President Truong Tan Sang has hailed the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) for its assistance to the underprivileged, with over 1.5 trillion VND (731,000 USD) going to nearly 12,800 living in need in the first half of this year.

It is philanthropists at home and abroad who have also lent a hand to the cause, acknowledged the State leader Sang, who is also VRCS Honourable Chairman at a Hanoi working session on July 15 to review the VRCS’s six-month performance and launch its tasks for the rest of this year.

He expressed hope that the VRCS will continue its good job to reach all of its goals for this year.

President of the VRCS Central Committee Nguyen Hai Duong reported that 1.7 million poor households and Agent Orange (AO) victims have received relief worth 635 billion VND (30.2 million USD) during the period.

In a drive to help farmers in poor and mountainous districts, over 3,000 cows valued at around 33 billion VND (157,000 USD) were offered to them.

In 11 northern border provinces, 24,000 cows for needy farming families were bought with funds raised from subscribers to Viettel telecom services.

Between now and the year’s end, the VRCS will continue its help to the poor, farmers, and AO victims via humanitarian activities such as blood donation and medical treatment.-VNA