Early January 20, at the Center for Convention and Exhibition, Binh Duong provincial People’s Committee coordinated with Binh Duong provincial Vietnamese Fatherland Front Committee and Binh Duong provincial Red Cross to organize the program of “Tet for the poor – Lunar New Year 2021” and the pink spring festival 2021.
Vo Van Minh, permanent Deputy Secretary of Binh Duong provincial People’s Committee cum Chairman of Binh Duong provincial People’s Council presents gifts to people of difficulties
Attending the program was Tran Van Nam, member of CPV’s Central Committee cum Secretary of Binh Duong provincial NA Delegation and honorable Chairman of Binh Duong provincial Red Cross, Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu, Chairwoman of Central Vietnamese Red Cross, Vo Van Minh, permanent Deputy Secretary of Binh Duong provincial People’s Committee cum Chairman of Binh Duong provincial People’s Council, Nguyen Van Loc, member of Standing Committee cum Head of Mass Mobilization of Binh Duong provincial Party Committee and Chairman of Vietnamese Fatherland Front Committee, and officials of departments, unions, localities, and charitable drives. The participation into the event was also accounted for over 600 people of poverty and hardship, disability, Agent Orange victims, workers being far from home and over 1,000 blood donators.
A warm spring
From 7:00 A.M., the atmosphere at the lobby of the Exhibition and Convention Center has started to warm up by the hearts of volunteers participating in the Pink Spring Festival 2021. The propaganda and active mobilization of all levels of the Red Cross Association, localities, related agencies, mass organizations and volunteers, this year's Pink Spring Festival has been known to all classes of people who also registered to participate in blood donation. Do Hong Son, a student at the University of the People's Police (Ho Chi Minh city) is currently under an internship at a unit in the province, but when he learned about this meaningful activity, he registered to participate. “The donation of blood to save people is very noble. Voluntary blood donation will contribute to help the sick in difficult circumstances,” said Son.
At the blood donation area, Nguyen Thanh Phu, Deputy Secretary of Ben Cat Youth League has just donated blood. His said, at the 14th blood donation, with a smiling face: “By the information I know, the current amount of blood supplied to the emergency room and hospital treatment is still lacking. If we are young, we need to participate in blood donation regularly to share with patients in need of blood,” said Phu.
Ph.D., M.D. Nguyen Hoang Oanh, Deputy Director of Cho Ray Hospital Blood Transfusion Center (Ho Chi Minh city), informed that the amount of blood for emergency and treatment at medical facilities is always lacking. In 2020, the Covid-19 epidemic has greatly affected blood donation activities as many blood donations in localities had been postponed or disorganized, causing a lack of blood reserves. Therefore, the voluntary blood donation activities are always of great significance, contributing to bringing a clean source of blood to help patients in need of blood. “The Pink Spring Festival 2021 that Binh Duong organizes is one of the meaningful activities in the first days of the New Year. The blood donated by volunteers in this festival will bring warmth, vitality and happiness to many people,” said Oanh.
The spreading of love
In order to help the poor and disadvantaged people have a full and warmer traditional Tet holiday, under the direction of the Central Vietnam Red Cross and the provincial Red Cross, the campaign of "Tet for the poor and victims of Agent Orange" has been widely organized in the province. Nguyen Thi Le Trinh, Chairwoman of Binh Duong provincial Red Cross, said that the program has received the support and sharing of hundreds of organizations, businesses and benefactors inside and outside of the province to gain a total donation of more than VND 24 billion.
By this support, in recent days, Binh Duong provincial Red Cross has coordinated with the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, the Red Cross societies at all levels, departments, mass organizations and philanthropists to organize many gift visits to poor people, people in difficult circumstances, people with disabilities, Agent Orange / dioxin victims, and workers working far away from their hometowns having difficult circumstances in the above localities. The provincial authority has more than 3,800 Tet gifts of over VND 6 billion for the program of "Tet for the poor – Lunar New Year 2021". These gifts are not only material care but also of spiritual values to bring spring warmth and multiply joys of love and sharing in life.
Invited to join and receive gifts from the program of "Tet for the poor – Lunar New Year 2021", Nguyen Thi Em, a poor person in Thuan Giao ward, Thuan An city, said: “This gift I will bring home to save for Tet decoration and I will use the cash to buy the missing things and save a bit for when in need. I am really thankful to the leaders at all levels and the Red Cross for always paying attention to my difficult situation through time as well as during this Tet holiday. Thanks to such care, in this Tet, my family will be happier and have a more Tet like”.
Over the past years, the movement of "Tet for the poor and victims of Agent Orange" has become a beauty in social life, attracting the participation and support of many organizations, businesses and individuals in and outside of the province. For this year's program, in order to continue promoting the Vietnamese traditions and arousing love so that the strength of solidarity, benevolence is constantly spreading and resonating in society, Nguyen Thanh Truc, Deputy Chairman Binh Duong provincial People's Committee requested all levels, sectors, and especially the Red Cross should coordinate more closely to implement the humanitarian and social security programs in 2021 with focus on helping and continuing the conference, force and create conditions for poor households, people with disabilities, and Agent Orange victims to rise in life and reduce poverty sustainably.
Reported by Hong Thuan – Translated by Vi Bao
