Leaders of HCM City award certificates of merit to businesses, individuals, and organisations donating to the municipal Fund for the Poor. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Khu

HCM CITY — The HCM City Việt Nam Fatherland Front Committee has received more than VNĐ44.3 billion (US$1.8 million) donated to the municipal fund “For the Poor”.

The fund aims to ease the difficulties facing disadvantaged people in the city ahead of the 2024 Tết (Lunar New Year) holidays, which fall from February 8 to 14, 2024.

The specialised advisory and assistance agencies to the city Party Committee on Tuesday (October 30) organised a fundraising event and delivered the donated amount to the Permanent Committee of the municipal Việt Nam Fatherland Front Committee.

Trương Vĩnh Tùng, deputy chief of the Office of the municipal Party Committee, said the labour unions of the specialised advisory and assistance agencies of the city Party Committee had initiated a campaign to encourage officials, civil servants, public employees, and labourers in these agencies to donate one day's salary in support of the fund, contributing a total of VNĐ400 million ($16,210).

“This gesture exemplifies the sincere generosity of each person,” he said.

This initiative upholds the long-standing tradition of unity, compassion, and goodwill among local residents via practical actions in response to the action month "For the poor", while enhancing the quality of life for underprivileged, poor and near-poor households.

It plays a crucial role in effectively implementing the city's sustainable poverty-reduction programme in the 2021-25 period and contributes to the successful implementation of the national target programme on building new-style rural areas and developed urban areas.

Among outstanding donors, Sacombank donated VNĐ1 billion ($40,525) to the fund this year.

Phan Đình Tuệ, a member of the bank’s Board of Directors, said the bank contributed to the fund a total amount of VNĐ6.7 billion ($271,520) since 2020.

“This action is taken in response to the national programme named ‘the whole nation joins hands for the poor’, and promotes the tradition of solidarity, kindness, love and sharing,” he said.

Later that evening, the committee for mobilisation, management, and use of the For the Poor fund, in partnership with the Hồ Chí Minh Television (HTV), hosted the 22nd annual artistic exchange programme called "City of Compassion - Connecting Love 2023."

The artistic exchange program aims to mobilise resources through the "For the Poor" fund. This initiative is designed to support underprivileged, poor and near-poor households, and individuals living in difficult circumstances, as well as those affected by diseases and natural disasters. — VNS