The launch ceremony for the nationwide Peak Month for the Poor 2015, which will run between 17 October and 18 November, took place in Da Nang on Wednesday.

This year’s event aims to appeal for more donations for the local poor from generous individuals and organisations.  The focus is on helping all local poor families, under the current poverty line, escape poverty and making good preparations for next year’s plan to lift another 23,000 poor households out of poverty as defined by the city's new poverty line.

At the event, the city’s Mobilising Board for the 'Day for the Poor' appeal asked for local organisations, businesses, government officials and employees, Party members, those working for local businesses, military officers and men, and other generous donors to continue to donate at least one day's salary each to raise funds for the city’s 'Fund for the Poor'.

Leaders from the Party Committee of the municipal government agencies pledged to encourage its member organisations to become actively involved in this meaningful local programme.

Last year, 61 of the 87 Party organisation of local government agencies actively participated in raising funds for the 'Fund for the Poor 2014'.

Between January and September this year, a total of over 30 billion VND has been  raised for the ‘Fund for the Poor 2015’.  The money has been used to help repair the houses of hundreds of local poor families and give them a means of livelihood.  Scholarships were also presented to local poor pupils and financial aid was given to poor households in special circumstances.  In addition, the municipal Fatherland Committee has spent 1.75 billion VND on building houses for 82 local social policy beneficiaries.