HCM CITY – Around 15,000 people will take part in the annual Lawrence S. Ting Charity Walk on January 20 in HCM City, the organiser Phú Mỹ Hưng Development Corporation has announced.

The walk, which has been organised for the last 13 years, raises funds to support the disadvantaged.

It will begin at 6:30pm at the Crescent area in the Phú Mỹ Hưng City Centre in District 7 with the theme “Bước Chân Chia Sẻ” (Sharing Steps). It will be broadcast live on HTV.

Organisers said the walk this year would include many activities, including artistic performances and a lucky draw.

Participants who pay more than VNĐ120,000 (US$5) will receive a blue T-shirt, water bottle and one lucky-draw ticket.

The organiser hopes to raise VNĐ3.15 billion ($138,000) from the walk. Since 2006, the event has attracted a total of 182,000 people and raised nearly VNĐ29 billion ($1.27 million).

All of the money has been given to funds for the poor in District 7, District 8, Bình Chánh District and Nhà Bè District.

The money has been used to buy Tết presents for the poor, to build or upgrade houses, and for financial support.

The walk began in 2006 on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Phú Mỹ Hưng Development Corporation under the name of  “Phú Mỹ Hưng Marathon”.

In 2016, the name was changed to memorialise Lawrence S. Ting, the late president of the Central Trading and Development Group, who had contributed to the development of South Sài Gòn.

It is now a traditional event of the Phú Mỹ Hưng Development Corporation. VNS