"Compassion Spring" program gives Tet gifts to disadvantaged people (photo: VGP/Minh Trang)

Tran Thi Vang of Quang Phuoc commune, Thua Thien-Hue province, has prepared a lot of food for her family’s get-together during Tet. Vang said last year’s floods inundated the whole village and swept away her house. She had to stay with neighbors. With a donation of 50 million VND from philanthropists and relatives, she has been able to build a new house. “We couldn’t afford to build another house. Our children gave us some money and the government provided additional support to pay for materials and labor. We’re very happy to be welcoming Tet with our children in a new house.”

Mai Duong hamlet was isolated by flood. Aquaculture farmers were hard hit. With the government’s support and donations from kindhearted people, they have quickly stabilized their lives and repaired their houses.

Ha Van Tuan, Director of the Thua Thien-Hue provincial Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, said organizations and individuals have donated 7 billion VND and tens of thousands of gifts to help them enjoy a sufficient Tet. “All the people will have a sufficient and happy Tet. The province has distributed 1,500 tons of rice to people in flood-hit areas. Each poor household received 30 kg of rice. They also received Tet gifts from businesses and philanthropists.”

Continuous flooding for more than a month in Binh Dinh province destroyed 900 houses and left hundreds of families homeless. Kindhearted people and charity organizations raised 60 billion VND to help them repair their houses before Tet. Ho Quoc Dung, Chairman of the Binh Dinh provincial People’s Committee, said: “The money was used to repair or rebuild 900 houses and support production. People’s lives have returned to normal.”