The Da Nang Association for Supporting Poor and Disadvantaged Women and Children held a ceremony on Tuesday to celebrate its 20^th birthday.

Municipal Party Committee Deputy Secretary cum People's Council Chairman Luong Nguyen Minh Triet, and municipal People's Committee Vice Chairwoman Ngo Thi Kim Yen, made their attendance at the event.

Municipal Party Committee Deputy Secretary cum People's Council Chairman Luong Nguyen Minh Triet speaking at the event

In his speech at the ceremony, Deputy Secretary Luong Nguyen Minh Triet highly lauded the Association for its remarkable achievements over the past 2 decades. He affirmed that the Association and its chapters at all levels well fulfilled their responsibilities and duties, thereby significantly contributing to the success of the '5 No's, 3 Yes's' programe and the 'City of 4 Safe Programmes', as well as the city’s socio-economic development.

Deputy Secretary Triet said that the Association is the city’s very specific and unique model to ensure local social welfare. Over the past 20 years, the Association has grown stronger in terms of size and stature. Most specially, many humanitarian and practical charity programmes have been carried out, including free surgery for poor children with heart complaints, and hospital fee exemption and reduction for poor women.

Deputy Secretary Luong Nguyen Minh Triet (second, right) and Vice Chairwoman Ngo Thi Kim Yen (first, right) presenting flowers to congratulate the 20th birrthday of the Da Nang Association for Supporting Poor and Disadvantaged Women and Children.

Mr Triet informed that there were nearly 300,000 children in the city, accounting for 25.5% of the city's population, 3,200 of whom had special circumstances. Meanwhile, there were around 600,000 women, accounting for 50.53% of the city's population, many of whom were living in difficult circumstances and in need of support.

He, therefore, asked the Association to continue to promote its achieved results, actively renew its activities, maintain and better implement their humane social programmes, and provide timely support for poor and unfortunate women and children in the city.

“Besides, it is necessary to be flexible and creative in mobilising benefactors to contribute to the society, act as a bridge between generous organisations and individuals and poor unfortunate women and children, and actively contact and work with units to affirm the efficiency of the Association’s charity programmes,” he added.

Deputy Secretary Luong Nguyen Minh Triet (second, left) and Vice Chairwoman Ngo Thi Kim Yen (first, left) presenting the emulation flag of the municipal People's Committee to the Da Nang Association for Supporting Poor and Disadvantaged Women and Children

Over the past 20 years, the Association has raised more than VND1,850 billion from organisations and businesses to build the Women's Hospital and the Oncology Hospital, and carry out many social welfare programmes and activities citywide.

In particular, the Association has coordinated with relevant organisations and units to provide free screening tests for nearly 400,000 poor children. Around 2,000 of them have been diagnosed with congenital heart disease, and nearly 1,200 children have been offered with free surgery totalling more than VND53 billion.

During that period, the Association has given free medical examinations and treatment, reduced hospital fees, and donated gifts to about tens of thousands of poor women and children citywide.

Deputy Secretary Triet urged the Association to constantly improve and renovate its operating methods, promote information work, and coordinate with other departments and social organisations so as to enhance the material and spiritual life of residents in the coming time.

Special attention should be paid to working well with units, businesses, benefactors and religions to mobilise funding resources for the association's targeted and humanitarian programmes such as screening tests for early detection of congenital heart disease and cancer, and charity kitchens.

Da Nang People's Committee Vice Chairwoman Ngo Thi Kim Yen (center) awarding Certificates of Merit from the municipal People's Committee to collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in Association's activities

Also at the ceremony, Deputy Secretary Triet and Vice Chairwoman Yen presented the emulation flag from the municipal People's Committee to the Association.

On the occasion, 6 collectives and 10 individuals of the Association were awarded Certificates of Merit from the municipal People's Committee and the city’s Fatherland Front Committee in recognition of their active involvement in the Association’s construction and development.

Besides, the Association presented Certificates of Merit to 19 collectives and 23 individuals who have gained outstanding achievements in the Association's activities over the past 20 years.

Reporting by XUAN DUNG - Translating by M.DUNG