the province have gained motivation and confidence to attend school thanks to support from relevant authorities and the public.

As the new school year 2023-2024 approaches, the new bicycles are meaningful gifts personally handed to students across the province, she said.

Long An

To contribute to shortening the time traveling to school for students, the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs of Long An Province this month organised the donation of many bicycles to students facing difficult circumstances.

This is an annual scholarship programme from the Dream Bicycle Fund initiated by Bảo Việt Life Insurance Corporation in collaboration with the Vietnamese Children's Fund, with an aim to support children’s lives.

Accordingly, the sponsors will provide practical gifts to motivate the students to strive for a better life and become contributors to societal development.

In 2023, over 5,000 bicycles from the Dream Bicycle Fund have been donated by Bảo Việt Life Insurance Corporation to diligent students across the nation.

In Long An alone, on April 28, 2023, the company donated 100 bicycles to outstanding local students, encouraging their efforts to excel and achieve good academic performance.

According to statistics of the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, Long An Province has over 365,100 children under 16 years old, accounting for 18 per cent of the total population.

Among them, nearly 2,800 children have special circumstances, over 12,400 children are at risk of facing special circumstances, and over 600 children face different circumstances such as accidents and injuries.

Currently, the province has 176 migrant children from Cambodia living on its territory; 1,488 orphaned children, of which 152 are without both parents and living with relatives, 141 orphaned children affected by COVID-19 living with relatives, and the rest are children orphaned by either their father or mother.

Phan Thị Nguyệt, Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs of Long An, shared that in recent times, many philanthropists have actively engaged in meaningful activities, contributing both materially and spiritually to the care of underprivileged children in the area.

These actions hold immense significance, not only for the children but also for the overall educational efforts of the region.

Today's bicycles serve as rewards for the children's efforts throughout the past academic year, while also acting as motivation for them to continue their studies and become valuable members of their families and society, she said.

In the future, provincial authorities will further collaborate with other parties to develop appropriate programmes and policies that comprehensively nurture the development of underprivileged children, opening up a bright future for them. - VNS