Red Cross Society donates Tết gifts to the poor and Agent Orange victims in Điện Biên Province. — Photo VNRC

HÀ NỘI —  About VNĐ6.3 billion (US$272,000) has been donated by the public to buy gifts for poor people during Tết (Lunar New Year) Holiday.

This was announced by deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ, who is head of the Central Steering Committee for the National Programmes.

The money was donated via the web portal on the national humanity programme in 2018.

According to the deputy PM’s instructions, VNĐ5 billion (US$216,000) will be used to buy warm clothes for children in poor ethnic and mountainous communes while VNĐ1.3 billion (US$56,000) will buy audio-visual equipment for ethnic households.

The Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, and Ministry of Information and Communication in co-operation with the Việt Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) were assigned to complete the mission.

Yesterday, Nguyễn Thiện Nhân, a member of the Politburo and HCM City’s Party Committee Secretary visited and presented Tết gifts to leaders and people of the border district of Bến Cầu of Tây Ninh Province.

Nhân handed over VNĐ 500 million (US$21,500) raised by the city’s Party, Government and people to the province’s poor families.

Visiting and presenting gifts to 100 poor households and Agent Orange’s victims in Bến Cầu District, the Party leader expressed his gratitude to the local people who sacrificed their wealth and people for the national resistance wars.

On the same day, 100 cancer patients in the General Hospital of northern Phú Thọ Province received gifts from the Politburo member, Secretary of Party Central Committee (PCC) and Head of the PCC’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation, Trương Thị Mai.

During the visit, Mai appreciated the efforts of health workers to improve the process of medical examination and treatment as well as improve professional capability to meet health care needs.

She also expressed her sympathy with the difficulties and sorrows faced by the cancer patients.

In Hậu Giang Province, the PCC Secretary and VFF President Trần Thanh Mẫn visited and handed over Tết gifts to privileged and poor households.

Thanh handed over 50 gifts to workers of the Nhà Bè Garment Company. Each gift consisted of VNĐ1 million (US$43) in cash and other necessaries.

Hậu Giang Province’s Trade Union also gave 100 gifts to staff.

The VFF president conveyed his best wishes to the poor workers and appreciated the efforts of the local authority for taking care of their lives.

Thanh asked the province’s government to continue supporting employees, who contribute to the local economic development.

Visiting and presenting gifts to poor families in Thạnh Xuân Commune of Châu Thành A, the VFF president expressed his pleasure at the achievements of socio-economic development of the commune, especially in agricultural production.

Thanh presented gifts to the commune’s 100 poor households.

“Thạnh Xuân Commune should continue to implement agricultural restructure, transform plant varieties and animal breeds to bring high efficiency as well as promote the application of science and technology into agricultural production so people could get out of poverty,” said Thanh.

The province’s Fund for the Poor received VNĐ330 million (US$14,000) and VNĐ500 million (US$21,500) given by the VFF and HCM City’s VFF, respectively.

In the central province of Quảng Nam, thousands of poor workers in the townships of Điện Bàn, Duy Xuyên, Đại Lộc, Núi Thành, Thăng Bình, and Tam Kỳ city received gifts valued from VNĐ800,000 to 2.5 million (US$35 to $108).

The local trade union handed over 12 houses to workers at Điện Nam - Điện Ngọc and Đại Lộc industrial zones, and Chu Lai Open Economic Zone.

Duy Xuyên District’s Trade Union gave more than VNĐ3billion (US$130,000) as year-end bonus to the workers.

Meanwhile, Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) province of Lâm Đồng has raised VNĐ27 billion (US$1.1 million) to support poor people for Tết. – VNS