A total of VND52.433 billion ($2.5 million) was raised to support needy households in Hanoi at the launch of the campaign “Days for the Poor” Month on October 15. The campaign, which lasts until November 18, is to call for more people to join hands in helping the needy people. More than 30,000 houses have been built and repaired for needy families thanks to financial assistance from the city’s Fund for the Poor for the past 14 years, while the figure in the first nine months of 2014 was 500. In 2013, the Fund mobilized VND45.121 billion ($2.15 million) to help build, repair more than 700 houses, to provide over 5,000 scholarships and financial assistance to the poor for medical check-ups and production. Additionally, many businesses have donated hundreds of billions of VND to social welfare programs such as construction of schools, community houses and roads. The city currently has 45,732 poor households and 43,718 near-poor ones, accounting for 2.66% and 2.55% of its population, respectively. (vietnamplus.vn Oct 16)
