SMS campaign supports residents in cold-hit localities

Hanoi (VNA) - A SMS campaign was launched in Hanoi on January 27, aiming to raise funds for poor people in remote, mountainous and border areas across the country, helping them overcome difficulties in the ongoing spell of cold weather.

Initiated by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC) and the National Humanitarian Portal, the campaign will take place from January 29-March 28.

Donors can give money by sending messages to the switchboard 1408. Each message will contribute 16,000 VND to the fund.

Many localities have experienced the strongest cold spell since the onset of winter from January 22 , which caused economic losses and directly effected the health of people.

Nearly 2,000 cattle were killed, while about 4,500 hectares of farm produce and over 200 hectares of short-term industrial crops were damaged during the last five days.

A club of female journalists in Hanoi donated warm clothes worth 150 million VND for people in the northern mountainous provinces of Lai Chau and Lao Cai.

VRC presented 100 million VND to authorities of Lai Chau, Lang Son and Lao Cai provinces to buy warm clothes for poor students, especially those from ethnic minority groups.

Many organisations, individuals, and enterprises have also contributed money, clothes and gifts to assist disadvantaged households in Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Lai Chau and Lao Cai, which were hardest hit by the cold spell.-VNA