A heartwarming Lunar New Year for homeless people.

In the warm atmosphere of the Lunar New Year 2026 (Year of the Horse), at the Hanoi Social Work Center and Children's Protection Fund, homeless people living under bridges and in parks gathered to celebrate the New Year, deeply feeling the care and compassion of Hanoi.

Happy Lunar New Year reunion!

During the Lunar New Year holidays, the grounds of Facility 2 of the Hanoi Social Work Center and Children's Protection Fund (Dong Anh commune, Hanoi) are ablaze with the colors of peach blossoms, kumquats, and red flags with yellow stars... More than 100 homeless people being managed and cared for here are all delighted to celebrate the new year with many traditional dishes, receive New Year's greetings from the unit's leaders, and participate in cultural and sports activities to strengthen bonds of love.

Members of the Mobile Social Order Team are urging people living in public places to return to their families. Photo: Tran Oanh

Amidst the joy, many individuals were moved to tears as they recalled the days they slept on the streets before being brought to the Center. Nghiem Van Tien (born in 1991, from Lao Cai province) is one such case. Previously, Tien wandered the streets begging for money and was brought in by the Center's Mobile Social Order Team. After three months of care and supervision, the Center handed him over to his hometown, but just two days later, he returned to Hanoi to eke out a living.

The mobile social order team invited homeless people lying on outdoor benches in the cold to the center to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year). Photo: Tran Oanh

“I went back to my hometown but couldn't find a job, so I went to the Cau Giay area to beg for money. At night, I would huddle on a park bench, sometimes freezing to the bone. Then, the Mobile Social Order Team gathered me and took me to the Hanoi Center for Social Work and the Hanoi Children's Protection Fund. From the 29th of Tet (Lunar New Year), I was able to celebrate Tet with traditional dishes and a warm, family-like atmosphere. I also got to participate in volleyball and tug-of-war to improve my health. If I hadn't been brought to the Center, I don't know where I would be celebrating Tet right now,” Mr. Tien shared.

A homeless person huddled on the sidewalk was discovered by members of the Mobile Social Order Team and invited to the Center to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year).

Sharing the same plight as Tien, Mr. To Van Bao (from Thanh Hoa province) was also brought to the Center by the Mobile Social Order Team while wandering around begging for money in Co Loa commune. Mr. Bao shared: “At first, I was worried because I didn't know what it would be like at the Center. I received a health check-up, advice, and enthusiastic care from the staff, so I felt very reassured. The meals here are varied; in the morning there are instant noodles with meat, instant noodles with eggs...; lunch includes pork, chicken, and fish. The kitchen staff prepare the food to my liking, so I ate my whole portion and gained 2-3 kg. To prepare for Tet (Lunar New Year), we thoroughly cleaned our rooms and helped the staff decorate the grounds. Tet here is very joyful. I would like to thank the staff of the Center for their dedicated care and for organizing such a meaningful Tet celebration. I plan to return to my hometown after leaving the Center to find a job so that my wife and I can take care of our three young children.”

Bringing homeless people back to the center to celebrate Tet.

To ensure no one is left behind, the Hanoi Department of Health issued Official Letter No. 1139/SYT-BTXH dated February 5, 2026, regarding strengthening efforts to gather and receive homeless people during the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Horse 2026. The Department assigned its affiliated centers, including the Center for Social Work and the Hanoi Children's Protection Fund, to direct the Mobile Social Order Team to intensify patrols in areas where celebrations of the Party and the Spring Festival are taking place throughout the city.

Mobile Social Order Team officers draw up a handover report for individuals living in public places to the Department for Receiving, Managing, and Caring for Individuals.

At the same time, the Center coordinates with the Department of Culture and Social Affairs, the commune/ward police force, and other relevant units to promptly gather and receive people who beg for money; elderly people, children who have lost their families, and homeless people living in public places… for temporary management and care according to regulations.

According to Nguyen Van Trieu, Director of the Hanoi Center for Social Work and the Hanoi Children's Protection Fund, when gathering homeless people in general, especially those who beg for food and money, those who have lost their families, or homeless people living in public places, the Center has developed a specific plan to help these individuals receive attentive care and celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) at the Center in a warm and joyful atmosphere.

The Hanoi Center for Social Work and the Hanoi Children's Protection Fund organized a Tet (Lunar New Year) celebration for homeless people.

It was late at night, but Team Leader Nguyen Van Hai of the Mobile Social Order Team (Hanoi Center for Social Work and Children's Protection Fund) and his members were still going to areas under bridges, flower gardens, parks, and streets... to check and bring homeless people living in public places back to the unit. Nguyen Van Hai said: "We divided shifts to intensify inspections of people living in public places to gather them and bring them to the Center to celebrate Tet. During Tet, we maintained our schedule of checking, reviewing, and gathering homeless people, beggars, and those living in public places, and bringing them to the Center."

Homeless people get to celebrate Tet with many traditional dishes such as banh chung (sticky rice cake), nem ran (fried spring rolls), boiled chicken, gio lua (pork sausage), stir-fried celery with beef, etc.

To maximize operational efficiency, the Mobile Social Order Team has defined its assigned areas. For example, from before the Lunar New Year until the third day of the New Year, the team focuses on patrolling wards, especially those in the inner city; from the fourth to the sixth day of the New Year, they move to festival locations such as the Co Loa National Special Historical Site, Giong Temple, and the Temple of the Two Trung Sisters… Team members travel by car and motorbike to their assigned areas to conduct patrols and proactively check other communes and wards when they receive reports of wrongdoing.

During the Lunar New Year holidays, the center organizes games that attract many participants.

Initial results show that from February 14th to 17th, the team successfully gathered 5 individuals, bringing the total number of people under management, care, and support at the Center to 103. The implementation shows that the number of individuals this year is lower than in previous years because they had already been gathered at the Center, and through legal education and awareness campaigns, their understanding has improved. Simultaneously, the communes and wards have intensified their awareness campaigns and inspections, resulting in fewer individuals wandering around begging for food and money.

The participants played recreational volleyball amidst the cheers and encouragement of many people.

Bringing homeless beggars and those living in public places to the unit to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) 2026 is the task of the Hanoi Social Work Center and the Hanoi Children's Protection Fund. But it is also a profound expression of Hanoi's care for vulnerable individuals, bringing a reunion Tet to everyone so that no one is left behind.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/tet-am-ap-cua-nhung-nguoi-lang-thang-734069.html