(photo: tuoitre.vn)

400 students in Hanoi have over the past two days returned home for Tet on free buses organized by the Vietnamese Students’ Association. In addition to free buses, the students also received Tet gifts and lucky money. “It’s quite crowded in the bus stations where disease infection risks are high. Thanks to this program and instruction of the organizing board, we all feel safe,” said a student.

“I’m from Ha Giang province. I’m grateful for the program under which I and other students can return home safely. This is a significant program for me,” said a student.

This year, the Vietnamese Students Association has worked with other agencies and organizations to help 500 students from northwestern and central provinces return home for Tet.

The Students’ Associations in many cities and provinces have worked with agencies to deliver 5,000 free bus tickets to students, presented 1,500 Tet gifts to disadvantaged students, and gifts and scholarships to 110 disadvantaged Youth Union members in Hanoi, Da Nang, and HCM City.

Nguyen Minh Triet, Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese Students Association, said several buses have been hired to bring students home for Tet. Students are given hand sanitizer and face masks when they board the buses. Triet said: “Students Associations and schools have organized these activities to help thousands of students return home for Tet. For those students who decide not to return home for Tet, we will organize Tet celebrations in the dormitories to ensure that they, too, will have a happy Tet.”

Over the past 8 years, the program “Bring students back home for Tet” has mobilized resources and donations worth 260,00 USD to help more than 9,000 students.