Delegates attend the first congress of the HCM City Child Protection Association for the 2025-30 tenure. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vũ

HCM CITY — The HCM City Child Protection Association set out key tasks to strengthen child care, protection and community-based support across the city at its first congress for the 2025-30 tenure on Tuesday (December 9).

Reporting to the congress, the association's chairwoman Lương Thị Thuận said the organisation has made significant efforts over recent years to care for and educate disadvantaged children, particularly through long-term humanitarian models.

One of its flagship initiatives is the Hoa Hồng Nhỏ (little rose) shelter which provides comprehensive care for girls aged eight to 18 who are at high risk, survivors of sexual abuse, or living in exceptionally difficult circumstances.

Some children have been supported until the age of 22, completing university with the association’s assistance.

“The model ensures safe accommodation, adequate nutrition, psychological support, healthcare, formal education, vocational training and healthy recreational activities.”

Beyond concentrated care at shelters, the association has implemented three key community-based projects: the Cầu Hàn project, the Tre Xanh Social Protection Centre, and a pilot project promoting the rights of children with disabilities in HCM City.

These initiatives focus on supporting vulnerable children in local communities while strengthening the capacity of local officials, teachers, social workers, volunteers, caregivers and parents.

The association has also worked with partners to establish school-based psychological counselling rooms that provide individual and group counselling, helping children cope with mental and emotional challenges.

In 2025, the association will expand its pilot project supporting children with disabilities in five wards of Chánh Hưng, Phú Định, Bình Thạnh, Thạnh Mỹ Tây and Gia Định; and upgrade the facilities of the Hoa Hồng Nhỏ Shelter to enhance community child protection activities.

It will also open a new child psychology counselling office.

A new two-year project worth more than VNĐ2.5 billion (US$98,400), funded by Capital Land, will begin this month to strengthen the association’s child protection programmes.

Since September 2024, the association has mobilised nearly VNĐ4.5 billion ($177,300) to implement multiple projects, including caring for at-risk girls at the Hoa Hồng Nhỏ Shelter, offering services to disadvantaged children at Tre Xanh Centre, operating the Cầu Hàn “class of compassion” for special-circumstance children, and delivering the pilot disability rights project for 2025-26.

Training and communication activities on preventing violence and abuse have reached hundreds of local officials, caregivers, parents and teachers.

These efforts have delivered tangible results: 111 disadvantaged students received scholarships worth nearly VNĐ180 million ($7,100); 85 poor children received medical care and health insurance cards worth more than VNĐ58 million ($2,300); and the association has maintained 10 English classes and six tutoring classes weekly.

In the 2024-25 school year, more than 98 per cent of children under the association’s care advanced to the next grade, with five entering university and three earning city-level academic excellence awards.

The HCM City Child Protection Association chairwoman Lương Thị Thuận presents the association’s priorities at its first congress. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vũ

For the new tenure, the association aims to strengthen cooperation within the network of child protection organisations, expand community-based child-friendly social services, and mobilise additional resources to reach newly expanded localities after administrative restructuring.

Planned initiatives include new support programmes for children with disabilities, LGBT children and those facing mental health challenges.

Nguyễn Tăng Minh, deputy director of the city’s Department of Health, thanked the association for its contributions, particularly the disability rights pilot project across five wards.

He also acknowledged ongoing challenges, such as increasing difficulty in fund mobilisation, limited financial capacity and expanded workloads following citywide administrative changes.

He urged the association to continue seeking stable funding sources, strengthen collaboration with universities to receive interns at its facilities, and maintain the sustainability of projects that directly benefit vulnerable children.

The congress also introduced the new executive committee for the 2025-30 term, with Lương Thị Thuận re-elected as chairwoman. — VNS