"Godmother" helps child continue pursuing their dreams.

Every child is born with the right to education, play, and grow up in the love and care of their parents. However, not every child is fortunate enough to have this seemingly self-evident happiness. With its humanitarian significance and contribution to alleviating suffering, the "Godmother" program, implemented by the Provincial Women's Union, has warmed the hearts of many orphaned children, creating conditions for their holistic development within a family and community environment.

The "Godmothers" of the Lam Son Commune Women's Union, Tam Nong District, regularly care for the two siblings, Tran Hoang Anh and Tran Hoang Thu Ngan.

A pillar of love and responsibility

In early 2024, a traffic accident left siblings Tran Hoang Anh (15 years old) and Tran Hoang Thu Ngan (7 years old) orphaned, losing both their parents. They then went to live with their paternal grandparents in Zone 15, Lam Son Commune, Tam Nong District. Inside their small house, the grandparents and the two siblings still face the pain of losing loved ones and the difficulties, both material and emotional, that they have yet to overcome.

Immediately after learning about the siblings' circumstances, the Lam Son Commune Women's Union connected with benefactors, members, and women in the commune to support the two children with over 100 million VND to cover their education expenses. They also regularly provide direct care, assistance, listen to their thoughts and aspirations, and monitor their health and living conditions, reporting this information to the higher-level Women's Union and other members. Ms. Ha Thi Loan, President of the Lam Son Commune Women's Union, said: “Hoang Anh and Thu Ngan are both very well-behaved, diligent, and excellent students. Being orphaned is already a disadvantage, but orphans in difficult circumstances face even greater hardship. Besides providing material support, the Commune Women's Union also regularly encourages and cares for the children under its care, especially those living with elderly grandparents, to understand their feelings, provide guidance, and offer timely assistance.”

While pouring tea, Mr. Tran Khac Tru, the grandfather of Hoang Anh and Thu Ngan, choked up with emotion: "The Women's Union of the commune has shown concern and accepted the role of 'Godmother' for the two children. We are so happy. Thanks to the support of the godmothers, organizations, and benefactors, the children are less burdened and have more motivation to study well. The godmothers also regularly visit, chat with, and give gifts to the two children. We are very grateful for their kindness."

This year, the humble home of Phung Thi Nhu Ngoc in Cu area, My Thuan commune, Tan Son district, has become warmer thanks to the care and help of her godmother Bui Thi Kim Ngot and the mothers in the My Thuan Commune Women's Union. Ngoc, 10 years old, has a particularly difficult situation. Her mother passed away in 2019 from cancer when she was only 5 years old, and her father left to work far away and has not returned to support her. Since childhood, Ngoc has had to do everything herself at home and help her elderly grandmother. Given her difficult circumstances, the My Thuan Commune Women's Union connected her with Ms. Bui Thi Kim Ngot from Hoai Duc district, Hanoi, who has become Ngoc's godmother until 2028, providing 6 million VND per year to support her school expenses.

The Women's Union of Tan Son district and her adoptive parents visited Phung Thi Nhu Ngoc in My Thuan commune.

Ms. Bui Thi Kim Ngọt shared: “When I accepted the responsibility of being a godmother, I thought that I was not only giving the children material things, but more importantly, the love of a mother for her children. Being able to care for and look after them every day makes me very happy because I can help them become more confident in life, excel in their studies, and become useful members of society.”

In practical care and support for orphaned children in the area, over the years, the Tan Son District Women's Union has directed and guided its branches and members to proactively and actively participate in many meaningful and timely activities. To date, the District Women's Union has connected with, mobilized, and received attention and support from organizations and individuals to help 24 orphaned children with a total value of over 320 million VND. On the occasion of the new school year, Children's Day, and Mid-Autumn Festival, the Women's Union at all levels has connected with and contacted schools to request tuition fee reductions and extra-curricular fee reductions for orphaned children under the Union's sponsorship, creating conditions for them to study well.

