Hanoi (VNA) - The Hanoi Red Cross Association held a ceremony on May 5 to launch Humanitarian Month 2021, on the occasion of the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day (May 8).

With the theme “For a safe community”, the month-long event will feature practical activities to build a united, healthy, and safe community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chairman of the association Dao Ngoc Trieu said the event will help raise public awareness and sense of responsibility about the humanitarian work while creating a philanthropic emulation campaign among agencies and people from all walks of life.

He expressed his belief that activities held will help with poverty reduction and new-style rural development in localities.

On the occasion, the association also presented two houses, each worth 50 million VND (2,100 USD), to two poor households in Hanoi’s outlying districts of My Duc and Quoc Oai.

The organising board also handed over 20 bicycles and aid to 10 local families and students in need.

At the launch ceremony, the association received more than 11 billion VND in donations from its chapters and enterprises, which will be used to support 7,000-8,000 poor residents, build at least two humanitarian works, and repair 69 Red Cross houses.

As part of the event, a blood donation drive was also launched in Gia Lam district.

Piloted from 2018 to 2020, activities during the month have benefited more than 153,000 people and cost around 53 billion VND./.

VNA