As the Lunar New Year Festival (Tet), the biggest and longest traditional festival in Vietnam, is approaching, the Hanoi Red Cross Society organised its annual charity market programme on January 4, providing support to 2,000 people.
Marking its third consecutive year, the initiative was carried out with a total budget of 1.6 billion VND (62,930 USD). Each participant received a 600,000 VND voucher to shop for essentials, and participated in activities like making banh chung (Vietnam’s traditional square glutinous rice cake), having free haircut, and joining folks games.
The municipal Red Cross plans to host 33 similar markets across the city and distribute 67,000 Tet gift packages worth 33 billion VND to the poor, disabled, and other vulnerable groups.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyen Hai Anh, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) Central Committee, said providing support for policy beneficiary families, the poor, those facing hardships, and communities in remote areas, border regions, and islands is a key policy consistently prioritised by the Party and State. This effort has garnered active engagement from the entire political system and the community at large, reflecting the nation’s tradition and ethical principle of mutual assistance and compassion.
As part of its nationwide Tet campaign, the VRCS aims to assist at least 1.2 million needy people, individuals with disabilities, and families affected by natural disasters, with total aid amounting to over 700 billion VND./.
