A scholarship is given to a student during a fundraising event in Đà Nẵng. More than 200 poor students have received scholarships from the event since 2018. — Photo courtesy Nguyên Khôi

ĐÀ NẴNG — Eleven scholarships worth VNĐ22 million (nearly US$1,000) from donors and journalists were handed over to underprivileged students at colleges and schools in the central city last week.

Representatives of the city’s Journalists Association, Phan Hoàng Phương, said the Lovely morning coffee, a charity fundraising programme, has received VNĐ1.2 billion ($52,173) from donors, businesses, local people and journalists since 2018. A fund of VNĐ918 million ($40,000) from the programme has been given to 223 poor students and patients to support them with education and hospital fees.

Phương said the association had raised VNĐ568 million ($25,000) to support doctors and medical staff during social distancing orders for the prevention of COVID-19.

She said a coffee morning on June 20 raised VNĐ44 million from donors, providing more scholarships for poor students.

The coffee morning, which was initiated by the association, is hosted on the first Saturday morning every month, calling for financial support from the community to help poor students.

Also in charity activities in the city, a donation of rice, vegan instant noodles, vegan foods, milk, dish-washing detergent and fabric softener valued at approximately VNĐ47 million (more than $2,000) was given to orphans at Quang Châu Pagoda in Hòa Vang district last week.

The donation was made in co-operation between the Lifestart Foundation and the Đà Nẵng Union of Friendship Organisations during series one of the Emergency Relief Distribution Days.

A donation of food and household supplies is given to orphans living in Quang Châu Pagoda in Đà Nẵng city. The donation by Lifestart Foundation and Karma Foundation is to help support 130 orphans at the pagoda. — Photo courtesy Lifestart Foundation

The funds were raised by Lifestart Foundation and Karma Foundation.

Karen Leonard, founder of Lifestart Foundation, said: “We hope the provision of this aid will not only help to support the daily life of these orphans but also help them to overcome difficulties caused by COVID-19.”

In May 2020, Lifestart Foundation delivered 160 gift parcels valued at more than VNĐ120 million ($5,200) to 160 disadvantaged students whose families had been affected by COVID-19 in Hội An and Điện Bàn town in Quảng Nam Province and Thừa Thiên-Huế Province.

Lifestart Foundation is going to continue the Emergency Relief Distribution Days for disadvantaged students in Hội An, Duy Xuyên and mountainous areas in Quảng Nam Province.

Household supply distribution is only one of the many community activities by Lifestart Foundation. Founded in 2000 by an Australian named Karen Leonard and supported by a team of dedicated volunteers, Lifestart Foundation is a grassroots, not-for-profit charity that helps disadvantaged Vietnamese families become self-sufficient. This is achieved through their two largest projects, Education Scholarships for disadvantaged students and their Housing Improvement project.

Lifestart Foundation’s investment in disadvantaged youth of central Việt Nam is in excess of VNĐ16 billion (approximately AU$1,000,000, or US$688,000). — VNS