During her working visit to Da Nang this past weekend, the Vietnamese State Vice President and Chairwoman of the Protection Council of the Viet Nam Fund for Child Protection, Mrs Nguyen Thi Doan, recently gave 140 scholarships, each worth 3 million VND, to local pupils.  The recipients were 110 local pupils from very poor families with outstanding academic results, and 30 children of local naval officers and soldiers who are fulfilling their law enforcement missions in the Hoang Sa waters to safeguard the country’s sovereignty.  The scholarship-granting ceremony was jointly organised in the city on Saturday afternoon by the Viet Nam Fund for Child Protection, the Zone 3 Naval High Command, and the municipal Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Welfare.  

Granting scholarships to children whose fathers are implementing law enforcement missions in the Hoang Sa waters

The granting of scholarships was part of a programme entitled “I Do Not Have to Drop Out of School” which was officially launched by Vice President Doan in September 2012.  Scholarships and long-term financial aid, worth over 18 billion VND in total, have so far been given to about 6,400 children in 47 cities and provinces across the country.  The recipients are orphaned and disabled children, and those from very poor families and ethnic minority groups.

To mark the occasion, 1.5 billion VND from the Fund was given to provide heart and lip surgery and life-threatening disease treatment for 186 children of local naval officers and soldiers.

On Sunday morning, Vice President Doan and the Minister for Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Ms Pham Thi Hai Chuyen, presented 34 gifts, worth nearly 70 million VND in total, to child patients who are receiving heart treatment at the city’s Fortis Hoan My Hospital.  Each gift consisted of 2 million VND in cash and milk.  Vice President Doan also witnessed a heart operation at the hospital on 4-year-old Nguyen Thi Quynh Quyen from a poor family in Quang Ngai Province’s Ly Son District.

Representatives from the Fortis Hoan My Hospital and the Viet Nam Fund for Child Protection signed a commitment to provide free surgery and treatment for 29 child patients at the hospital whose fathers are officers and men in the Zone 3 Naval High Command.  The children are suffering from cardiovascular problems, cleft lip and palate, autism, and other diseases.