The movement “Tet for the poor and Agent Orange (AO) victims” launched by the Vietnam Red Cross (VRC) in 1999 has brought about practical results and become a beautiful characteristic in social lifestyle as well as becoming a traditional activity supported by the Party, State, enterprises and all classes of people. Over the past 16 years, the VRC has collected over VND3 trillion to assist the lives of nearly 14 million poor people and AO victims during the traditional lunar New Year festival (Tet). Notably, in the 2010-2014 period, nearly VND1.848 trillion was mobilized, or, on average, about VND369.5 billion each year, helping to support nearly 6.3 million poor people and AO victims during Tet. Of which, in 2014 alone, presents worth VND635 billion collected from 25.491 organizations and individuals and 6,408 enterprises was given to nearly 1.7 million poor and AO victims, or nearly a half of poor families across the country. The assistance has been of great significance for the poor and AO victims during the most important festivals of the country, especially for those who are in remote and ethnic minority-inhabited regions, as well as the families whose properties had been swept away in natural disasters. The movement has also helped to reveal the democratic and humanitarian characteristics of the country’s socialist regime, which was reflected by the care for poor and vulnerable groups of people in society and realization of humanitarian, equitable, democratic and advanced policies from the Party, State, organizations, individuals, enterprises, classes of people inside and outside the country. In recent years, the movement has received the direction and participation from Truong Tan Sang, State President and honorary President of the VRC as well as other Party and State leaders. During the 2015 lunar New Year, the movement targets over 1.1 million presents to help poor people and AO victims have a better Tet festival. (Dangcongsan Jan 2)
