A live TV show entitled “The whole nation lends a helping hand to the poor” will be broadcast live on VTV3 from the Hanoi Friendship Palace on Wednesday night to launch “Month for the Poor”. The celebration will honor organizations and individuals, particularly businesspeople, who support disadvantaged people and poor communities through the Fund for the Poor and social security programs. The organizing board will announce its fund distribution plan.

The Ministry of Information and Communications has launched a nationwide campaign to raise SMS donations via National Humanitarian Portal 1400. The Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs cooperated with relevant agencies to organize a meeting to honour districts, communes, and households for poverty reduction from 2016-2020 and award journalistic works on poverty reduction.

Ho Chi Minh City’s TV on Thursday night will broadcast a performance by famous singers to raise money for the poor. Funds will be used to give out New Year’s gifts, organize vocational training courses, and build houses for the poor.

Trieu Le Khanh, Vice Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City’s Fatherland Front, said: “We have raised nearly 1.3 million USD. The Front has encouraged state employees to donate at least their salary for one work day. Many artists have participated to help mobilize donors for the city’s fund for the poor.”

Between October, 2000, and September, 2018, businesses, agencies, and individuals have donated 2.2 billion USD for the poor. The fund, together with the government budget, has built 1.5 million houses for poor people, given tens of millions of households money to develop production, provided scholarships for children, and helped children suffering extended hospitalization.