The Steering Committee for Southwestern region has been sending out delegations to remote areas in the region to present gifts to disadvantaged people on the occasion of the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

The committee has raised 1.5 billion VND (70,500 USD) to buy around 2,000 gifts for poor families and social welfare beneficiaries in An Giang, Kien Giang, Dong Thap, Tien Giang, Long An, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces.

On the evening of the last day of the lunar year which falls on January 30, the committee will also hold a programme in Can Tho city to present gifts worth over 500 million VND to disadvantaged families in neighbouring localities such as Hau Giang and Vinh Long provinces.-VNA