The Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association (VYEA) announced the sponsorship for 682 children orphaned by the COVID-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City in a program projected to cost more than VND100 billion (US$4.3 million) during a ceremony held on Tuesday afternoon. 

The signing and announcement ceremony of the sponsorship, which is part of a program co-organized by the Vietnam Women’s Union in Ho Chi Minh City, the VYEA, Phu Nu TPHCM (Ho Chi Minh City Women) newspaper, and other organizations, was attended by former Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh.

At the event, VYEA chairman Dang Hong Anh said that the association will strive to provide for the children until the age of 18 through various means, such as taking care of their personal needs, providing mentorships, and ensuring access to education and jobs.

In particular, the benefactors will give about VND2 million ($87) in monthly support to 16 children, who have been orphaned by the COVID-19 pandemic and are living in extremely difficult conditions, until they are 18 years old.

“In order to share a part of their losses as well as accompany the children on the way to overcome adversities, a helping hand from the community is crucial now,” Anh said.

Before that, the Vietnam Women’s Union in Ho Chi Minh City also gifted 318 children milk, necessities, and living expenses worth a total of more than VND650 million ($28,300).

In addition, 253 tablets worth over VND1.6 billion ($69,600) were also donated as learning tools to many students in need in the program.

Both the benefactors and beneficiaries shared their mixed feelings at Tuesday’s event.

“I was overjoyed to know that my children are receiving the sponsorship from the program,” said Luu Thi Ha, a 42-year-old resident of Tan Binh District who lost her husband during the COVID-19 infection peak in Ho Chi Minh City in August.

“Honestly, I’m struggling to take care of all of my three children."

Luu Thi Thanh Mau, CEO of Phuc Khang Corporation, one of the benefactors, expressed her hope that the sponsorship will help the children continue their journey toward the future in a stable way.

At the event, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee granted certificates of merit to several members of the VYEA, as well as other individuals and organizations for their recent contributions to the prevention and control of COVID-19 in the city.

Ho Chi Minh City has documented more than 496,100 COVID-19 infections since the fourth virus wave hit Vietnam on April 27.

The latest coronavirus outbreak in the southern metropolis has taken away the parents of 1,517 students, according to the municipal Department of Education and Training’s statistics announced in September.

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