The year-long charity programme entitled “Day for the Poor” 2011 has received over 6.5 trillion VND from organisations and individuals both at home and abroad.

Of the sum, 1.15 trillion VND already went to the “Fund for the Poor” and 5.34 trillion VND to social welfare projects, which helped upgrade over 73,000 houses for poor households, build thousand of infrastructural facilities, generated jobs, and aided children of poor households in pursuing study.

The figures were released at a press briefing held in Hanoi on Dec. 23, which announced that a live TV progamme “Noi Vong Tay Lon” (Joining the Great Fold) will take place in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on Dec. 31 night.

According to Ha Thi Lien, Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, the “Fund for the Poor” received over 7 trillion VND from donors over the past 11 years.

In the 2009-2011 period alone, the Vietnam Fatherland Front raised over 13.2 trillion VND for social welfare programmes.

At the press briefing, Lien informed that the Dec. 31 programme will review the “Day for the Poor” progamme, honour outstanding donors and launch the “Day for the Poor” 2012.

During the night, a number of hand-made products will be auctioned to raise fund for poor people. Information on to-be-auctioned products is available at: www.mattran.org.vn./.