Month of Compassion

People with disabilities receive gifts from Phuc Lam Pagoda (Bien Hoa City). Photo: S. Thao

This charitable house is one of many humanitarian activities taking place in the province over the past two weeks and will continue until the end of May - Humanitarian Month, which is also the key period for building sturdy houses for the poor, near-poor, and disadvantaged families implemented by the province.

Focus on building and renovating sturdy houses.

According to Nguyen Thi Phuong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Cam My District, the district started construction on 41 houses this May. From now until the end of May, the district will start construction on an additional 6 sturdy houses. The district is determined to provide support to all poor, near-poor, and disadvantaged families who have been identified and approved for support in building sturdy houses in the district during May.

According to Nguyen Dinh Cuong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thong Nhat District, a review of the situation revealed that the district has 41 households needing assistance to repair or build sturdy houses. To date, nine families have moved into their new homes. The initial construction support was 80 million VND, but during the construction process, families, relatives, and neighbors contributed additional funds.

Many households received support from the community, including labor to dismantle old houses, and assistance with stones and soil for leveling the foundations. As a result, some houses, upon completion, had a total construction value of approximately 200 million VND. Currently, 32 households still need assistance with building or repairing their homes. In May, the district is determined to help these cases begin construction or repair so that they can soon have sturdy houses and a stable life.

During Humanitarian Month 2025, the Provincial Red Cross Society aims to mobilize and receive 11,300 units of voluntarily donated blood. To date, over 12,000 units of blood have been received.

According to the objectives of the Dong Nai province's program to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses in 2025, by June 15, 2025, the province must complete the construction of houses for 265 poor and near-poor households, people with difficult circumstances included in the program to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses, and 110 families of revolutionary heroes and relatives of martyrs who need housing support. To meet the set deadline, it is expected that in May, the steering committees for eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses in districts, cities, communes, and wards will focus on supporting people to have solid houses for stable living. At the same time, departments, agencies, districts, and cities will coordinate to review the list of people requesting house construction or repair in their areas to ensure that no cases in need of support are overlooked.

According to Cao Van Quang, Standing Committee member of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Nai province, and Deputy Head of the Steering Committee for the Eradication of Temporary and Dilapidated Houses in Dong Nai province, through the efforts of the steering committees at all levels in the province, the number of families needing housing support has been continuously updated. Simultaneously, the mobilization and connection of resources have been effectively coordinated by the Provincial People's Committee and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees at all levels in the province. As a result, the province has received over 71 billion VND from individuals and organizations to support the construction of sturdy houses for the people. In addition, many resources have been directly provided to individual families for house construction and repair, and have been effectively implemented.

As a result, each completed sturdy house in Dong Nai always has a higher value than the initial support received. Among these, many houses are worth 2-3 times more after completion than the stipulated support amount (for poor households, near-poor households, and people in difficult circumstances).

Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh (residing in Tan Mai ward, Bien Hoa city) said that, thanks to the support of the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Association of the province, he was able to choose gifts from the "Zero-Cost Market" organized at the Provincial Buddhist Association temple. This is very meaningful support for a family facing many difficulties like his.

Tens of thousands of gifts were distributed to the people.

Besides supporting people in building sturdy houses, Humanitarian Month is also the time of year when a large number of people in difficult circumstances receive gifts. Gift-giving activities take place every day, and on some days there are up to 5 gift-giving sessions.

According to the Chairwoman of the Provincial Red Cross Society, Do Thi Phuoc Thien, the 2025 Humanitarian Month takes place at a time when the whole country and Dong Nai are celebrating the 50th anniversary of national reunification…, especially the 135th anniversary of the birth of President Ho Chi Minh - the first honorary president of the Vietnam Red Cross Society . Therefore, the Red Cross societies at all levels in the province are striving to achieve accomplishments to celebrate these important national events. To date, the Red Cross societies at all levels in the province are working to achieve the goal of the 2025 Humanitarian Month, which is to raise at least 15 billion VND to assist over 60,000 humanitarian cases through various activities.

In addition to gifts, healthcare activities are also organized by Red Cross branches at all levels in coordination with many other organizations.

According to Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan, Chairwoman of the Trang Bom District Red Cross Society, in implementing the 2025 Humanitarian Month, the District Society, in coordination with other units, organized a program of screening and humanitarian eye surgery for the elderly and people in difficult circumstances. As a result, 60 people suffering from cataracts and pterygium received free surgery.

In addition, this year's Humanitarian Month coincides with the Buddha's Birthday celebration (Buddhist calendar 2569 - Gregorian calendar 2025) and the fourth United Nations Vesak Day celebration held in Vietnam.

According to Venerable Thich Hue Khai, Head of the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Association in the province, the Buddha's Birthday celebration is an opportunity to carry out one of the four major annual social charity activities of Buddhism. In this event, the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Association in the province organized the distribution of 700 gift packages to people in difficult circumstances in the districts and cities. Each gift package is worth 500,000 VND, contributed by Buddhist followers. At the same time, depending on the actual conditions, during the Buddha's Birthday celebration, more than 700 temples and the executive boards of the Vietnam Buddhist Association in the districts and cities organized the distribution of 50-700 gift packages (ranging from 200,000 to 1,000,000 VND per package) to people with disabilities, elderly people living alone, and poor and near-poor households.

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