The Vietnam Television’s “Vietnamese Heart” fund and the Lien Viet Post Joint Stock Commercial Bank (LienVietPostBank) will join hands to support disadvantaged individuals, households and localities across the country.

An agreement to this effect was signed in Hanoi on November 5, under which the two sides will seek prompt solutions to help the targeted beneficiaries.

It will focus on such fields as education, training, health care, social welfare, infrastructure and local development through a broad range of activities.

As many as 62 poorest districts nationwide will receive special assistance to get out of poverty in a sustainable manner, said Pham Van Quang, Chairman of the fund.

Carrying the message of “back for construction”, the agreement, which will last until 2015, is expected to serve as a bridge linking organisations, businesses and donors both at home and abroad in support of the poor, said Nguyen Duc Huong, Vice President of LienVietPostBank’s Management Board.

Initiated by the two sides in May 2008, a programme called “Returning home” has to date spent over 700 billion VND (32,900 USD) on charitable activities.

The sum has been used to build schools and heath centres, purchase medical equipment, present household utensils and provide relief aid to poor localities.

Since 2012, the Vietnam Television has aired the “Returning home” programme that gives an insight into the Government’s poverty reduction policies and projects on social welfare and poverty reduction.-VNA