On Tuesday, the Da Nang Red Cross Association celebrated its 40^th birthday (12 November) and the 70^th founding anniversary of the Viet Nam Red Cross Society (23 November).

Local poor people receiving Tet gifts from the city’s Red Cross Association

The Da Nang Red Cross Association has already established branches in all districts, wards, communes, schools, and departments and agencies.  To date, it has 93 member organisations at grass-roots level with  27,243 members and 2,043 volunteers from 1,543 branches.

Over the past 5 years, a total of around 226 billion VND has been raised by the Association to help 268,000 poor families and disadvantaged people from across the city.

During this period, numerous useful programmes have been implemented, including training courses on how to give initial first aid and emergency treatment for patients, and vocational training programmes for disabled teenagers, orphans, and very poor children.

From now until 2021, the Association aims to assist 150,000 poor people.  Importance will be attached to encouraging local citizens to donate a total of 200,000 units of blood to meet the demand of local hospitals for use in general treatment and emergencies.  Also, greater efforts will be made to raise awareness amongst local residents about how to ensure effective disaster preparedness and mitigation activities.

Municipal People's Committee Vice Chairman Tran Van Mien praised the Association for its great efforts in ensuring the effective implementation of the local poverty reduction programme which helps to make Da Nang a more beautiful, peaceful and liveable city.

Vice Chairman Mien underlined the need for the association to promote the efficient of the ‘Every Organisation and Individual is Associated with a Humanitarian Address’ campaign launched by the National Red Cross Association.  In addition, emphasis will be placed on expanding cooperation with domestic and foreign organisations to appeal for more donations to local charitable activities.

Also at the event, the Association was awarded a laudatory banner by Da Nang People’s Committee.  The banner features the words ‘The Da Nang Red Cross Association - 40 Years of Construction and Development’.

In addition, a campaign to help local poor and disabled people to celebrate the upcoming 2017 Lunar New Year has been launched in the city.  The intention is to raise at least 4.5 billion VND to buy Tet gifts for 15,000 local poor and disabled citizens.