Children in Sin Ho district, Lai Chau province are given gifts under the 2019 “Lightening dreams” program.(Photo: baonhandao.vn)

This year’s program aims to build two houses of gratitude and provide 1,000 scholarships and 3,000 gift sets.

Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Children’s Rights, said Vietnam still has many children in economic difficulty and in need of help. The Association hopes the program which was launched at the beginning of the new academic year will encourage a learning spirit, said Hoa.

“The program coincides with the early days of the new school year and anticipates the Mid-Autumn Festival. A gift or scholarship will motivate them to study throughout the school year and do their best to overcome any difficulties impeding their studies. These are simple but legitimate dreams of children who have the right to develop comprehensively and be supported by the Party, government, and agencies to realize their dreams,” Hoa added.

The “Lightening dreams” program aims to motivate disadvantaged ethnic children in northern mountain provinces to overcome difficulties impeding their studies to realize their dreams. (Photo: baonhandao.vn)

In July and August, 420 gift sets were given to disadvantaged children in Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang, and Lai Chau province.

Nguyen Van Hung, Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Children’s Rights, talked about the criteria for selecting beneficiaries this year: “The selection depends on each province. In Thai Nguyen, ethnic children in the historical safe zone in Dinh Hoa district were chosen as a way to mark 50 years of the implementation of President Ho Chi Minh testament. We selected Cao Bang because 85% of the province’s population are ethnic minority people.”

Duong Hoai Nam, Director of Vietjet Air’s northern branch, said Vietjet hopes the program will help to lighten handicapped children’s faith in a brighter future.

“We think the program is important. VietJet has not only offered material support, but has organized separate programs to help special cases. We hope the program will spread to more businesses and more walks of life to help children realize their dreams,” said Nam.

As part of the “Lightening dreams of disadvantaged ethnic and mountain children” program, 300 beneficiaries were given scholarships with 43 USD each at a ceremony in Hanoi on Sunday. The recipients are ethnic children who have escaped their economic difficulties and done well academically.