Scholarships given to southern children affected by COVID-19

Former Vice President Truong My Hoa, who serves as President of Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund and head of the “For beloved Hoang Sa and Truong Sa” club, presents scholarships to children affected by COVID-19. (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Some 130 scholarships havebeen presented to children affected by COVID-19 in southern Vietnam aspart of a joint programme by Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund and “For beloved Hoang Saand Truong Sa” club.

The scholarships, worth 6 million VND (263.1 USD) each, weregiven to children who lost a parent to COVID-19 and whose families in difficultsituation because of the pandemic during an event held in Ho Chi Minh City onDecember 30. Forty-eight of them were handed to those from HCM City, thehardest hit by COVID-19.

The worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hit HCM City earlier this year,turning lives of local residents upside down, addressed former Vice PresidentTruong My Hoa, who serves as President of Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund and headof the “For beloved Hoang Sa and Truong Sa” club.

Children were those hit the hardest by the pandemic, she said,noting that more than 2,200 children orphaned and tens of thousands of otherswhose families have been severely affected by the COVID-19. They need supportfrom the society to be able to get back to normal life and continue pursuingeducation, she said.

Despite struggling with COVID-19 difficulties themselves, membersof the ““For beloved Hoang Sa and Truong Sa” club have worked together with theVu A Dinh Scholarship Fund to provide aids to affected students, Hoa continued.

They have delivered some 3,000 gift packages to pandemic-hitstudents and families; and provided free ingredients for 30 volunteer kitchenswhich gave away thousands of free meals to people and frontline workers duringthe time HCM City was placed under social distancing order, she added.

She expected the scholarships, though small, can become asource of encouragement for the children in life. She pledged the two charitableorganisations will continue their fundraising mission to deliver morescholarships and carry out more projects to support needy children and vulnerablepeople affected by the pandemic.

Founded in 1999, Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund has so far awardedover 90,000 scholarships to ethnic minority students. Launched seven years ago,the “For beloved Hoang Sa and Truong Sa” club has presented nearly 20,000 scholarshipsto students whose parents are disadvantaged fishermen and naval soldiers andborder guards./.

VNA