The message "You always have a mother" has become a bridge connecting compassionate hearts, accompanying and protecting orphaned children – those unfortunate souls in life. Homes that once lacked the love and warmth of parents are now warmed by the affection of foster mothers.

"I always have my mother."

Recognizing the humanitarian significance of the "Godmother" Program launched by the Vietnam Women's Union Central Committee, Women's Union branches at all levels in the province have proactively conducted surveys and reviews of orphaned children and children in difficult circumstances to develop and implement specific support activities tailored to each situation. Ms. Ha Thi Thu Hoa, President of the Tam Nong District Women's Union, shared: Implementing the "Godmother" Program to support the care and nurturing of orphaned children, the Tam Nong District Women's Union has reviewed and directly visited the number of orphaned children in the district to develop solutions and provide support and assistance. Currently, there are a total of 239 orphaned children in the district. All of them have received spiritual support from Women's Union branches in the district; 19 children have been connected to sponsors with a total support fund from nearly 490 million VND.

The Provincial Women's Union regularly checks on the children's studies and encourages the children they are sponsoring.

Through the "Godmother Program," the province has so far provided material support to 1,447 disadvantaged children, including 405 children in extremely difficult circumstances, through women's associations at all levels. The total funding supporting these children until they reach 18 years old is nearly 5 billion VND. Beyond simply providing material support, the "Godmother Program" also collaborates with local Party committees, authorities, and women's associations in communes to regularly visit and care for the children's well-being and education; equip them with basic life skills and knowledge; provide healthcare; offer career guidance; and establish fundraising models to help these children. The children participate in exchanges, meetings, forums sharing love, returning to their roots, and many other practical activities organized by the Association at all levels to strongly spread the profound humanitarian meaning of the Program, creating value and confidence for orphaned children in difficult circumstances to continue their education and grow up in a compassionate, civilized, and happy society.

Particularly at the grassroots level, the Women's Union's staff has adopted creative and effective approaches, mobilizing the entire political system from the commune to the residential area, agencies, units, grassroots trade unions, commune police, and overseas Vietnamese to participate. Some units requested to change the program name to "Foster Father/Mother/Brother/Sister". Many units integrated and simultaneously organized many practical activities such as: organizing cultural exchange nights, sports competitions to raise funds for charity; campaigning for the "For Poor Women and Children" day; the "Helping Children Go to School" program... They cared for and encouraged the "Foster Children" in all aspects to help them overcome disadvantages, feel the warmth of their "Foster Mother," and help them strive to improve their lives...

In addition, the Provincial Women's Union actively promoted the purpose and significance of the Program on its website and Fanpage, "Women of the Ancestral Land," and grassroots women's unions posted content on their Zalo and Facebook groups, thereby raising awareness among members and women regarding child care and protection; effectively connecting "Godmothers" with children, creating conditions for them to access and effectively utilize support resources. Ms. Phan Hong Nhung, Vice President of the Provincial Women's Union, stated: With the motto "Where there are orphans, there are godmothers," the Program has created a strong ripple effect in the community through the enthusiastic participation of officials and members of women's unions at all levels, contributing to sharing, supporting, nurturing, and caring for many orphaned children and those with special circumstances, giving them the strength to become useful citizens. The achievements made over the past two years of implementing the Program serve as motivation for all levels of the Association to continue actively connecting and mobilizing resources to support even more orphaned children in difficult circumstances, enabling them to thrive in life.

Over the past two springs and with more springs to come, the hearts of the orphans in the "Godmother" Program have become much warmer. Even though their biological parents are no longer alive, the love and hopes of their godparents will surely be cherished and treasured by the children, serving as a great asset to help them become stronger, more resilient, and continue pursuing their dreams.

Thu Giang

Source: https://baophutho.vn/me-do-dau-cung-con-viet-tiep-uoc-mo-221923.htm