The year-long charity program entitled “Day for the Poor” 2011 has received over VND6.5 trillion from organizations and individuals both at home and abroad. Of the sum, VND1.15 trillion already went to the “Fund for the Poor” and VND5.34 trillion to social welfare projects, which helped upgrade over 73,000 houses for poor households, build thousand of infrastructural facilities, generated jobs, and aided children of poor households in pursuing study. The figures were released at a press briefing held in Hanoi on December 23, which announced that a live TV program “Noi Vong Tay Lon” (Joining the Great Fold) will take place in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on December 31 night. According to Ha Thi Lien, Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, the “Fund for the Poor” received over VND7 trillion from donors over the past 11 years. In the 2009-2011 period alone, the Vietnam Fatherland Front raised over VND13.2 trillion for social welfare programs. At the press briefing, Lien informed that the December 31 program will review the “Day for the Poor” program, honor outstanding donors and launch the “Day for the Poor” 2012. During the night, a number of hand-made products will be auctioned to raise fund for poor people. Information on to-be-auctioned products is available at www.mattran.org.vn [1]. (Nhandan.org.vn Dec 25)
