New Zealand donates fruits, milk to underprivileged in Ho Chi Minh City
Monday, July 10, 2023, 10:53 GMT+7
The Consulate General of New Zealand in Ho Chi Minh City has donated 2.7 metric tons of apples, 25 boxes of kiwi, and 420 liters of milk to underprivileged individuals at Maison Chance in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City.
The donation was made by ten leading fruit and dairy product exporters from New Zealand.
The newly-appointed New Zealand Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Scott James, presented the donation to the disadvantaged children, people with disabilities, and their families living at Maison Chance on Thursday last week.
Answering Tuoi Tre News, James expressed his appreciation for the charity’s work in the community with underprivileged children and families.
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| New Zealand Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Scott James gives fruit to people with disabilities at Maison Chance in the city's Binh Tan District. Photo: Ngoc Duc / Tuoi Tre News |
He said that it was heartening to see them talk about being a big family.
The diplomat added that New Zealand is lucky to have an abundance of these products and that they hope the recipients would enjoy the fruit and dairy products.
James also talked about returning to Vietnam in a new position.
“I’ve been to Vietnam as a tourist twice and I really enjoyed my time here. The last time I was here was about 11 years ago, and the first thing that struck me upon returning was the change,” he said.
“The country has really developed and moved forward. The skyline has changed. The buildings have become bigger.
"But the thing that hasn’t changed is the people. Everybody has been very warm and friendly to me and my family. We’re really looking forward to the next few years."
James has held the position for about three weeks.
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| Scott James (L, sitting) poses for a photo with employees of Maison Chance and the donators in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Duc / Tuoi Tre News |
According to Dinh Cong Duy, an employee at Maison Chance who has lived there since 1999, this was the second year the complex had received gifts from New Zealand.
This showed the trust and understanding of the Consulate General of New Zealand in Ho Chi Minh City for this special place.
In addition to the donation to Maison Chance, the New Zealand Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate General of New Zealand in Ho Chi Minh City will also donate fruit and milk portions to three other charities, including a charity that provides free surgeries for children and teenagers with facial deformities called Operation Smile, the Vinacapital Foundation, and a non-governmental organization that rescues children from sex trafficking and forced labor named Blue Dragon.
The donations amount to 350 boxes (around seven metric tons) of fruit and 1,000 liters of milk.
'Lucky village' for the less fortunate
Maison Chance is a complex consisting of dormitories, schools, and vocational training schools for disadvantaged children, the disabled, and their families.
This complex is part of the Maison Chance Foundation, founded in 1993 by the Swiss social activist Aline 'Tim' Rebeaud.
Over 30 years, the 'small villages' of Maison Chance have not only provided homes but also medical care and educational opportunities to many orphans, poor children, people with disabilities, and their families.
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