Government agencies have come together in an effort to bring a happy lunar New Year (Tet) to disadvantaged people across the country ahead of the holidays.

Official representatives from the central province of Thanh Hoa on January 22 sent 105,000 Tet gifts from the state president to people who have rendered services to the nation. More than 45,000 gifts were also presented to poor families.

In the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang , the Vietnam Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank) handed over 200 houses worth 6 billion VND to poor families.

According to Nguyen Van Du, Vice Director General of Vietinbank, since 2010, the bank has offered over 50 billion VND to help ease difficulties for locals with more than 2,000 houses.

Meanwhile, leaders of the southern province of Ninh Thuan presented 55,260 Tet gifts to beneficiaries and poor people, as well as more than 19,000 gifts valued at 200,000 VND each to street children and those living in shelters.

In the the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, 450 Tet presents were given by local authorities to workers facing difficulties, while the provincial Federation of Labour also presented more than 1,000 gifts to struggling workers.

On January 22, Honourary Consul of the South African in Ho Chi Minh City , Do Thi Kim Lien, South African Ambassador to Vietnam Kgomotso Ruth Magau and representatives from the Ho Chi Minh City Police newspaper, handed over a new cultural house to local people at Phuc Thang ward, Vinh Yen city in northern Vinh Phuc province.

On the occasion, Lien also presented 20 Tet gifts to the elderly and war veterans in the locality.-VNA