Foreign and domestic donors have pledged VND34 billion ($1.79 million) for Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund, a foundation of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union for poor and well performing ethnic students, in 2010. The sum was mobilized from donors at a scholarship awarding ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on June 30, the Cong an Nhan dan newspaper reported Jul 2. At the ceremony, the organization board of the fund granted Vu A Dinh award to five outstanding collectives and 12 individuals at mountainous areas and ethnic minorities. It also presented 180 scholarships for excellent students. So far this year, Vu A Dinh fund has provided 5,000 scholarships worth between VND1 million and VND800,000 for students. Established in 1999, the Vu A Dinh fund has provided scholarships to more than 30,000 students who are children of ethnic minority’s families. The fund has also helped poor students in Laos and Cuba. With the assistance of domestic and foreign businesses, the scholarship fund has carried out numerous activities such as raising money for Operation Smile, building schools and houses for teachers in remote areas and supporting scholarships for poor students from 5th grade through university graduation.
