Workers are getting on a free coach to return home for Tet holiday. (Photo: VNA)Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Up to 4,388 free coach tickets and thousands of gift packages, worth 4.9 billion VND (218,640 USD), were given to disadvantaged workers in an annual charity programme in Ho Chi Minh City on January 21.
The event, namely “Tam ve nghia tinh” (Tickets with love), was organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Federation of Labour in industrial parks and export processing zones across the city to help these workers return home for the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.
Some 445 local companies have sponsored home-coming tickets for more than 30,300 workers, worth 13 billion VND (580,060 USD), thus far, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Federation of Labour Nguyen Van Khai said.
Many of the benefiting workers could not afford tickets and have spent Tet holidays away from their families for 3-4 years in a row.
After eight years, the programme has handed approximately 135,700 tickets to underprivileged workers, who could not afford coming home for Tet in three consecutive years, at a total cost of 75 billion VND or 3.35 million USD.
This year, many firms will organise free bus trips for their workers to return home before the holiday while trade unions across the city presented gifts and traditional foods to workers in need.
Government offices, State-owned companies and schools will close from February 6-14 for Tet, the biggest holiday in the country.-VNA
