Ho Chi Minh City spreads the spirit of mutual support and compassion.

Following the devastating damage caused by successive storms and floods in Central Vietnam, a strong support movement is spreading from departments, businesses, and the community of Ho Chi Minh City. This spirit of compassion is demonstrated through practical and timely actions, aimed at helping people quickly stabilize their lives and rebuild their livelihoods.

Donated items are being gathered at the headquarters of the Vietnam Fatherland Front in Ho Chi Minh City before being transported to people in the storm-affected areas.

Joining hands to help our compatriots affected by floods.

In recent days, fundraising and support activities for flood-affected areas in Ho Chi Minh City have been widespread, with the participation of many forces. According to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the unit has just received 22 units, organizations, and individuals who have pledged over 6.1 billion VND in support, of which nearly 1 billion VND is in goods and essential necessities that have been immediately delivered to localities isolated by rising floodwaters. The support focuses on caring for people's health, providing medical assistance and disease prevention after the floods, and stabilizing the lives and education of children.

According to a representative from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, the entire sector has mobilized over 20,000 home medical kits, each designed to address common post-flood illnesses such as skin conditions caused by prolonged water immersion, digestive problems, colds and fevers, and insect-borne infectious diseases. This is timely and practical support, especially given the prolonged isolation of many localities.

Representatives from Uniqlo Vietnam personally hand over gifts to students in disadvantaged areas. Photo: QL

Similarly, the Ho Chi Minh City Farmers' Association has also mobilized nearly 800 million VND. Not only focusing on the Central region, the Association also proactively cared for areas within the city severely affected by tidal surges. Specifically, in Binh Loi commune (formerly Binh Chanh district), over 540 hectares of land planted with yellow apricot blossoms for the Tet holiday were deeply flooded due to damaged tidal barriers. The authorities and residents had to mobilize 20 pumps operating continuously to save the crops and minimize damage. At the same time, the Association proposed organizing a delegation to visit and commend the forces involved in the recovery efforts, considering it part of the city's internal responsibility.

At the national level, the Vietnam Red Cross is coordinating with affected provinces to implement long-term and sustainable support plans. Mr. Vu Thanh Luu, Vice President of the Vietnam Red Cross, stated that support should not be limited to food and clothing but should address core needs such as providing clean water, repairing schools, and supporting the provision of seedlings and livestock to help people restore their livelihoods. Giving people the opportunity to rebuild and recover is the most effective and sustainable form of humanitarian assistance.

The joy of students receiving warm clothes during the flood season. Photo: QL

Currently, many businesses in Ho Chi Minh City are also making significant contributions. A representative from Duc Thanh Wood Processing Joint Stock Company stated that the entire staff contributed 100 million VND to support people in disaster-stricken areas. Although the amount is not large, it represents a heartfelt commitment and community responsibility built on the hard work of the workers themselves. The company also proposed increasing the dissemination of real-life images from the flood-affected areas on digital platforms, helping the community better understand the difficulties and thus creating motivation for continued sharing.

International corporations are also present in supporting flood-affected and disadvantaged areas. Specifically, UNIQLO Vietnam has joined hands with the Hope Foundation to provide timely support to people in Hue City to overcome the consequences of the storm and floods. The total value of the donation is 500 million VND, including essential supplies and support for patients in difficult circumstances receiving treatment at Hue Central Hospital, as well as schools in heavily flooded areas. Along with the donation, new UNIQLO clothing and more than 2,000 RE.UNIQLO garments were also delivered to local people.

Meanwhile, Sun Life Group provided over 2.2 billion VND through the Vietnam Red Cross to help localities recover from natural disasters. This support focused on urgent and sustainable needs such as providing clean water (water filters) to affected areas; equipping schools with computers and learning equipment so students can continue their studies...

Funding sources must be transparent.

According to Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Loc, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, relief efforts should not only focus on mobilizing and transferring goods but also ensure transparency, timeliness, and targeting the right beneficiaries. Accordingly, each source of support is carefully reviewed based on actual needs to ensure it reaches the people in the most urgent circumstances.

Joining hands to support people in disaster-stricken areas also reflects a culture of sustainable development, in which economic growth is linked to social responsibility. Photo: HT

Mr. Loc emphasized: "Helping our compatriots in times of hardship is our responsibility, but helping them to stand up strong is the most profound meaning. We should not only bring food and medicine, but also work together to build dikes, repair schools, upgrade bridges and roads, and provide seedlings and livestock so that people can quickly restore their livelihoods."

Sharing the same view, Ms. Truong Thi Bich Hanh, Standing Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the synchronized and widespread participation shows that humanitarian values ​​lie not only in each gift but also in the spirit of solidarity that creates community strength. Support from the South will further empower disaster-stricken areas to rise up and move forward. In the future, the Fatherland Front also requests that departments, agencies, organizations, and businesses continue to maintain the mutual assistance movement, creating a sustainable spread within the community. In this, each citizen, whether contributing a little or a lot, is contributing to building a common value.

Ms. Hanh shared: “We are not calling for support after each storm, but for the sake of the people who are suffering after the natural disaster. Sharing is not just about material things, but also about spirit. When people in flood-affected areas receive family medicine kits, they feel cared for in terms of their health. When children receive new books, they understand that their learning continues. And when farmers are given seedlings and seeds, they see a new season approaching, and hope blossoms again on the land that has just experienced floods.”

Goods are being urgently transported to people in the flooded areas. Photo: HT

For businesses, joining hands to support people in disaster-stricken areas also demonstrates a culture of sustainable development, where economic growth is linked to social responsibility. Many businesses not only send money and goods but also directly participate in programs to rebuild infrastructure and support long-term livelihoods. This shows that the maturity of community awareness in business is inseparable from compassion.

Ms. Lay Hoon Tan, General Director of Sun Life Vietnam, said that the company is working quickly and diligently with the Vietnam Red Cross to provide learning equipment and clean water to students in schools affected by the storms and floods. She hopes this support will contribute to a brighter future for the students.

According to a report by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, to date, the unit has received over 210 billion VND and allocated 147 billion VND to 18 provinces and cities severely affected by the disaster. These figures not only demonstrate the city's swift and large-scale response but also serve as proof of the deep bond between the South and the Central and Northern regions, areas where people have faced numerous challenges from natural disasters.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/nguoi-tot-viec-tot/tp-ho-chi-minh-lan-toa-tinh-than-tuong-than-tuong-ai-20251107083940387.htm