Jointly organised by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the National Fund for Vietnamese Children (NFVC), the programme aims to present gifts to underprivileged children on the occasion of the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet holiday).

Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi on January 16, Director of the NFVC Hoang Van Tien said the MoLISA will grant certificates of merit to nine units and individuals with notable achievements in child care and protection in 2017.

The NFVC will also honour children who overcame difficulties to reap outstanding academic outcomes.

The programme will highlight activities to build boarding schools for children in the mountainous area of Ngan Son district in the northern Bac Kan province.

It is expected to receive funding worth about VND70-80 billion (over US$3 million) from 50 units.

In 2017, the NFVC spent over VND79 billion (US$3.5 million) supporting 106,400 children via health care, nutrition, and education programmes. 

In 2018, the fund aims to mobilise about VND10.5 billion (US$463,000) to support nearly 120,000 children.

Since it was held in 2008, the “Spring for children” programme has raised hundreds of billions of VND to assist poor children nationwide.