The Vietnam Fatherland Front in Ho Chi Minh City announced at a conference on April 3 that the city has set a target of mobilising at least 30 billion VND for its fund “For the beloved Truong Sa – For Vietnam’s frontline” to help officers and soldiers serving in border and island areas.

With the amount, the committee will work with relevant agencies to build a primary school in Song Tu Tay island and offer water tanks to the marine defence platform DK1 and canoes to the naval service on the island.

Colonel Nguyen Hai Trieu from the Naval High Command in the southern region said he hopes the programme will be expanded to other localities across the country in the future.

In 2013, the city front’s fund raised nearly 23 billion VND, used to improve officers and soldiers’ living conditions in border and island areas nationwide.

On the occasion, the fund presented seven scholarships worth five million VND each to demobilised naval soldiers, while honouring 62 units and 18 individuals who made outstanding achievements in calling for donations for the fund in 2013.-VNA