Promote the effectiveness of the Sponsorship Fund to care for children in special circumstances

The Provincial Children's Fund Sponsorship Council gives gifts to children in special circumstances on the occasion of Mid-Autumn Festival.

The province currently has nearly 486,300 children under 16 years old, accounting for 26% of the province's population; of which 4,432 are children in special circumstances such as: orphans, abandoned children, disabled children, children infected with HIV/AIDS, children with serious and dangerous diseases requiring long-term treatment, children who have to do hard work, children who are abused, and over 20,000 children at risk of falling into special circumstances. In recent years, our province has established a Children's Protection Fund at all three levels: provincial, district and communal to create more material resources to care for the lives of children in special circumstances.

To effectively mobilize and build the fund, the Provincial Children's Fund Sponsorship Council coordinated with press agencies to build many specialized pages and columns to promote activities to support disabled children, poor children, and children in difficult circumstances; hanging banners and slogans, distributing leaflets, and training on child care, protection, andeducation in general and children in special circumstances in particular. The Provincial Children's Fund Sponsorship Council organized campaigns to mobilize agencies, units, organizations, businesses, individuals, and the entire community to participate in building the fund, focusing on the Month of Action for Children, integrated into the launching ceremony of the Month of Action for Children on the occasion of International Children's Day (June 1). Responding to the Action Month for Children 2024 with the theme: "Practical actions, prioritizing resources for children", the Provincial Children's Fund Sponsoring Council coordinated with the People's Committee of Ý Yên district to organize a launching ceremony with the participation of leaders of departments, branches, organizations of the province, People's Committees of districts, cities, businesses, philanthropists and more than 250 children in the district. At the launching ceremony, the Provincial Children's Fund called for support from domestic and foreign agencies, organizations, individuals, international aid... to contribute to the Children's Fund at all levels, creating more resources to care for children in especially difficult circumstances or directly support children. Also at the launching ceremony, the Provincial Children's Fund awarded 50 scholarships and 50 bicycles to children in special and difficult circumstances in Ý Yên district.

Through the campaigns, the fund sources at all levels in the province have grown strongly in both scale and quality. In 2024, the Provincial and District Children's Funds mobilized 2,369 billion VND, of which: Provincial Children's Fund 869 million VND; District Children's Fund 1.5 billion VND. From the Fund, the Provincial Children's Fund's Board of Trustees and districts, cities, communes, wards and towns have organized activities to protect, care for and educate children; focusing on supporting children in special circumstances such as orphans without shelter, children with disabilities, organizing visits and giving gifts to children on International Children's Day (June 1) and Mid-Autumn Festival. The Provincial Children's Fund organized the awarding of 50 scholarships to children in special and difficult circumstances sponsored by the Grain Rice Association and the Vitam Association, each worth 2.2 million VND. Organized the awarding of 30 bicycles and 100 sets of supplies to children in special and difficult circumstances sponsored by Vitam Association. Coordinated with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of the province to organize a joyful activity to welcome the Mid-Autumn Festival with the theme "Lanterns light up dreams" at the Provincial Youth Culture and Sports Center with the participation of more than 300 children; presented 238 gifts to 238 children in special circumstances. Coordinated with districts and cities to present 7 wheelchairs to children with mobility disabilities, 200 gifts of school supplies to children in special and difficult circumstances. Coordinated with the Vietnam Children's Fund and Generali Vietnam Life Insurance Company Limited to present 30 scholarships, each worth 1 million VND, to students in special and difficult circumstances at Chu Van An Primary School (Nam Dinh city). Through the Provincial Children's Fund, the Vietnam Children's Fund coordinated with hospitals to examine and perform surgery on 16 children with jaw and facial deformities in the province. The Central Propaganda and Education Commission supported 100 gifts for children in special and difficult circumstances in Nam Truc district on the occasion of the Lunar New Year. The Vietnam Children's Fund supported 300 gifts and 25 bicycles for children in Y Yen district. The Provincial Children's Fund received and supported 1,118 gifts of essential products, nutritional milk, and supplements for children in difficult circumstances affected by storm No. 3 sponsored by the Vietnam Children's Fund, Nestle Vietnam Co., Ltd., Sao Thai Duong Joint Stock Company, Fresh Life Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, etc.

Through the activities of caring for and protecting children in special circumstances of the Children's Support Fund at all levels in the province, there has been a change in the awareness of all levels, sectors, organizations, families and society about the important role of child protection and care for the development of the country, thereby clearly demonstrating the responsibility in protecting, caring for and educating children. The Children's Support Fund at all levels has truly become a bridge between the community and children in special circumstances. Thereby, unfortunate children are increasingly cared for and helped to reduce difficulties and disadvantages and have equal opportunities to access social services, ensure their legitimate rights, and help them confidently participate in family, school and social activities.

Thanks to the effective use of the Children's Protection Fund, the work of protecting and caring for children in the province has had many positive changes. Children in special circumstances are cared for and assisted in various forms; there are no drug-addicted children, exploited children, trafficked children, migrant children, refugees, children with serious physical and mental damage due to violence; the number of abused children and children with accidents and injuries annually decreases by 4-6% compared to the previous year. 100% of children under 6 years old and children under social protection are issued health insurance cards. Organizing vaccinations and health care for children to minimize the rate of malnourished children, contributing to comprehensive child protection; 100% of primary and secondary schools in the province meet standards. However, the number of children in special circumstances in our province is still high (4,432 children in special circumstances and over 20,000 children at risk of falling into special circumstances), the support only meets part of the development needs of children, requiring huge resources from society and the State. In the coming time, the Provincial Children's Fund Sponsorship Council will promote communication activities on education to raise awareness of the whole society, intervene and provide timely assistance to children in special circumstances and children at high risk of falling into special circumstances. Maintain and promote the activities of building and mobilizing the Children's Support Fund at all levels, continue to call on agencies, departments, branches, unions, charities, businesses, and philanthropists to actively support and contribute money and goods to create more conditions to continue implementing programs to help children in special circumstances, contributing with the Party committees, authorities and people in the province to do a good job of protecting and caring for children.

Article and photos: Minh Tan

Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/xa-hoi/202504/phat-huy-hieu-qua-quy-bao-trodecham-lo-cho-tre-em-co-hoan-canh-dac-biet-b915158/