Humanitarian Month kicked off in HCM City to encourage people giving

ABO/VNA – The Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross Society launched the Humanitarian Month, themed Humanity – From awareness to action, in the city on May 5 to inspire people’s kindness and sympathy and encourage them to give to charity.

Photo: VNA

The month-long campaign will run to May 31 as part of activities to mark the Red Cross and Red Crescent Day (May 8) – Everywhere for everyone.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice President of Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) Tran Thi Hong An urged the HCM City Red Cross Society to promote humanitarian values and the movement of good deeds, and provide effective humanitarian support for disadvantaged and vulnerable people in the community.

With about 4 million volunteers all over the country, the VRCS has been harvesting significant achievements for their cause, said Gianni Volpin, Head of Mission in Vietnam at the International Committee of the Red Cross. He mentioned the movement to send Tet gifts to the poor and Agent Orange victims as a highlight of the VRCS’s activities.

The movement was initiated in 1999, aiming to bring a warmer Tet, the Vietnamese traditional New Year, to poor people. It has been maintained and further expanded today.

Volpin also said that the VRCS is a leader in the country’s blood donation campaigns who has supported the establishment of blood banks and blood donation clubs. This effort has helped enhance the sense of responsibility among individuals and the entire society for blood donation, he noted.

At the event, a total of 42 billion VND was raised while a charity texting campaign was also launched to raise funds to support livelihood, production development, free medical checkup and medicine for impoverished fishermen.

Each message of BD sent to 1407 will contribute 20,000 VND (0.85 USD) to the fund. The campaign will run until June 26, 2018.

Last week, the Humanitarian Month was kicked off in Hanoi. During the opening ceremony, representatives of the U23 national football team donated 700 million VND (31,100 USD) through the Vietnam Red Cross to help AO victims and children with fatal diseases in Vietnam.

The Hanoi Red Cross Society also donated money to help two poor families building houses, handed over cows to three others and presented bicycles to 20 poor students with outstanding study results in the capital city.

VNRC has mobilised 557 billion VND (24.75 million USD) to support nearly 5.2 million poor families and Agent Orange victims over the past decade.

(Source: VNA)