Organisations and individuals were honoured at the event. — VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

HÀ NỘI — By May this year, women in the Vietnam People's Armed Forces had adopted, sponsored or provided tuition and living allowances for 983 orphaned children, including sponsoring 381 children until they reached 18.

This information was announced on Friday morning, when the Việt Nam People’s Army held a conference reviewing the achievements of the Mother Sponsorship programme since its launch in 2021.

At the conference, awards were also presented for a writing contest on the theme of warm, loving family meals.

The event was held in a hybrid format, linking the central venue in Hà Nội with nearly 70 points across the armed forces.

Lieutenant General Lê Quang Minh, deputy director of the General Department of Politics of the Việt Nam People’s Army, chaired the programme review conference. 

He praised the achievements of women in the armed forces, especially the groups and individuals, for the initiative, which has sown seeds of hope and helped fulfil the dreams of orphaned children.

The Army's Mother Sponsorship programme was carried out by women in the armed rorces with seriousness and creativity, aligned with the women’s emulation movements within the military.

It has spread a spirit of compassion, social responsibility and national traditions.

Women’s associations at all levels worked with Party committees, commanders, organisations and individuals to implement a variety of practical support measures, contributing to care for orphans in difficult circumstances.

Under the programme, they awarded 321 savings books, more than 3,700 gift packages, 406 scholarships and 377 bicycles; supported one child welfare centre; and built two shelters.

The total funds spent on the programme exceeded VNĐ8.2 billion (US$312,000).

For the 25th anniversary of Việt Nam Family Day on June 28, and to help raise awareness among officers and soldiers of the need to help build happy military families, the Armed Forces Women’s Committee proposed conducting a writing contest with a theme of warm, loving family meals, which was launched nationwide in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

After nearly two months, the contest received nearly 4,800 entries from across the armed forces.

Entries covered a wide range of topics, reflecting the value of family meals, the feelings of military families and traditional cultural values in contemporary life.

The organisers selected 45 outstanding entries for awards: three first prizes, five second prizes, seven third prizes and 30 consolation prizes.

Minh commended the individuals whose works were honoured in the contest.

He urged Party committees, commanders, political commissars and political organs at all levels to continue thoroughly implementing the Mother Sponsorship programme through diverse and creative forms, helping to spread humanitarian values, mutual support and the nation’s fine traditional cultural values.

The conference chair also called for adherence to the Party’s viewpoints and guidelines, State policies and laws and the leadership and direction of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence and the General Department of Politics on women’s work and women’s movements, family affairs, care, education and protection of children.

Agencies responsible for women’s work and women’s unions should also propose measures to build progressive, civilised, prosperous and happy families, and promote humanitarian values in the writing contest on family meals, building a safe, happy family environment as a firm foundation for protecting children.

He said that alongside material support, sponsorship groups and individuals should strengthen exchange and visitation activities and innovate networking so that sponsorships become genuine family bonds.

Women officers and members of the Vietnam People's Armed Forces should continue to uphold the fine tradition of Uncle Hồ’s soldiers, keep learning and training to meet the standards of 'Fortitude, Intelligence, Discipline, Humanity' and improve professional qualifications and digital skills to meet military and defence requirements in the new era.

They should strive for each member to be a shining example, a highlight in their unit and local community and for each military family to be a cultural family. — VNS